---
title: "validate | Grafana Alloy documentation"
description: "Learn about the validate command"
---

# `validate`

The `validate` command validates an Alloy configuration file or directory path.

## Usage

shell ![Copy code to clipboard](/media/images/icons/icon-copy-small-2.svg) Copy

```shell
alloy validate [<FLAG> ...] <PATH_NAME>
```

Replace the following:

- *`<FLAG>`* : One or more flags that define the input and output of the command.
- *`<PATH_NAME>`* : Required. The Alloy configuration file or directory path.

If the configuration file is valid, the `validate` command returns a zero exit code. If the configuration file is invalid, the command returns a non-zero exit code and prints diagnostics generated during validation to `stderr`.

If you provide a directory path for the *`<PATH_NAME>`* , Alloy finds `*.alloy` files, ignoring nested directories, and loads them as a single configuration source.

The following flags are supported:

- `--config.format`: Specifies the source file format. Supported formats: `alloy`, `otelcol`, `prometheus`, `promtail`, and `static` (default `"alloy"`).
- `--config.bypass-conversion-errors`: Enable bypassing errors during conversion (default `false`).
- `--config.extra-args`: Extra arguments from the original format used by the converter.
- `--stability.level`: The minimum permitted stability level of functionality. Supported values: `experimental`, `public-preview`, and `generally-available` (default `"generally-available"`).
- `--feature.community-components.enabled`: Enable community components (default `false`).

> Note
> 
> When you validate the Alloy configuration, you must set the `--stability.level` and `--feature.community-components.enabled` arguments to the same values you want to use when you run Alloy.

## Limitations

Validation is limited in scope. It currently checks for:

- Syntax errors in the Alloy configuration syntax
- Missing components
- Component name conflicts
- Required properties are set
- Unknown properties
- `foreach` blocks
- `declare` blocks