---
title: "otelcol.exporter.debug | Grafana Alloy documentation"
description: "Learn about otelcol.exporter.debug"
---

# `otelcol.exporter.debug`

> **EXPERIMENTAL**: This is an [experimental](/docs/release-life-cycle/) component. Experimental components are subject to frequent breaking changes, and may be removed with no equivalent replacement. To enable and use an experimental component, you must set the `stability.level` [flag](/docs/alloy/latest/reference/cli/run/) to `experimental`.

`otelcol.exporter.debug` accepts telemetry data from other `otelcol` components and writes them to the console (stderr). You can control the verbosity of the logs.

> Note
> 
> `otelcol.exporter.debug` is a wrapper over the upstream OpenTelemetry Collector [`debug`](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/tree/v0.147.0/exporter/debugexporter) exporter. If necessary, bug reports or feature requests are redirected to the upstream repository.

You can specify multiple `otelcol.exporter.debug` components by giving them different labels.

## Usage

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

```alloy
otelcol.exporter.debug "<LABEL>" { }
```

## Arguments

You can use the following arguments with `otelcol.exporter.debug`:

Expand table

| Name                  | Type           | Description                                                       | Default      | Required |
|-----------------------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|----------|
| `output_paths`        | `list(string)` | Output destinations used when `use_internal_logger` is `false`.   | `["stdout"]` | no       |
| `sampling_initial`    | `int`          | Number of messages initially logged each second.                  | `2`          | no       |
| `sampling_thereafter` | `int`          | Sampling rate after the initial messages are logged.              | `1`          | no       |
| `use_internal_logger` | `bool`         | Whether to use the internal logger or print directly to `stderr`. | `true`       | no       |
| `verbosity`           | `string`       | Verbosity of the generated logs.                                  | `"basic"`    | no       |

The `verbosity` argument must be one of:

- `"basic"`: A single-line summary of received data is logged to stderr, with a total count of telemetry records for every batch of received logs, metrics, or traces.
- `"normal"`: Produces the same output as `"basic"` verbosity.
- `"detailed"`: All details of every telemetry record are logged to stderr, typically writing multiple lines for every telemetry record.

The following example shows `"basic"` and `"normal"` output:

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

```text
ts=2024-06-13T11:24:13.782957Z level=info msg=TracesExporter component_path=/ component_id=otelcol.exporter.debug.default "resource spans": 1, spans: 2
```

The following example shows `"detailed"` output:

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

```text
ts=2024-06-13T11:24:13.782957Z level=info msg=TracesExporter component_path=/ component_id=otelcol.exporter.debug.default "resource spans"=1 spans=2
ts=2024-06-13T11:24:13.783101Z level=info msg="ResourceSpans #0
Resource SchemaURL: https://opentelemetry.io/schemas/1.4.0
Resource attributes:
     -> service.name: Str(telemetrygen)
ScopeSpans #0
ScopeSpans SchemaURL:
InstrumentationScope telemetrygen
Span #0
    Trace ID       : 3bde5d3ee82303571bba6e1136781fe4
    Parent ID      : 5e9dcf9bac4acc1f
    ID             : 2cf3ef2899aba35c
    Name           : okey-dokey
    Kind           : Server
    Start time     : 2023-11-11 04:49:03.509369393 +0000 UTC
    End time       : 2023-11-11 04:49:03.50949377 +0000 UTC
    Status code    : Unset
    Status message :
Attributes:
     -> net.peer.ip: Str(1.2.3.4)
     -> peer.service: Str(telemetrygen-client)
Span #1
    Trace ID       : 3bde5d3ee82303571bba6e1136781fe4
    Parent ID      :
    ID             : 5e9dcf9bac4acc1f
    Name           : lets-go
    Kind           : Client
    Start time     : 2023-11-11 04:49:03.50935117 +0000 UTC
    End time       : 2023-11-11 04:49:03.50949377 +0000 UTC
    Status code    : Unset
    Status message :
Attributes:
     -> net.peer.ip: Str(1.2.3.4)
     -> peer.service: Str(telemetrygen-server)
        {"kind": "exporter", "data_type": "traces", "name": "debug"}"
```

> Note
> 
> All instances of `\n` in the `"detailed"` example have been replaced with new lines.

Setting `use_internal_logger` to `false` is useful if you would like to see actual new lines instead of `\n` in the collector logs. However, by not using the internal logger you wouldn’t see metadata in the log line such as `component_id=otelcol.exporter.debug.default`. Multiline logs may also be harder to parse.

The `output_paths` argument can be used only when `use_internal_logger` is `false`. Valid values include `stdout`, `stderr`, or file paths.

## Blocks

You can use the following block with `otelcol.exporter.debug`:

No valid configuration blocks found.

### `debug_metrics`

The `debug_metrics` block configures the metrics that this component generates to monitor its state.

The following arguments are supported:

Expand table

| Name                               | Type      | Description                                          | Default | Required |
|------------------------------------|-----------|------------------------------------------------------|---------|----------|
| `disable_high_cardinality_metrics` | `boolean` | Whether to disable certain high cardinality metrics. | `true`  | no       |

`disable_high_cardinality_metrics` is the Alloy equivalent to the `telemetry.disableHighCardinalityMetrics` feature gate in the OpenTelemetry Collector. It removes attributes that could cause high cardinality metrics. For example, attributes with IP addresses and port numbers in metrics about HTTP and gRPC connections are removed.

> Note
> 
> If configured, `disable_high_cardinality_metrics` only applies to `otelcol.exporter.*` and `otelcol.receiver.*` components.

## Exported fields

The following fields are exported and can be referenced by other components:

Expand table

| Name    | Type               | Description                                                      |
|---------|--------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `input` | `otelcol.Consumer` | A value that other components can use to send telemetry data to. |

`input` accepts `otelcol.Consumer` data for any telemetry signal (metrics, logs, or traces).

## Component health

`otelcol.exporter.debug` is only reported as unhealthy if given an invalid configuration.

## Debug information

`otelcol.exporter.debug` doesn’t expose any component-specific debug information.

## Example

This example receives OTLP metrics, logs, and traces and writes them to the console:

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

```alloy
otelcol.receiver.otlp "default" {
    grpc {}
    http {}

    output {
        metrics = [otelcol.exporter.debug.default.input]
        logs    = [otelcol.exporter.debug.default.input]
        traces  = [otelcol.exporter.debug.default.input]
    }
}

otelcol.exporter.debug "default" {}
```

## Compatible components

`otelcol.exporter.debug` has exports that can be consumed by the following components:

- Components that consume [OpenTelemetry `otelcol.Consumer`](../../../compatibility/#opentelemetry-otelcolconsumer-consumers)

> Note
> 
> Connecting some components may not be sensible or components may require further configuration to make the connection work correctly. Refer to the linked documentation for more details.