---
title: "Introduction to Grafana Alloy | Grafana Cloud documentation"
description: "Grafana Alloy simplifies telemetry collection by combining metrics, logs, traces, and profiles into one powerful, vendor-neutral collector"
---

# Introduction to Grafana Alloy

Grafana Alloy is an open source telemetry collector that simplifies how you gather and send observability data. It’s an [OpenTelemetry Collector distribution](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/collector/distributions/) with built-in Prometheus pipelines and native support for Loki, Pyroscope, and other observability backends.

Alloy collects metrics, logs, traces, and profiles in one unified solution. Instead of running separate collectors for each signal type, you configure a single tool that handles all your telemetry needs. This approach reduces operational complexity while giving you the flexibility to send data to any compatible backend, whether that’s Grafana Cloud, a self-managed Grafana stack, or other observability platforms.

Start your learning experience with Grafana Learning Paths

Grafana Learning Paths provide a clear, structured path that leads you from beginner concepts to advanced use cases. Learn about this Grafana feature on [Send logs to Grafana Cloud using Alloy](/docs/learning-journeys/send-logs-alloy-loki/).

[Start learning](/docs/learning-journeys/send-logs-alloy-loki/)

## Get started

- [Install](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/set-up/install) Alloy on your platform
- Learn core [concepts](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/get-started) including components, expressions, and pipelines
- Follow [tutorials](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/tutorials) for hands-on experience
- Explore [alloy-scenarios](https://github.com/grafana/alloy-scenarios) for real-world configuration examples
- Try the [Alloy for Beginners](https://github.com/grafana/Grafana-Alloy-for-Beginners) workshop for interactive, scenario-based learning
- Explore the [component reference](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/reference) to see available components

## Learn more

- [Why Alloy](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/introduction/why-alloy): Understand when Alloy is the right choice
- [How Alloy works](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/introduction/how-alloy-works): Learn about the architecture and key capabilities
- [Requirements and expectations](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/introduction/requirements): Review deployment considerations and constraints
- [Supported platforms](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/set-up/supported-platforms): Check platform compatibility
- [Estimate resource usage](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/set-up/estimate-resource-usage): Plan your deployment
- [Migrate from other collectors](/docs/grafana-cloud/send-data/alloy/set-up/migrate): Move from OpenTelemetry Collector, Prometheus Agent, or Grafana Agent