Vector
Vector is a free, open-source observability pipeline for collecting, transforming, and routing logs, metrics, and traces.
What Vector is
Vector is a free, open-source observability pipeline for collecting, transforming, and routing logs, metrics, and traces. It can run as a daemon, sidecar, or aggregator in distributed, centralized, or stream-based topologies. Configuration uses YAML, TOML, or JSON. Programmable transforms include Vector Remap Language, aggregation, deduplication, filtering, and Lua, and the catalog lists 47 sources, 18 transforms, and 61 sinks. Examples include AWS, Datadog, Kafka, Elasticsearch, and Splunk. Built in Rust, Vector is described as memory safe and packaged as a single binary without dependencies or a runtime. Linux, macOS, and Windows builds are available, with Docker and Kubernetes listed as deployment platforms. Releases use MPL 2.0, and community help is available through Discord and GitHub.
Good
- Free and open source
- Supports logs, metrics, and traces
- 47 sources and 61 sinks
- YAML, TOML, and JSON configuration
- Runs on major desktop operating systems
Watch out
- No exactly-once delivery
- Observability API lacks authentication
- Nightly builds may contain bugs
Who it suits
Vector suits teams operating self-hosted observability pipelines across logs, metrics, and traces. It is useful when configurable routing and transformations are needed across multiple destinations.
Verdict
Vector offers a broad, self-hosted pipeline with programmable processing and many connectors. Deployments must account for the lack of exactly-once delivery and unauthenticated observability API.
The facts
Each one read from Vector's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- API security
- The observability API does not support authentication and the documentation warns against exposing it to untrusted clients.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Audience
- The introduction says Vector is used by organizations including T-Mobile, Comcast, Zendesk, and Discord to control their observability data.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Community support
- The site links to community support through Discord and the GitHub repository.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Configuration
- Pipeline configuration supports YAML, TOML, and JSON.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Containers
- The documentation lists Docker and Kubernetes as deployment platforms.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Delivery guarantees
- Vector documents its delivery guarantees and trade-offs for users to consider when choosing a configuration.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Delivery limitation
- Vector does not support exactly-once delivery.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Deployment
- Vector can be deployed as a daemon, sidecar, or aggregator, with distributed, centralized, and stream-based topologies.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Integrations
- The homepage lists 47 sources, 18 transforms, and 61 sinks, including AWS, Datadog, Kafka, Elasticsearch, and Splunk examples.checked 30 Sep 2001
- License
- The download page lists the MPL 2.0 license for releases.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Operating systems
- The download page offers Linux, macOS, and Windows builds, plus packages for multiple Linux distributions.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Packaging
- Vector is packaged as a single binary with no dependencies or runtime, and the homepage describes it as memory safe.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Performance
- The site says Vector is built in Rust and designed to be fast, memory efficient, and handle demanding workloads.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Pipeline components
- Vector's components page lists 47 sources, 18 transforms, and 61 sinks.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Privacy processing
- A homepage example uses a remap transform to redact US Social Security numbers from incoming logs.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Processing
- Vector Remap Language can modify observability data as it passes through a topology.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Purpose
- Vector collects, transforms, and routes logs and metrics as an observability pipeline.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Release caution
- The download page says nightly versions contain bleeding-edge changes that may contain bugs and advises caution.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Security
- The introduction describes Vector as memory safe and built in Rust.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Support
- The community page directs users to Discord chat for questions and help.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Transforms
- Vector supports programmable transforms, including remapping with VRL, aggregation, deduplication, filtering, and Lua.checked 30 Sep 2001
- Vendor neutrality
- The site describes Vector as vendor neutral and lock-in free.checked 30 Sep 2001
Where it runs
- Container platforms
- The download page lists Docker and Kubernetes under platforms.checked 30 Sep 2001
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