# Bitnami Secure Image for Fluentd

## What is Fluentd?

> Fluentd collects events from various data sources and writes them to files, RDBMS, NoSQL, IaaS, SaaS, Hadoop and so on.

[Overview of Fluentd](https://www.fluentd.org)
Trademarks: This software listing is packaged by Bitnami. The respective trademarks mentioned in the offering are owned by the respective companies, and use of them does not imply any affiliation or endorsement.

## TL;DR

```console
docker run --name fluentd bitnami/fluentd:latest
```

You can find the available configuration options in the [Environment Variables](#environment-variables) section.

## Why use Bitnami Secure Images?

Those are hardened, minimal CVE images built and maintained by Bitnami. Bitnami Secure Images are based on the cloud-optimized, security-hardened enterprise [OS Photon Linux](https://vmware.github.io/photon/). Why choose BSI images?

- Hardened secure images of popular open source software with Near-Zero Vulnerabilities
- Vulnerability Triage & Prioritization with VEX Statements, KEV and EPSS Scores
- Compliance focus with FIPS, STIG, and air-gap options, including secure bill of materials (SBOM)
- Software supply chain provenance attestation through in-toto
- First class support for the internet’s favorite Helm charts

Each image comes with valuable security metadata. You can view the metadata in [our public catalog here](https://app-catalog.vmware.com/bitnami/apps). Note: Some data is only available with [commercial subscriptions to BSI](https://bitnami.com/).

![Alt text](https://github.com/bitnami/containers/blob/main/BSI%20UI%201.png?raw=true "Application details")
![Alt text](https://github.com/bitnami/containers/blob/main/BSI%20UI%202.png?raw=true "Packaging report")

If you are looking for our previous generation of images based on Debian Linux, please see the [Bitnami Legacy registry](https://hub.docker.com/u/bitnamilegacy).

## Why use a non-root container?

Non-root container images add an extra layer of security and are generally recommended for production environments. However, because they run as a non-root user, privileged tasks are typically off-limits. Learn more about non-root containers [in our docs](https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-tanzu/application-catalog/tanzu-application-catalog/services/tac-doc/apps-tutorials-work-with-non-root-containers-index.html).

## Supported tags and respective `Dockerfile` links

Learn more about the Bitnami tagging policy and the difference between rolling tags and immutable tags [in our documentation page](https://techdocs.broadcom.com/us/en/vmware-tanzu/application-catalog/tanzu-application-catalog/services/tac-doc/apps-tutorials-understand-rolling-tags-containers-index.html).

## Get this image

The recommended way to get the Bitnami Fluentd Docker Image is to pull the prebuilt image from the [Docker Hub Registry](https://hub.docker.com/r/bitnami/fluentd).

```console
docker pull bitnami/fluentd:latest
```

To use a specific version, you can pull a versioned tag. You can view the [list of available versions](https://hub.docker.com/r/bitnami/fluentd/tags/) in the Docker Hub Registry.

```console
docker pull bitnami/fluentd:[TAG]
```

If you wish, you can also build the image yourself by cloning the repository, changing to the directory containing the Dockerfile and executing the `docker build` command. Remember to replace the `APP`, `VERSION` and `OPERATING-SYSTEM` path placeholders in the example command below with the correct values.

```console
git clone https://github.com/bitnami/containers.git
cd bitnami/APP/VERSION/OPERATING-SYSTEM
docker build -t bitnami/APP:latest .
```

## Connecting to other containers

Using [Docker container networking](https://docs.docker.com/engine/userguide/networking/), a different server running inside a container can easily be accessed by your application containers and vice-versa.

Containers attached to the same network can communicate with each other using the container name as the hostname.

### Using the Command Line

#### Step 1: Create a network

```console
docker network create fluentd-network --driver bridge
```

#### Step 2: Launch the Fluentd container within your network

Use the `--network <NETWORK>` argument to the `docker run` command to attach the container to the `fluentd-network` network.

```console
docker run --name fluentd-node1 --network fluentd-network bitnami/fluentd:latest
```

#### Step 3: Run another containers

We can launch another containers using the same flag (`--network NETWORK`) in the `docker run` command. If you also set a name to your container, you will be able to use it as hostname in your network.

## Configuration

To create an endpoint that collects logs on your host just run:

```console
docker run -d -p 24224:24224 -p 24224:24224/udp -v /data:/opt/bitnami/fluentd/log fluentd
```

Default configurations are:

- configuration file at `/opt/bitnami/fluentd/conf/fluentd.conf`
- listen port `24224` for Fluentd forward protocol
- store logs with tag `docker.**` into `/opt/bitnami/fluentd/log/docker.*.log`
- store all other logs into `/opt/bitnami/fluentd/log/data.*.log`

You can overwrite the default configuration file by mounting your own configuration file on the directory `/opt/bitnami/fluentd/conf`:

```console
docker run --name fluentd -v /path/to/fluentd.conf:/opt/bitnami/fluentd/conf/fluentd.conf bitnami/fluentd:latest
```

You can also extend the default configuration by importing your custom configuration with the "@include" directive. It is a simple as creating a directory with you custom config files and mount it on the directory `/opt/bitnami/fluentd/conf/conf.d`:

```console
docker run --name fluentd -v /path/to/custom-conf-directory:/opt/bitnami/fluentd/conf/conf.d bitnami/fluentd:latest
```

Find more information about this feature, consult [official documentation](https://docs.fluentd.org/configuration/config-file)

You can also add custom init scripts to the path referenced on `$FLUENTD_INITSCRIPTS_DIR` (which defaults to `/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d`):

```console
docker run --name fluentd -v /path/to/custom-scripts-directory:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d bitnami/fluentd:latest
```

### Environment variables

Environment variable below are configurable to control how to execute fluentd process:

- `FLUENTD_CONF`: This variable allows you to specify configuration file name that will be used in -c Fluentd command line option. If you want to use your own configuration file (without any optional plugins), you can do it with this environment variable and Docker volumes (`-v` option of `docker run`).
- `FLUENTD_OPT`: Use this variable to specify other Fluentd command line options, like -v or -q.
- `FLUENTD_DAEMON_USER`: The user that will run the `fluentd` process when the container is run as root.
- `FLUENTD_DAEMON_GROUP`: The group of the user that will run the `fluentd` process when the container is run as root.

### FIPS configuration in Bitnami Secure Images

The Bitnami Fluentd Docker image from the [Bitnami Secure Images](https://go-vmware.broadcom.com/contact-us) catalog includes extra features and settings to configure the container with FIPS capabilities. You can configure the next environment variables:

- `OPENSSL_FIPS`: whether OpenSSL runs in FIPS mode or not. `yes` (default), `no`.

## Logging

The Bitnami fluentd Docker image sends the container logs to the `stdout`. To view the logs:

```console
docker logs fluentd
```

You can configure the containers [logging driver](https://docs.docker.com/engine/admin/logging/overview/) using the `--log-driver` option if you wish to consume the container logs differently. In the default configuration docker uses the `json-file` driver.

## Customize this image

The Bitnami Fluentd Open Source Docker image is designed to be extended so it can be used as the base image for your custom Fluentd containers.

### Extend this image

Before extending this image, please note there are certain configuration settings you can modify using the original image:

- Settings that can be adapted using environment variables. For instance, you can modify the Fluentd command-line options setting the environment variable `FLUENTD_OPT`.
- [Replacing the default configuration file by mounting your own configuration file](#configuration).

If your desired customizations cannot be covered using the methods mentioned above, extend the image. To do so, create your own image using a Dockerfile with the format below:

```Dockerfile
FROM bitnami/fluentd
### Put your customizations below
...
```

Here is an example of extending the image installing custom Fluentd plugins:

```Dockerfile
FROM bitnami/fluentd

### Install custom Fluentd plugins
RUN fluent-gem install 'fluent-plugin-docker_metadata_filter'
```

## Maintenance

### Upgrade this image

Bitnami provides up-to-date versions of fluentd, including security patches, soon after they are made upstream. We recommend that you follow these steps to upgrade your container.

#### Step 1: Get the updated image

```console
docker pull bitnami/fluentd:latest
```

#### Step 2: Stop and backup the currently running container

Stop the currently running container using the command

```console
docker stop fluentd
```

Next, take a snapshot of the persistent volume `/path/to/fluentd-persistence` using:

```console
rsync -a /path/to/fluentd-persistence /path/to/fluentd-persistence.bkp.$(date +%Y%m%d-%H.%M.%S)
```

You can use this snapshot to restore the database state should the upgrade fail.

#### Step 3: Remove the currently running container

```console
docker rm -v fluentd
```

#### Step 4: Run the new image

Re-create your container from the new image, restoring your backup if necessary.

```console
docker run --name fluentd bitnami/fluentd:latest
```

## Notable Changes

### Starting January 16, 2024

- The `docker-compose.yaml` file has been removed, as it was solely intended for internal testing purposes. For production-ready deployments, we highly recommend utilizing its associated [Bitnami Helm chart](https://github.com/bitnami/charts/tree/main/bitnami/fluentd).

## License

Copyright &copy; 2026 Broadcom. The term "Broadcom" refers to Broadcom Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at

<http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0>

Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
