# Service

The `service` section defines global properties of the service. The available configuration keys are:

| Key                          | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | Default   |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------- |
| `flush`                      | Sets the flush time in `seconds.nanoseconds`. The engine loop uses a flush timeout to determine when to flush records ingested by input plugins to output plugins.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | `1`       |
| `grace`                      | Sets the grace time in `seconds` as an integer value. The engine loop uses a grace timeout to define the wait time before exiting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | `5`       |
| `daemon`                     | Boolean. Specifies whether Fluent Bit should run as a daemon (background process). Allowed values are: `yes`, `no`, `on`, and `off`. Don't enable when using a Systemd-based unit, such as the one provided in Fluent Bit packages.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | `off`     |
| `dns.mode`                   | Sets the primary transport layer protocol used by the asynchronous DNS resolver. Can be overridden on a per-plugin basis.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | `UDP`     |
| `log_file`                   | Absolute path for an optional log file. By default, all logs are redirected to the standard error interface (stderr).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | *none*    |
| `log_level`                  | Sets the logging verbosity level. Allowed values are: `off`, `error`, `warn`, `info`, `debug`, and `trace`. Values are cumulative. If `debug` is set, it will include `error`, `warn`, `info`, and `debug`. Trace mode is only available if Fluent Bit was built with the *`WITH_TRACE`* option enabled.                                                                                                                                                                      | `info`    |
| `parsers_file`               | Path for a `parsers` configuration file. Multiple `parsers_file` entries can be defined within the section. However, with the new YAML configuration schema, defining parsers using this key is now optional. Parsers can be declared directly in the `parsers` section of your YAML configuration, offering a more streamlined and integrated approach.                                                                                                                      | *none*    |
| `plugins_file`               | Path for a `plugins` configuration file. This file specifies the paths to external plugins (.so files) that Fluent Bit can load at runtime. With the new YAML schema, the `plugins_file` key is optional. External plugins can now be referenced directly within the `plugins` section, simplifying the plugin management process. [See an example](https://github.com/fluent/fluent-bit/blob/master/conf/plugins.conf).                                                      | *none*    |
| `streams_file`               | Path for the Stream Processor configuration file. This file defines the rules and operations for stream processing within Fluent Bit. The `streams_file` key is optional, as Stream Processor configurations can be defined directly in the `streams` section of the YAML schema. This flexibility allows for easier and more centralized configuration. [Learn more about Stream Processing configuration](https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/4.1/stream-processing/overview). | *none*    |
| `http_server`                | Enables the built-in HTTP Server.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | `off`     |
| `http_listen`                | Sets the listening interface for the HTTP Server when it's enabled.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           | `0.0.0.0` |
| `http_port`                  | Sets the TCP port for the HTTP Server.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | `2020`    |
| `hot_reload`                 | Enables [hot reloading](https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/4.1/administration/hot-reload) of configuration with SIGHUP.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         | `on`      |
| `coro_stack_size`            | Sets the coroutine stack size in bytes. The value must be greater than the page size of the running system. Setting the value too small (`4096`) can cause coroutine threads to overrun the stack buffer. The default value of this parameter shouldn't be changed.                                                                                                                                                                                                           | `24576`   |
| `scheduler.cap`              | Sets a maximum retry time in seconds. Supported in v1.8.7 and greater.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | `2000`    |
| `scheduler.base`             | Sets the base of exponential backoff. Supported in v1.8.7 and greater.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | `5`       |
| `json.convert_nan_to_null`   | If enabled, `NaN` is converted to `null` when Fluent Bit converts `msgpack` to `json`.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | `false`   |
| `json.escape_unicode`        | Controls how Fluent Bit serializes non‑ASCII / multi‑byte Unicode characters in JSON strings. When enabled, Unicode characters are escaped as `\uXXXX` sequences (characters outside BMP become surrogate pairs). When disabled, Fluent Bit emits raw UTF‑8 bytes.                                                                                                                                                                                                            | `true`    |
| `sp.convert_from_str_to_num` | If enabled, the Stream Processor converts strings that represent numbers to a numeric type.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | `true`    |

## Configuration example

The following configuration example that defines a `service` section with [hot reloading](https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/4.1/administration/hot-reload) enabled and a pipeline with a `random` input and `stdout` output:

```yaml
service:
  flush: 1
  log_level: info
  http_server: true
  http_listen: 0.0.0.0
  http_port: 2020
  hot_reload: on

pipeline:
  inputs:
    - name: random

  outputs:
    - name: stdout
      match: '*'
```