# Process metrics

The *Process metrics* input plugin lets you check how healthy a process is. It does so by performing service checks at specified intervals.

This plugin creates metrics that are log-based, such as JSON payloads. For Prometheus-based metrics, see the [Node exporter metrics](https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/4.1/data-pipeline/inputs/node-exporter-metrics) input plugin.

## Configuration parameters

The plugin supports the following configuration parameters:

| Key             | Description                                                                                                                         | Default |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- |
| `Proc_Name`     | The name of the target process to check.                                                                                            | *none*  |
| `Interval_Sec`  | Specifies the interval between service checks, in seconds.                                                                          | `1`     |
| `Interval_Nsec` | Specifies the interval between service checks, in nanoseconds. This works in conjunction with `Interval_Sec`.                       | `0`     |
| `Alert`         | If enabled, the plugin will only generate messages if the target process is down.                                                   | `false` |
| `Fd`            | If enabled, a number of `fd` is appended to each record.                                                                            | `true`  |
| `Mem`           | If enabled, memory usage of the process is appended to each record.                                                                 | `true`  |
| `Threaded`      | Specifies whether to run this input in its own [thread](https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/4.1/administration/multithreading#inputs). | `false` |

## Get started

To start performing the checks, you can run the plugin from the command line or through the configuration file:

The following example checks the health of `crond` process.

```shell
fluent-bit -i proc -p proc_name=crond -o stdout
```

### Configuration file

In your main configuration file, append the following sections:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="fluent-bit.yaml" %}

```yaml
pipeline:
  inputs:
    - name: proc
      proc_name: crond
      interval_sec: 1
      interval_nsec: 0
      fd: true
      mem: true

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

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="fluent-bit.conf" %}

```
[INPUT]
  Name          proc
  Proc_Name     crond
  Interval_Sec  1
  Interval_NSec 0
  Fd            true
  Mem           true

[OUTPUT]
  Name   stdout
  Match  *
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Testing

After Fluent Bit starts running, it outputs the health of the process:

```shell
$ fluent-bit -i proc -p proc_name=fluent-bit -o stdout

...
[0] proc.0: [1485780297, {"alive"=>true, "proc_name"=>"fluent-bit", "pid"=>10964, "mem.VmPeak"=>14740000, "mem.VmSize"=>14740000, "mem.VmLck"=>0, "mem.VmHWM"=>1120000, "mem.VmRSS"=>1120000, "mem.VmData"=>2276000, "mem.VmStk"=>88000, "mem.VmExe"=>1768000, "mem.VmLib"=>2328000, "mem.VmPTE"=>68000, "mem.VmSwap"=>0, "fd"=>18}]
[1] proc.0: [1485780298, {"alive"=>true, "proc_name"=>"fluent-bit", "pid"=>10964, "mem.VmPeak"=>14740000, "mem.VmSize"=>14740000, "mem.VmLck"=>0, "mem.VmHWM"=>1148000, "mem.VmRSS"=>1148000, "mem.VmData"=>2276000, "mem.VmStk"=>88000, "mem.VmExe"=>1768000, "mem.VmLib"=>2328000, "mem.VmPTE"=>68000, "mem.VmSwap"=>0, "fd"=>18}]
[2] proc.0: [1485780299, {"alive"=>true, "proc_name"=>"fluent-bit", "pid"=>10964, "mem.VmPeak"=>14740000, "mem.VmSize"=>14740000, "mem.VmLck"=>0, "mem.VmHWM"=>1152000, "mem.VmRSS"=>1148000, "mem.VmData"=>2276000, "mem.VmStk"=>88000, "mem.VmExe"=>1768000, "mem.VmLib"=>2328000, "mem.VmPTE"=>68000, "mem.VmSwap"=>0, "fd"=>18}]
[3] proc.0: [1485780300, {"alive"=>true, "proc_name"=>"fluent-bit", "pid"=>10964, "mem.VmPeak"=>14740000, "mem.VmSize"=>14740000, "mem.VmLck"=>0, "mem.VmHWM"=>1152000, "mem.VmRSS"=>1148000, "mem.VmData"=>2276000, "mem.VmStk"=>88000, "mem.VmExe"=>1768000, "mem.VmLib"=>2328000, "mem.VmPTE"=>68000, "mem.VmSwap"=>0, "fd"=>18}]
...
```