# Windows

Fluent Bit is distributed as the `fluent-bit` package for Windows and as a [Windows container on Docker Hub](https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/installation/downloads/docker). Fluent Bit provides two Windows installers: a `ZIP` archive and an `EXE` installer.

Not all plugins are supported on Windows. The [CMake configuration](https://github.com/fluent/fluent-bit/blob/master/cmake/windows-setup.cmake) shows the default set of supported plugins.

## Configuration

Provide a valid Windows configuration with the installation.

The following configuration is an example:

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

```yaml
service:
  flush: 5
  daemon: off
  log_level: info
  parsers_file: parsers.yaml
  plugins_file: plugins.yaml
  http_server: off
  http_listen: 0.0.0.0
  http_port: 2020
  storage.metrics: on

pipeline:
  inputs:
    - name: winlog
      channels: Setup,Windows Powershell
      interval_sec: 1

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

{% endtab %}

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

```
[SERVICE]
  # Flush
  # =====
  # set an interval of seconds before to flush records to a destination
  flush        5

  # Daemon
  # ======
  # instruct Fluent Bit to run in foreground or background mode.
  daemon       Off

  # Log_Level
  # =========
  # Set the verbosity level of the service, values can be:
  #
  # - error
  # - warning
  # - info
  # - debug
  # - trace
  #
  # by default 'info' is set, that means it includes 'error' and 'warning'.
  log_level    info

  # Parsers File
  # ============
  # specify an optional 'Parsers' configuration file
  parsers_file parsers.conf

  # Plugins File
  # ============
  # specify an optional 'Plugins' configuration file to load external plugins.
  plugins_file plugins.conf

  # HTTP Server
  # ===========
  # Enable/Disable the built-in HTTP Server for metrics
  http_server  Off
  http_listen  0.0.0.0
  http_port    2020

  # Storage
  # =======
  # Fluent Bit can use memory and filesystem buffering based mechanisms
  #
  # - https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/administration/buffering-and-storage
  #
  # storage metrics
  # ---------------
  # publish storage pipeline metrics in '/api/v1/storage'. The metrics are
  # exported only if the 'http_server' option is enabled.
  #
  storage.metrics on

[INPUT]
  Name         winlog
  Channels     Setup,Windows PowerShell
  Interval_Sec 1

[OUTPUT]
  name  stdout
  match *
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Migration to Fluent Bit

For version 1.9 and later, `td-agent-bit` is a deprecated package and was removed after 1.9.9. The correct package name to use now is `fluent-bit`.

## Installation packages

The latest stable version is 5.0.2.

| INSTALLERS                                                                                             | SHA256 CHECKSUMS                                                                                                                               |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.exe`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.exe)       | [11117fd08b65992d93edfd69fdc7735223c74b32a2c42c50e99edcd458b354ca](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.exe.sha256)    |
| [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.zip`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.zip)       | [209c66a76e98632ea9b96e9db5a3889aee5e0f823ce3bef801fdee81f537a890](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.zip.sha256)    |
| [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.exe`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.exe)       | [917467e1f3083e4ce172c9e38f49b2c547cdc2fa6386b97ef1960989c1aa7e6c](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.exe.sha256)    |
| [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.zip`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.zip)       | [f14c9a907a0d5f8fe43b4e6b3c533618af7f09f706905ffd2612138785b9b25a](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.zip.sha256)    |
| [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-winarm64.exe`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-winarm64.exe) | [9c8602701fa9a804af28bce84663b9318dbcf8e98913b6e05b16ef2e90e85c00](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-winarm64.exe.sha256) |
| [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-winarm64.zip`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-winarm64.zip) | [fa232828a6396bdb28cd906b0284def70b6c5ab98d82b2c079ddd9b843d92d3f](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-winarm64.zip.sha256) |

These are now using the Github Actions built versions. Legacy AppVeyor builds are still available (AMD 32/64 only) at releases.fluentbit.io but are deprecated.

MSI installers are also available:

* [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.msi`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.msi)
* [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.msi`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.msi)
* [`fluent-bit-5.0.2-winarm64.msi`](https://packages.fluentbit.io/windows/fluent-bit-5.0.2-winarm64.msi)

To check the integrity, use the `Get-FileHash` cmdlet for PowerShell.

```shell
Get-FileHash fluent-bit-5.0.2-win32.exe
```

## Installing from a ZIP archive

1. Download a ZIP archive. Choose the suitable installers for your 32-bit or 64-bit environments.
2. Expand the ZIP archive. You can do this by clicking **Extract All** in Explorer or `Expand-Archive` in PowerShell.

   ```shell
   Expand-Archive fluent-bit-5.0.2-win64.zip
   ```

   The ZIP package contains the following set of files.

   ```
   fluent-bit
   ├── bin
   │   ├── fluent-bit.dll
   │   └── fluent-bit.exe
   │   └── fluent-bit.pdb
   ├── conf
   │   ├── fluent-bit.conf
   │   ├── parsers.conf
   │   └── plugins.conf
   └── include
       │   ├── flb_api.h
       │   ├── ...
       │   └── flb_worker.h
       └── fluent-bit.h
   ```
3. Launch `cmd.exe` or PowerShell on your machine, and execute `fluent-bit.exe`:

   ```shell
   fluent-bit.exe -i dummy -o stdout
   ```

The following output indicates Fluent Bit is running:

```shell
fluent-bit.exe  -i dummy -o stdout

...
[0] dummy.0: [1561684385.443823800, {"message"=>"dummy"}]
[1] dummy.0: [1561684386.428399000, {"message"=>"dummy"}]
[2] dummy.0: [1561684387.443641900, {"message"=>"dummy"}]
[3] dummy.0: [1561684388.441405800, {"message"=>"dummy"}]
```

To halt the process, press `Control+C` in the terminal.

## Installing from the executable installer

1. Download an `EXE` installer for the appropriate 32-bit or 64-bit build.
2. Double-click the `EXE` installer you've downloaded. The installation wizard starts.
3. Click **Next** and finish the installation. By default, Fluent Bit is installed in `C:\Program Files\fluent-bit\`.

```shell
& "C:\Program Files\fluent-bit\bin\fluent-bit.exe" -i dummy -o stdout
```

### Installer options

The Windows installer is built by [`CPack` using NSIS](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/cpack_gen/nsis.html) and supports the [default NSIS options](https://nsis.sourceforge.io/Docs/Chapter3.html#3.2.1) for silent installation and install directory.

To silently install to `C:\fluent-bit` directory here is an example:

```shell
<installer exe> /S /D=C:\fluent-bit
```

The uninstaller also supports a silent uninstall using the same `/S` flag. This can be used for provisioning with automation like Ansible, Puppet, and so on.

## Windows service support

Windows services are equivalent to daemons in Unix (long-running background processes). For v1.5.0 and later, Fluent Bit has native support for Windows services.

For example, you have the following installation layout:

```
C:\fluent-bit\
├── conf
│   ├── fluent-bit.conf
│   └── parsers.conf
│   └── plugins.conf
└── bin
    ├── fluent-bit.dll
    └── fluent-bit.exe
    └── fluent-bit.pdb
```

To register Fluent Bit as a Windows service, execute the following command on at a command prompt. A single space is required after `binpath=`.

```shell
sc.exe create fluent-bit binpath= "\fluent-bit\bin\fluent-bit.exe -c \fluent-bit\conf\fluent-bit.conf"
```

Fluent Bit can be started and managed as a normal Windows service.

```shell
sc.exe start fluent-bit
sc.exe query fluent-bit
SERVICE_NAME: fluent-bit
    TYPE               : 10  WIN32_OWN_PROCESS
    STATE              : 4 Running
    ...
```

To halt the Fluent Bit service, use the `stop` command.

```shell
sc.exe stop fluent-bit
```

To start Fluent Bit automatically on boot, execute the following:

```shell
sc.exe config fluent-bit start= auto
```

## FAQs

### Can you manage Fluent Bit service using PowerShell?

Instead of `sc.exe`, PowerShell can be used to manage Windows services.

Create a Fluent Bit service:

```shell
New-Service fluent-bit -BinaryPathName "`"C:\Program Files\fluent-bit\bin\fluent-bit.exe`" -c `"C:\Program Files\fluent-bit\conf\fluent-bit.conf`"" -StartupType Automatic -Description "This service runs Fluent Bit, a log collector that enables real-time processing and delivery of log data to centralized logging systems."
```

Start the service:

```shell
Start-Service fluent-bit
```

Query the service status:

```shell
get-Service fluent-bit | format-list
Name                : fluent-bit
DisplayName         : fluent-bit
Status              : Running
DependentServices   : {}
ServicesDependedOn  : {}
CanPauseAndContinue : False
CanShutdown         : False
CanStop             : True
ServiceType         : Win32OwnProcess
```

Stop the service:

```shell
Stop-Service fluent-bit
```

Remove the service (requires PowerShell 6.0 or later)

```shell
Remove-Service fluent-bit
```

## Compile from source

If you need to create a custom executable, use the following procedure to compile Fluent Bit by yourself.

### Preparation

1. Install Microsoft Visual C++ to compile Fluent Bit. You can install the minimum toolkit using the following command:

```shell
wget -o vs.exe https://aka.ms/vs/16/release/vs_buildtools.exe
start vs.exe
```

1. Choose `C++ Build Tools` and `C++ CMake tools for Windows` and wait until the process finishes.
2. Install flex and bison. One way to install them on Windows is to use [`winflexbison`](https://github.com/lexxmark/winflexbison).

   ```shell
   wget -o winflexbison.zip https://github.com/lexxmark/winflexbison/releases/download/v2.5.22/win_flex_bison-2.5.22.zip
   Expand-Archive winflexbison.zip -Destination C:\WinFlexBison
   cp -Path C:\WinFlexBison\win_bison.exe C:\WinFlexBison\bison.exe
   cp -Path C:\WinFlexBison\win_flex.exe C:\WinFlexBison\flex.exe
   ```
3. Add the path `C:\WinFlexBison` to your systems environment variable `Path`. [Here's how to do that](https://www.architectryan.com/2018/03/17/add-to-the-path-on-windows-10/).
4. Install OpenSSL binaries, at least the library files and headers.
5. Install [Git](https://git-scm.com/download/win) to pull the source code from the repository.

   ```shell
   wget -o git.exe https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/releases/download/v2.28.0.windows.1/Git-2.28.0-64-bit.exe
   start git.exe
   ```

### Compilation

1. Open the **Start menu** on Windows and type `command Prompt for VS`. From the result list, select the one that corresponds to your target system ( `x86` or `x64`).
2. Verify the installed OpenSSL library files match the selected target. You can examine the library files by using the `dumpbin` command with the `/headers` option.
3. Clone the source code of Fluent Bit.

   ```shell
   git clone https://github.com/fluent/fluent-bit
   cd fluent-bit/build
   ```
4. Compile the source code.

   ```shell
   cmake .. -G "NMake Makefiles"
   cmake --build .
   ```

Now you should be able to run Fluent Bit:

```shell
fluent-bit.exe -i dummy -o stdout
```

### Packaging

To create a ZIP package, call `cpack` as follows:

```shell
cpack -G ZIP
```