# Run a logging pipeline locally

You can test logging pipelines locally to observe how they handles log messages. This guide explains how to use [Docker Compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) to run Fluent Bit and Elasticsearch locally, but you can use the same principles to test other plugins.

## Create a configuration file

Start by creating one of the corresponding Fluent Bit configuration files to start testing.

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

```yaml
pipeline:
  inputs:
    - name: dummy
      dummy: '{"top": {".dotted": "value"}}'

  outputs:
    - name: es
      host: elasticsearch
      replace_dots: on
```

{% endtab %}

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

```
[INPUT]
  Name dummy
  Dummy {"top": {".dotted": "value"}}

[OUTPUT]
  Name es
  Host elasticsearch
  Replace_Dots On
```

{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## Use Docker Compose

Use [Docker Compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) to run Fluent Bit (with the configuration file mounted) and Elasticsearch.

{% code title="docker-compose.yaml" %}

```yaml
version: "3.7"

services:
  fluent-bit:
    image: fluent/fluent-bit
    volumes:
      - ./fluent-bit.conf:/fluent-bit/etc/fluent-bit.conf
    depends_on:
      - elasticsearch
  elasticsearch:
    image: elasticsearch:7.17.6
    ports:
      - "9200:9200"
    environment:
      - discovery.type=single-node
```

{% endcode %}

## View indexed logs

To view indexed logs, run the following command:

```shell
curl "localhost:9200/_search?pretty" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d'{ "query": { "match_all": {} }}'
```

## Reset index

To reset your index, run the following command:

```shell
curl -X DELETE "localhost:9200/fluent-bit?pretty"
```


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.fluentbit.io/manual/local-testing/logging-pipeline.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.