Telegraf output data formats

Telegraf uses serializers to convert metrics into output data formats. Many output plugins support the data_format option, which lets you choose how metrics are formatted before writing.

• How output plugins use serializers
• Choosing an output approach
• Available serializers

How output plugins use serializers

When you configure data_format in an output plugin, Telegraf uses a serializer to convert metrics into that format before writing. The output plugin controls where data goes; the serializer controls how it's formatted.

Some output plugins support use_batch_format, which changes how the serializer processes metrics. When enabled, the serializer receives all metrics in a batch together rather than one at a time, enabling more efficient encoding and formats that represent multiple metrics as a unit (like JSON arrays).

[[outputs.file]]
  files = ["stdout"]

  ## Output plugin option: process metrics as a batch
  use_batch_format = true

  ## Serializer selection: format metrics as JSON
  data_format = "json"

Output plugins that support use_batch_format: file, http, amqp, kafka, nats, mqtt, exec, execd, remotefile

Choosing an output approach

By destination

By metric type

Some metric types require state across collection intervals:

• Histograms accumulate observations into buckets
• Summaries track quantiles over a sliding window

Serializers process each batch independently and cannot maintain this state. When a histogram or summary spans multiple batches, the serializer may produce incomplete or incorrect output.

For these metric types, use a dedicated output plugin that maintains state--for example:

• Prometheus metrics: Use prometheus_client instead of the prometheus serializer

Available serializers

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