> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.obsidianlog.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Testing with Vector

> Ship real logs through Vector into ObsidianLog, not just a curl smoke test.

The other tutorials prove ObsidianLog's own pipeline works using a single
`curl` request. This one proves the other half: that a real log shipper,
[Vector](https://vector.dev), can actually feed it. This is what shipping
logs into ObsidianLog from a real application looks like day to day.

Takes about ten minutes, most of it installing Vector.

## 1. Get the binary

If you haven't already, download and extract the release binary for your
system. [Installing a release binary](/get-started/quickstart#installing-a-release-binary)
in the Quickstart has the full walkthrough, or the [FAQ](/get-started/faq)
if you're not sure which file to grab.

## 2. Install Vector

Vector isn't part of ObsidianLog, it's a separate, independently
maintained log shipper. Follow
[Vector's own installation instructions](https://vector.dev/docs/setup/installation/)
for your platform, then confirm it's on your `PATH`:

```sh theme={null}
vector --version
```

## 3. Set up ObsidianLog

```sh theme={null}
mkdir vector-test && cd vector-test
../obsidianlog init --config config.toml
```

Choose the local backend for this tutorial, it keeps things simple since
the point here is proving Vector's wiring, not re-testing Sia. Then start
the server:

```sh theme={null}
../obsidianlog serve --config config.toml
```

If that fails with an address-already-in-use error, an `obsidianlog serve`
from an earlier tutorial is probably still running on port 7080, stop that
one first (or add `--bind 127.0.0.1:7081` here and update the URL in the
Vector config below to match).

Leave it running and open a new terminal for the rest of this tutorial.

## 4. Create something for Vector to tail

Vector needs a real file to watch. In your `vector-test` folder:

```sh theme={null}
echo '{"timestamp":"2026-09-19T10:00:00Z","service":"vector-tutorial","level":"info","msg":"hello from vector"}' >> app.log
```

## 5. Write a Vector config

Save this as `vector.toml` in the same folder:

```toml theme={null}
[sources.app_logs]
type = "file"
include = ["app.log"]

# The file source reads raw lines, so this transform parses each one as
# JSON, letting ObsidianLog index the service/level/timestamp fields.
[transforms.structure]
type = "remap"
inputs = ["app_logs"]
source = '''
  . = object!(parse_json(.message) ?? { "message": .message })
'''

[sinks.obsidianlog]
type = "http"
inputs = ["structure"]
uri = "http://localhost:7080/ingest"
method = "post"
encoding.codec = "json"
batch.timeout_secs = 1
```

This mirrors the full example at
[`crates/obsidianlog-ingest/examples/vector.toml`](https://github.com/emmaglorypraise/ObsidianLog/blob/main/crates/obsidianlog-ingest/examples/vector.toml)
in the repo, trimmed down for this tutorial.

## 6. Run Vector

```sh theme={null}
vector --config vector.toml
```

Vector picks up the line already in `app.log`, parses it, and posts it to
ObsidianLog within a second or two (`batch.timeout_secs = 1` above keeps
this quick for the tutorial, a real deployment would usually use a longer
window). Leave Vector running, then open a third terminal, `cd` into the
same `vector-test` folder, and append a second line to prove Vector is
actually watching the file, not just reading it once:

```sh theme={null}
echo '{"timestamp":"2026-09-19T10:05:00Z","service":"vector-tutorial","level":"warn","msg":"a second line, sent live"}' >> app.log
```

## 7. Query and verify

Back in that same `vector-test` folder:

```sh theme={null}
../obsidianlog query --config config.toml --service vector-tutorial --format human
../obsidianlog verify --config config.toml
```

Both log lines should come back, in order, decrypted, exactly as Vector
sent them.

## Tell us how it went

Please open a
[feedback report](https://github.com/emmaglorypraise/ObsidianLog/issues/new?template=feedback.yml)
either way, especially if Vector's config or install process didn't match
what's described here. Vector is maintained independently of ObsidianLog,
so its exact install steps can change without any of us noticing right away.

## What's next

Once you're done testing, [Sending Logs with Vector](/deployment/sending-logs-with-vector)
covers the full config reference for wiring this into a real, ongoing
deployment rather than a scratch test folder.

When you finish the tutorial, stop Vector and return to the terminal running
`obsidianlog serve` and press `Ctrl-C`.