VictoriaMetrics/docs/VictoriaLogs/querying/vlogscli.md

---
weight:
title: vlogscli
disableToc: true
menu:
  docs:
    parent: "victorialogs-querying"
    weight: 1
---

`vlogsqcli` is an interactive command-line tool for querying [VictoriaLogs](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/).
It has the following features:

- It supports scrolling and searching over query results in the same way as `less` command does - see [these docs](#scrolling-query-results).
- It supports canceling long-running queries at any time via `Ctrl+C`.
- It supports query history - see [these docs](#query-history).
- It supports different formats for query results (JSON, logfmt, compact, etc.) - see [these docs](#output-modes).
- It supports live tailing - see [these docs](#live-tailing).

This tool can be obtained from the linked release pages at the [changelog](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/changelog/)
or from [docker images](https://hub.docker.com/r/victoriametrics/vlogscli/tags):

### Running `vlogscli` from release binary

```sh
curl -L -O https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/releases/download/v0.42.0-victorialogs/vlogscli-linux-amd64-v0.42.0-victorialogs.tar.gz
tar xzf vlogscli-linux-amd64-v0.42.0-victorialogs.tar.gz
./vlogscli-prod
```

### Running `vlogscli` from Docker image

```sh
docker run --rm -it docker.io/victoriametrics/vlogscli:v0.42.0-victorialogs
```

## Configuration

By default `vlogscli` sends queries to [`http://localhost:8429/select/logsql/query`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/querying/#querying-logs).
The url to query can be changed via `-datasource.url` command-line flag. For example, the following command instructs
`vlogsql` sending queries to `https://victoria-logs.some-domain.com/select/logsql/query`:

```sh
./vlogsql -datasource.url='https://victoria-logs.some-domain.com/select/logsql/query'
```

If some HTTP request headers must be passed to the querying API, then set `-header` command-line flag.
For example, the following command starts `vlogsql`,
which queries `(AccountID=123, ProjectID=456)` [tenant](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/#multitenancy):

```sh
./vlogsql -header='AccountID: 123' -header='ProjectID: 456'
```


## Multitenancy

`AccountID` and `ProjectID` [values](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/#multitenancy)
can be set via `-accountID` and `-projectID` command-line flags:

```sh
./vlogsql -accountID=123 -projectID=456
```


## Querying

After the start `vlogsql` provides a prompt for writing [LogsQL](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/) queries.
The query can be multi-line. It is sent to VictoriaLogs as soon as it contains `;` at the end or if a blank line follows the query.
For example:

```sh
;> _time:1y | count();
executing [_time:1y | stats count(*) as "count(*)"]...; duration: 0.688s
{
  "count(*)": "1923019991"
}
```

`vlogscli` shows the actually executed query on the next line after the query input prompt.
This helps debugging issues related to incorrectly written queries.

The next line after the query input prompt also shows the query duration. This helps debugging
and optimizing slow queries.

Query execution can be interrupted at any time by pressing `Ctrl+C`.

Type `q` and then press `Enter` for exit from `vlogsql` (if you want to search for `q` [word](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#word),
then just wrap it into quotes: `"q"` or `'q'`).

See also:

- [output modes](#output-modes)
- [query history](#query-history)
- [scrolling query results](#scrolling-query-results)
- [live tailing](#live-tailing)


## Scrolling query results

If the query response exceeds vertical screen space, `vlogsql` pipes query response to `less` utility,
so you can scroll the response as needed. This allows executing queries, which potentially
may return billions of rows, without any problems at both VictoriaLogs and `vlogsql` sides,
thanks to the way how `less` interacts with [`/select/logsql/query`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/querying/#querying-logs):

- `less` reads the response when needed, e.g. when you scroll it down.
  `less` pauses reading the response when you stop scrolling. VictoriaLogs pauses processing the query
  when `less` stops reading the response, and automatically resumes processing the response
  when `less` continues reading it.
- `less` closes the response stream after exit from scroll mode (e.g. by typing `q`).
  VictoriaLogs stops query processing and frees up all the associated resources
  after the response stream is closed.

See also [`less` docs](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/less.1.html) and
[command-line integration docs for VictoriaLogs](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/querying/#command-line).


## Live tailing

`vlogsql` enters live tailing mode when the query is prepended with `\tail ` command. For example,
the following query shows all the newly ingested logs with `error` [word](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#word)
in real time:

```
;> \tail error;
```

By default `vlogscli` derives [the URL for live tailing](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/querying/#live-tailing) from the `-datasource.url` command-line flag
by replacing `/query` with `/tail` at the end of `-datasource.url`. The URL for live tailing can be specified explicitly via `-tail.url` command-line flag.

Live tailing can show query results in different formats - see [these docs](#output-modes).


## Query history

`vlogsql` supports query history - press `up` and `down` keys for navigating the history.
By default the history is stored in the `vlogsql-history` file at the directory where `vlogsql` runs,
so the history is available between `vlogsql` runs.
The path to the file can be changed via `-historyFile` command-line flag.

Quick tip: type some text and then press `Ctrl+R` for searching queries with the given text in the history.
Press `Ctrl+R` multiple times for searching other matching queries in the history.
Press `Enter` when the needed query is found in order to execute it.
Press `Ctrl+C` for exit from the `search history` mode.
See also [other available shortcuts](https://github.com/chzyer/readline/blob/f533ef1caae91a1fcc90875ff9a5a030f0237c6a/doc/shortcut.md).


## Output modes

By default `vlogscli` displays query results as prettified JSON object with every field on a separate line.
Fields in every JSON object are sorted in alphabetical order. This simplifies locating the needed fields.

`vlogscli` supports the following output modes:

* A single JSON line per every result. Type `\s` and press `enter` for this mode.
* Multline JSON per every result. Type `\m` and press `enter` for this mode.
* Compact output. Type `\c` and press `enter` for this mode.
  This mode shows field values as is if the response contains a single field
  (for example if [`fields _msg` pipe](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#fields-pipe) is used)
  plus optional [`_time` field](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/keyconcepts/#time-field).
* [Logfmt output](https://brandur.org/logfmt). Type `\logfmt` and press `enter` for this mode.