app/vlagent/kubernetescollector: add an ability to change default _stream fields

app/vlagent/kubernetescollector/collector.go

@@ -216,10 +216,6 @@ func (kc *kubernetesCollector) startReadPodLogs(pod pod) {
 	}
 }
 
-// streamFieldNames is a list of _stream fields.
-// Must be synced with getCommonFields.
-var streamFieldNames = []string{"kubernetes.container_name", "kubernetes.pod_name", "kubernetes.pod_namespace"}
-
 func getCommonFields(n node, p pod, cs containerStatus) []logstorage.Field {
 	var fs logstorage.Fields
 

app/vlagent/kubernetescollector/logfile.go

@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/lib/cgroup"
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/lib/fs/fsutil"
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/lib/logger"
-
-	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaLogs/lib/logstorage"
 )
 
 // The maximum log line size that VictoriaLogs can accept.
@@ -331,9 +329,3 @@ func symlinkExists(path string) bool {
 	}
 	return true
 }
-
-func reportLogRowSizeExceeded(streamFields []logstorage.Field, size int) {
-	stream := logstorage.MarshalFieldsToJSON(nil, streamFields)
-	logger.Warnf("skipping log entry from stream %s: entry size %d bytes exceeds maximum allowed size of %d MiB",
-		stream, size, maxLogLineSize/1024/1024)
-}

app/vlagent/kubernetescollector/processor.go

@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ var (
 		"See https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/keyconcepts/#time-field")
 	extraFields = flag.String("kubernetesCollector.extraFields", "", "Extra fields to add to each log line collected from Kubernetes pods in JSON format. "+
 		`For example: -kubernetesCollector.extraFields='{"cluster":"cluster-1","env":"production"}'`)
+	streamFields = flagutil.NewArrayString("kubernetesCollector.streamFields", "Comma-separated list of fields to use as log stream fields for logs ingested from Kubernetes Pods. "+
+		"Default: kubernetes.container_name,kubernetes.pod_name,kubernetes.pod_namespace. "+
+		"See: https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/keyconcepts/#stream-fields")
 
 	includePodLabels = flag.Bool("kubernetesCollector.includePodLabels", true, "Include Pod labels as additional fields in the log entries. "+
 		"Even this setting is disabled, Pod labels are available for filtering via -kubernetes.excludeFilter flag")
@@ -48,9 +51,6 @@ type logFileProcessor struct {
 	lr       *logstorage.LogRows
 	tenantID logstorage.TenantID
 
-	// streamFieldsLen is the number of stream fields at the beginning of commonFields.
-	streamFieldsLen int
-
 	// commonFields are common fields for the given log file.
 	commonFields []logstorage.Field
 
@@ -83,36 +83,16 @@ func newLogFileProcessor(storage insertutil.LogRowsStorage, commonFields []logst
 		commonFields = fields
 	}
 
-	// move stream fields to the beginning of commonFields
-
-	streamFields := make([]logstorage.Field, 0, len(commonFields))
-	for _, f := range commonFields {
-		if slices.Contains(streamFieldNames, f.Name) {
-			streamFields = append(streamFields, f)
-		}
-	}
-	streamFieldsLen := len(streamFields)
-
-	fields := streamFields
-	for _, f := range commonFields {
-		if !slices.Contains(streamFieldNames, f.Name) {
-			fields = append(fields, f)
-		}
-	}
-
-	tenantID := getTenantID()
-	extraFields := getExtraFields()
-
+	sfs := getStreamFields()
+	efs := getExtraFields()
 	const defaultMsgValue = "missing _msg field; see https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/keyconcepts/#message-field"
-	lr := logstorage.GetLogRows(nil, *ignoreFields, *decolorizeFields, extraFields, defaultMsgValue)
+	lr := logstorage.GetLogRows(sfs, *ignoreFields, *decolorizeFields, efs, defaultMsgValue)
 
 	return &logFileProcessor{
-		storage:  storage,
-		lr:       lr,
-		tenantID: tenantID,
-
-		streamFieldsLen: streamFieldsLen,
-		commonFields:    fields,
+		storage:      storage,
+		lr:           lr,
+		tenantID:     getTenantID(),
+		commonFields: commonFields,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -189,7 +169,7 @@ func (lfp *logFileProcessor) joinPartialLines(criLine criLine) (int64, []byte, b
 	lfp.partialCRIContentSize += len(criLine.content)
 	if lfp.partialCRIContentSize > maxLogLineSize {
 		// Discard the too large log line.
-		reportLogRowSizeExceeded(lfp.commonFields[:lfp.streamFieldsLen], lfp.partialCRIContentSize)
+		reportLogRowSizeExceeded(lfp.commonFields, lfp.partialCRIContentSize)
 
 		lfp.partialCRIContent.Reset()
 		lfp.partialCRIContentSize = 0
@@ -237,7 +217,7 @@ func (lfp *logFileProcessor) addRow(timestamp int64, fields []logstorage.Field)
 	lfp.fieldsBuf = append(lfp.fieldsBuf[:0], lfp.commonFields...)
 	lfp.fieldsBuf = append(lfp.fieldsBuf, fields...)
 
-	lfp.lr.MustAdd(lfp.tenantID, timestamp, lfp.fieldsBuf, lfp.streamFieldsLen)
+	lfp.lr.MustAdd(lfp.tenantID, timestamp, lfp.fieldsBuf, -1)
 	lfp.storage.MustAddRows(lfp.lr)
 	lfp.lr.ResetKeepSettings()
 }
@@ -581,6 +561,34 @@ func getTimeFields() []string {
 	return *timeField
 }
 
+// defaultStreamFields is a list of default _stream fields.
+// Must be synced with getCommonFields.
+var defaultStreamFields = []string{"kubernetes.container_name", "kubernetes.pod_name", "kubernetes.pod_namespace"}
+
+func getStreamFields() []string {
+	if len(*streamFields) == 0 {
+		return defaultStreamFields
+	}
+	return *streamFields
+}
+
 var partialCRIContentBufPool bytesutil.ByteBufferPool
 
 var criJSONParserPool fastjson.ParserPool
+
+func reportLogRowSizeExceeded(commonFields []logstorage.Field, size int) {
+	var pod, namespace string
+	for _, f := range commonFields {
+		if f.Name == "kubernetes.pod_namespace" {
+			namespace = f.Value
+		}
+		if f.Name == "kubernetes.pod_name" {
+			pod = f.Value
+		}
+		if pod != "" && namespace != "" {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	logger.Warnf("skipping log entry from Pod %q in namespace %q: entry size of %.2f MiB exceeds the maximum allowed size of %d MiB",
+		pod, namespace, float64(size)/1024/1024, maxLogLineSize/1024/1024)
+}

app/vlagent/kubernetescollector/processor_timing_test.go

@@ -41,6 +41,23 @@ func BenchmarkProcessorKlog(b *testing.B) {
 	benchmarkProcessor(b, in)
 }
 
+func BenchmarkProcessorJSON(b *testing.B) {
+	in := []string{
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.637326000Z stderr F {"message":"Generated self-signed cert","file":"/tmp/apiserver.crt","key":"/tmp/apiserver.key","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.872911000Z stderr F {"message":"Adding GroupVersion metrics.k8s.io v1beta1 to ResourceManager","component":"handler","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.977313000Z stderr F {"message":"Starting RequestHeaderAuthRequestController","controller":"requestheader","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.977317000Z stderr F {"message":"Starting controller","name":"client-ca::kube-system::extension-apiserver-authentication::client-ca-file","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.977332000Z stderr F {"message":"Waiting for caches to sync for RequestHeaderAuthRequestController","controller":"shared_informer","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.977336000Z stderr F {"message":"Waiting for caches to sync","controller":"client-ca::kube-system::extension-apiserver-authentication::requestheader-client-ca-file","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.977526000Z stderr F {"message":"Starting controller","name":"serving-cert::/tmp/apiserver.crt::/tmp/apiserver.key","component":"dynamic_serving","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.977591000Z stderr F {"message":"Serving securely on [::]:10250","component":"secure_serving","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:25.977605000Z stderr F {"message":"Starting DynamicServingCertificateController","component":"tlsconfig","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:26.077533000Z stderr F {"message":"Caches are synced for RequestHeaderAuthRequestController","controller":"shared_informer","severity":"INFO","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+		`2025-12-15T10:34:26.948143000Z stderr F {"message":"Failed probe","probe":"metric-storage-ready","error":"no metrics to serve","severity":"ERROR","kubernetes.container_name":"test-container","kubernetes.pod_name":"test-pod","kubernetes.pod_namespace":"test-namespace"}`,
+	}
+	benchmarkProcessor(b, in)
+}
+
 func benchmarkProcessor(b *testing.B, logLines []string) {
 	totalSize := 0
 

docs/victorialogs/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ according to the following docs:
 * FEATURE: add an ability to delete snapshots via `/internal/partition/snapshot/delete` endpoint. See [these docs](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/#partitions-lifecycle) and [#828](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaLogs/issues/828).
 * FEATURE: [dashboards/internal](https://grafana.com/grafana/dashboards/24585): add Grafana dashboard for monitoring VictoriaLogs internal state. The source of the dashboard is available [here](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaLogs/blob/master/dashboards/victorialogs-internal.json).
 * FEATURE: [LogsQL](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/): add `pattern_match_prefix()` and `pattern_match_suffx()` filters for matching the given pattern at the beginning or at the end of the log field value. See [these docs](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#pattern-match-filter) and [#762](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaLogs/issues/762).
+* FEATURE: [Kubernetes Collector](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/vlagent/#collect-kubernetes-pod-logs): add an ability to change default [`_stream`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/keyconcepts/#stream-fields) fields via `-kubernetesCollector.streamFields` command-line flag. See [#998](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaLogs/issues/998).
 
 * BUGFIX: [LogsQL](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/): properly apply time offset according to the docs for the [`day_range`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#day-range-filter) and [`week_range`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#week-range-filter) filters. Previously `offset 2h` was incorrectly translated into `-02:00` timezone offset instead of the expected `+02:00` timezone offset. See [#796](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaLogs/issues/796).
 * BUGFIX: [LogsQL](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/): use local time zone for the VictoriaLogs server when the [`day_range`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#day-range-filter) or [`week_range`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#week-range-filter) filter doesn't contain explicitly specified `offset ...` suffix. This aligns with the behaviour when the timezone information is missing in the [`_time` filter](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#time-filter).

docs/victorialogs/vlagent.md

@@ -134,12 +134,14 @@ To set the default [tenant](http://localhost:1313/victorialogs/#multitenancy) ID
 pass `-kubernetesCollector.tenantID` command-line flag with a tenant ID in the format `accountID:projectID`.
 See also [multitenancy docs for vlagent](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/vlagent/#multitenancy).
 
-`vlagent` uses the following fields as [`_stream`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/keyconcepts/#stream-fields) fields for Kubernetes Pod logs:
+By default, `vlagent` uses the following fields as [`_stream`](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/keyconcepts/#stream-fields) fields for Kubernetes Pod logs:
+
 - `kubernetes.container_name`
 - `kubernetes.pod_name`
 - `kubernetes.pod_namespace`
 
 Use these fields for fast filtering and grouping of logs in VictoriaLogs via [stream filters](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/victorialogs/logsql/#stream-filter).
+While it is recommended to keep the default stream fields, you can override them using the `-kubernetesCollector.streamFields` command-line flag.
 
 ### Filtering Kubernetes logs