AWS SQS Sink: Separate message Body and Attributes

[jbmvscode]

Question

Hi All,

I am trying to distinctly separate the Body and Attributes for messages sent to an AWS SQS sink. I have searched extensively but can't find an authoritative answer to this. Everything else in my various versions of my vector file works but, messages make it to the SQS Body, but nothing ever makes it to the SQS Attributes.

I stripped down the output to just:

• .message
• .message_attributes
  but this didn't seem to help.

I have tried:
.message_attributes
.sqs.message_attributes
.sqs_message_attributes
.metadata.sqs_message_attributes
.metadata.message_attributes
.metadata.sqs.message_attributes

.....and likely other combinations I don't remember. In every instance nothing shows up on the Attributes in the AWS SQS message.
I have tried every combination of remap/aws_sqs sink configurations as returned by various search engines. Any help or pointers to an official reference appreciated. It's the last step to finish this first version for this transform.

A stripped down version of an attempt to separate the SQS Body/Attributes enclosed.

Vector Config

# =========================
# Sources
# =========================
sources:
  dummy_logs:
    type: "demo_logs"
    format: "syslog"
    interval: 10

# =========================
# Transforms
# =========================
transforms:
  add_sqs_attributes:
    type: remap
    inputs:
      - dummy_logs
    source: |
      # Ensure the event is an object
      if !is_object(.) {
        ., err = {"message": to_string(.)}
      }
      
      del(.host)
      del(.service)
      del(.source_type)
      del(.timestamp)
      
      .message_attributes = {}
      .message_attributes.arrt1 = {
        "data_type": "String",
        "value": "attr1-value"
      }

# =========================
# Sinks
# =========================

sinks:
  console_raw:
    type: console
    inputs: 
      - add_sqs_attributes
    target: stdout
    encoding:
      codec: json

  gstv_aws_sqs:
    type: aws_sqs
    inputs: 
      - add_sqs_attributes
    queue_url: "${AWS_SQS_ENDPOINT_URL:?AWS SQS endpoint URL must be supplied.}"
    region: "${AWS_SQS_REGION:?AWS SQS region must be supplied.}"
    auth:
      access_key_id: "${AWS_SQS_ACCESS_KEY_ID:?AWS SQS access key id must be supplied.}"
      secret_access_key: "${AWS_SQS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY:?AWS SQS secret access key must be supplied.}"
    encoding:
      codec: json

Vector Logs

2026-02-11T21:26:12.379230Z  INFO vector::topology::running: Running healthchecks.

2026-02-11T21:26:12.379575Z  INFO vector::topology::builder: Healthcheck passed.

2026-02-11T21:26:12.379790Z  INFO vector: Vector has started. debug="false" version="0.53.0" arch="x86_64" revision="2b51b40 2026-01-27 21:46:39.386326724"

2026-02-11T21:26:12.379817Z  INFO vector::app: API is disabled, enable by setting `api.enabled` to `true` and use commands like `vector top`.

{"message":"<114>1 2026-02-11T21:26:12.381Z random.locus benefritz 2839 ID215 - Take a breath, let it go, walk away","message_attributes":{"arrt1":{"data_type":"String","value":"attr1-value"}}}

2026-02-11T21:26:12.621656Z  INFO vector::topology::builder: Internal log [Healthcheck passed.] is being suppressed to avoid flooding.

{"message":"<61>1 2026-02-11T21:26:22.388Z make.pictures AmbientTech 4635 ID683 - #hugops to everyone who has to deal with this","message_attributes":{"arrt1":{"data_type":"String","value":"attr1-value"}}}

{"message":"<104>2 2026-02-11T21:26:32.388Z up.day shaneIxD 4205 ID817 - A bug was encountered but not in Vector, which doesn't have bugs","message_attributes":{"arrt1":{"data_type":"String","value":"attr1-value"}}}

{"message":"<98>2 2026-02-11T21:26:42.388Z random.xn--qxam meln1ks 7015 ID239 - Take a breath, let it go, walk away","message_attributes":{"arrt1":{"data_type":"String","value":"attr1-value"}}}

{"message":"<175>1 2026-02-11T21:26:52.393Z names.xn--e1a4c CrucifiX 9952 ID123 - Great Scott! We're never gonna reach 88 mph with the flux capacitor in its current state!","message_attributes":{"arrt1":{"data_type":"String","value":"attr1-value"}}}

2026-02-11T21:26:53.525005Z  INFO vector::signal: Signal received. signal="SIGTERM"

2026-02-11T21:26:53.525155Z  INFO vector: Vector has stopped.

2026-02-11T21:26:53.526765Z  INFO vector::topology::running: Shutting down... Waiting on running components. remaining_components="gstv_aws_sqs, dummy_logs, add_sqs_attributes, console_raw" time_remaining="59 seconds left"

[thomasqueirozb]

Hi @jbmvscode, you look to have run into this issue: #18877. It looks like the aws_sqs sink does not currently support SQS message attributes. There is no call to .message_attributes or .set_message_attributes anywhere in the code base. Even if this were implemented, it is not clear how we'd choose to populate the attributes, since we cannot just "reserve" .message_attributes. If you want to talk more about this or the implementation, please comment on that issue. Thanks!

[jbmvscode]

@thomasqueirozb, thanks so much for the quick response.

I did a quick look through https://github.com/vectordotdev/vector/tree/master/src/sinks/aws_s_s/sqs and somewhat thought this was the case, but it is good to have the confirmation. Thanks for the reference to the existing issue. Unfortunately our customer's requirement is to present message data in the Body and metadata about the message processing statistics in the Attributes. I will have to work with my team and decide where we go from here.

Again, thanks for the clarity. Appreciated.