--- title: Telegraf input data formats description: Telegraf input plugins use parsers to convert incoming data, such as JSON, CSV, and Prometheus format, into Telegraf metrics. url: https://docs.influxdata.com/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/ estimated_tokens: 1809 product: Telegraf Enterprise version: v1 publisher: InfluxData canonical: https://docs.influxdata.com/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/ date: '2026-08-13T16:00:16-06:00' lastmod: '2026-08-13T16:00:16-06:00' --- Telegraf input plugins use **parsers** to convert incoming data into[Telegraf metrics](/telegraf/v1/concepts/metrics/). Any input plugin that supports the `data_format` option can use it to select a parser: ```toml [[inputs.file]] files = ["example.json"] ## Data format to consume. data_format = "json_v2" ``` Each parser has its own configuration options for describing your data’s schema and how it maps to metric names, tags, fields, and timestamps. For guidance on choosing and configuring a parser, including timestamp format reference and worked examples, see[Parse incoming data](/telegraf/v1/configure_plugins/input_plugins/parse-data/). ## Choose a JSON parser Three parsers read JSON data. They differ in how much control they give you and how they handle nested structures: | Parser | Best for | Value selection | Type control | |----------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | [json](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/json/) | Flat objects |Flattens everything; optional GJSON `json_query`|Numbers only by default; strings and booleans via `json_string_fields`| | [json\_v2](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/json_v2/) |Existing configurations that select nested values| GJSON paths | Per-value `type` option | |[xpath\_json](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/xpath_json/)| Nested documents and arrays; new configurations | XPath 1.0 queries | XPath conversion functions or native JSON types | > [!Important] > We recommend `xpath_json` over `json_v2` for new > configurations, especially when working with arrays. > Use `json` when your data is flat and you don’t need type control. ## Available parsers ### [Avro](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/avro/) Use the `avro` input data format to parse Avro binary or JSON data into Telegraf metrics. ### [Binary](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/binary/) Use the `binary` input data format with user-specified configurations to parse binary protocols into Telegraf metrics. ### [Collectd](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/collectd/) Use the `collectd` input data format to parse collectd network binary protocol to create tags for host, instance, type, and type instance. ### [CSV](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/csv/) Use the `csv` input data format to parse comma-separated values into Telegraf metrics. ### [Dropwizard](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/dropwizard/) Use the `dropwizard` input data format to parse Dropwizard JSON representations into Telegraf metrics. ### [Form URL-encoded](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/form_urlencoded/) Use the `form-urlencoded` data format to parse `application/x-www-form-urlencoded` data, such as HTTP query strings. ### [Graphite](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/graphite/) Use the `graphite` input data format to parse Graphite dot buckets into Telegraf metrics. ### [Grok](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/grok/) Use the `grok` data format to parse line-delimited data using a regular expression-like language. ### [InfluxDB line protocol](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/influx/) Use the `influx` line protocol input data format to parse InfluxDB metrics directly into Telegraf metrics. ### [JSON](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/json/) Use the `json` input data format to parse flat JSON objects, or an array of flat objects, into Telegraf metrics. Includes a complete option reference and worked examples. ### [JSON v2](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/json_v2/) Use the `json_v2` input data format to select values out of JSON documents with GJSON paths and map them to Telegraf metric names, tags, fields, and timestamps. Includes a complete option reference and worked examples. ### [Logfmt](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/logfmt/) Use the `logfmt` input data format to parse logfmt data into Telegraf metrics. ### [Nagios](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/nagios/) Use the `nagios` input data format to parse the output of Nagios plugins into Telegraf metrics. ### [OpenMetrics](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/openmetrics/) Use the `openmetrics` input data format to parse OpenMetrics text format into Telegraf metrics. ### [OpenTSDB Telnet PUT API](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/opentsdb/) Use the `opentsdb` data format to parse OpenTSDB Telnet `PUT` API data into Telegraf metrics. ### [Parquet](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/parquet/) Use the `parquet` input data format to parse Apache Parquet files into Telegraf metrics. ### [Prometheus](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/prometheus/) Use the `prometheus` input data format to parse Prometheus text exposition format into Telegraf metrics. ### [Prometheus Remote Write](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/prometheus-remote-write/) Use the `prometheusremotewrite` input data format to parse Prometheus Remote Write samples into Telegraf metrics. ### [Value](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/value/) Use the `value` input data format to parse single values into Telegraf metrics. ### [Wavefront](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/wavefront/) Use the `wavefront` input data format to parse Wavefront data into Telegraf metrics. ### [XML](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/xml/) Use the `xml` input data format and XPath expressions to parse XML data into Telegraf metrics. ### [XPath CBOR](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/xpath_cbor/) Use the `xpath_cbor` input data format and XPath expressions to parse Concise Binary Object Representation (CBOR) data into Telegraf metrics. ### [XPath JSON](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/xpath_json/) Use the `xpath_json` input data format and XPath expressions to parse JSON into Telegraf metrics. Includes the JSON-to-tree mapping, a complete option reference, and verified examples. ### [XPath MessagePack](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/xpath_msgpack/) Use the `xpath_msgpack` input data format and XPath expressions to parse MessagePack data into Telegraf metrics. ### [XPath Protocol Buffers](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input/xpath_protobuf/) Use the `xpath_protobuf` input data format and XPath expressions to parse Protocol Buffers data into Telegraf metrics. #### Related * [Parse incoming data](/telegraf/v1/configure_plugins/input_plugins/parse-data/) * [Telegraf metrics](/telegraf/v1/concepts/metrics/) | Parser | Best for | Value selection | Type control | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Parser | Best for | Value selection | Type control | | json | Flat objects | Flattens everything; optional GJSON json_query | Numbers only by default; strings and booleans via json_string_fields | | json_v2 | Existing configurations that select nested values | GJSON paths | Per-value type option | | xpath_json | Nested documents and arrays; new configurations | XPath 1.0 queries | XPath conversion functions or native JSON types |