---
title: Telegraf Documentation
description: Telegraf plugin for collecting metrics from Execd
url: https://docs.influxdata.com/telegraf/v1/input-plugins/execd/
estimated_tokens: 1875
product: Telegraf
version: v1
---

-   Telegraf v1.14.0+

# Execd Input Plugin

This plugin runs the given external program as a long-running daemon and collects the metrics in one of the supported [data formats](/telegraf/v1/data_formats/input) on the process’s `stdout`. The program is expected to stay running and output data when receiving the configured `signal`.

The `stderr` output of the process will be relayed to Telegraf’s logging facilities and will be logged as *error* by default. However, you can log to other levels by prefixing your message with `E!` for error, `W!` for warning, `I!` for info, `D!` for debugging and `T!` for trace levels followed by a space and the actual message. For example outputting `I! A log message` will create a `info` log line in your Telegraf logging output.

**Introduced in:** Telegraf v1.14.0 **Tags:** system **OS support:** all

## Service Input

This plugin is a service input. Normal plugins gather metrics determined by the interval setting. Service plugins start a service to listen and wait for metrics or events to occur. Service plugins have two key differences from normal plugins:

1. The global or plugin specific `interval` setting may not apply
2. The CLI options of `--test`, `--test-wait`, and `--once` may not produce output for this plugin

## Global configuration options

Plugins support additional global and plugin configuration settings for tasks such as modifying metrics, tags, and fields, creating aliases, and configuring plugin ordering. See [CONFIGURATION.md](/telegraf/v1/configuration/#plugins) for more details.

## Configuration

```toml
# Run executable as long-running input plugin
[[inputs.execd]]
  ## One program to run as daemon.
  ## NOTE: process and each argument should each be their own string
  command = ["telegraf-smartctl", "-d", "/dev/sda"]

  ## Environment variables
  ## Array of "key=value" pairs to pass as environment variables
  ## e.g. "KEY=value", "USERNAME=John Doe",
  ## "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/custom/lib64:/usr/local/libs"
  # environment = []

  ## Define how the process is signaled on each collection interval.
  ## Valid values are:
  ##   "none"    : Do not signal anything. (Recommended for service inputs)
  ##               The process must output metrics by itself.
  ##   "STDIN"   : Send a newline on STDIN. (Recommended for gather inputs)
  ##   "SIGHUP"  : Send a HUP signal. Not available on Windows. (not recommended)
  ##   "SIGUSR1" : Send a USR1 signal. Not available on Windows.
  ##   "SIGUSR2" : Send a USR2 signal. Not available on Windows.
  # signal = "none"

  ## Delay before the process is restarted after an unexpected termination
  # restart_delay = "10s"

  ## Buffer size used to read from the command output stream
  ## Optional parameter. Default is 64 Kib, minimum is 16 bytes
  # buffer_size = "64Kib"

  ## Disable automatic restart of the program and stop if the program exits
  ## with an error (non-zero error code)
  # stop_on_error = false

  ## Data format to consume.
  ## Each data format has its own unique set of configuration options, read
  ## more about them here:
  ## https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/blob/master/docs/DATA_FORMATS_INPUT.md
  # data_format = "influx"
```

## Example

See the examples directory for basic examples in different languages expecting various signals from Telegraf:

-   Go: Example expects `signal = "SIGHUP"`
-   Python: Example expects `signal = "none"`
-   Ruby: Example expects `signal = "none"`
-   shell: Example expects `signal = "STDIN"`

## Metrics

Varies depending on the users data.

## Example Output

Varies depending on the users data.

#### Related

-   [Configure plugins](/telegraf/v1/configure_plugins/)
-   [Execd Plugin Source](https://github.com/influxdata/telegraf/tree/v1.38.4/plugins/inputs/execd/README.md)