# Better Stack Kubernetes logging

## Start logging in 2 minutes

Integrate Better Stack with your Kubernetes cluster using the Helm chart.

## Helm

### 1. Add Helm repository

Add Better Stack Helm repository:

```sh
[label Add Helm repo]
helm repo add betterstack-logs https://betterstackhq.github.io/logs-helm-chart
helm repo update
```

### 2. Set up Helm chart

Create `values.yaml` config file with the following contents:

[code-tabs]
```yaml
[label Default]
vector:
  customConfig:
    sinks:
      better_stack_http_sink:
        uri: "https://$INGESTING_HOST/"
        auth:
          strategy: "bearer"
          token: "$SOURCE_TOKEN"

vector-aggregator:
  customConfig:
    sinks:
      better_stack_http_metrics_sink:
        uri: "https://$INGESTING_HOST/metrics"
        auth:
          strategy: "bearer"
          token: "$SOURCE_TOKEN"
```
```yaml
[label Disabled TLS]
# config with disabled TLS (e.g. for Minikube)
vector:
  customConfig:
    sinks:
      better_stack_http_sink:
        uri: "https://$INGESTING_HOST/"
        auth:
          strategy: "bearer"
          token: "$SOURCE_TOKEN"

vector-aggregator:
  customConfig:
    sinks:
      better_stack_http_metrics_sink:
        uri: "https://$INGESTING_HOST/metrics"
        auth:
          strategy: "bearer"
          token: "$SOURCE_TOKEN"
    sources:
      better_stack_kubernetes_metrics_nodes:
        tls:
          verify_certificate: false
          verify_hostname: false
      better_stack_kubernetes_metrics_pods:
        tls:
          verify_certificate: false
          verify_hostname: false

metrics-server:
  args:
    - --kubelet-insecure-tls
```
```yaml
[label GKE Autopilot]
# config for GKE Autopilot cluster
vector:
  customConfig:
    sinks:
      better_stack_http_sink:
        uri: "https://$INGESTING_HOST/"
        auth:
          strategy: "bearer"
          token: "$SOURCE_TOKEN"

  # Disable persistence using a volume mount
  persistence:
    hostPath:
      enabled: false

  # Override default volumes and mounts to ensure only /var/log is mounted
  defaultVolumes:
    - name: var-log
      hostPath:
        path: /var/log
        type: DirectoryOrCreate
  defaultVolumeMounts:
    - name: var-log
      mountPath: /var/log
      readOnly: true

vector-aggregator:
  customConfig:
    sinks:
      better_stack_http_metrics_sink:
        uri: "https://$INGESTING_HOST/metrics"
        auth:
          strategy: "bearer"
          token: "$SOURCE_TOKEN"
    sources:
      better_stack_kubernetes_metrics_nodes:
        endpoint: "https://metrics-server.kube-system/apis/metrics.k8s.io/v1beta1/nodes"
        tls:
          verify_certificate: false
          verify_hostname: false
      better_stack_kubernetes_metrics_pods:
        endpoint: "https://metrics-server.kube-system/apis/metrics.k8s.io/v1beta1/pods"
        tls:
          verify_certificate: false
          verify_hostname: false

# Metrics server is already installed
metrics-server:
  enabled: false
```
[/code-tabs]

### 3. Deploy the chart

Install the Better Stack chart:

[code-tabs]
```sh
[label Install]
helm install betterstack-logs betterstack-logs/betterstack-logs -f values.yaml
```
```sh
[label Install without metrics server]
helm install betterstack-logs betterstack-logs/betterstack-logs -f values.yaml \
  --set metrics-server.enabled=false
```
[/code-tabs]

[info]
#### Already have metrics server installed?

Install Better Stack chart **without metrics server** using code block above.  
Alternatively, set `metrics-server.enabled=false` in `values.yaml`.
[/info]

You should see your logs in [Better Stack → Live tail](https://telemetry.betterstack.com/team/0/tail ";_blank").

Check out your metrics in the [Kubernetes dashboard](https://telemetry.betterstack.com/team/0/dashboards/platform/kubernetes ";_blank").

[warning]
**Kubernetes version 1.15 or higher is required.**

You can customize the release name `betterstack-logs` to meet your naming conventions, but calling it `vector` or ending with `-vector` may lead to internal naming conflicts.
[/warning]

## Need help?

Please let us know at hello@betterstack.com.  
We're happy to help! 🙏


## Additional information

Interested in reading about **installing and configuring Vector** in more detail?  
Check out the [official Vector Kubernetes installation guide](https://vector.dev/docs/setup/installation/platforms/kubernetes/).

Want an overview of different tools for monitoring Kubernetes?   
Head to comparison of [best Kubernetes monitoring tools](https://betterstack.com/community/comparisons/kubernetes-monitoring-tools/).

### Filtering logs sent to Better Stack

Customize your Vector configuration by adding a [Vector filter transform](https://vector.dev/docs/reference/configuration/transforms/filter/) between the `better_stack_http_sink` sink and its original inputs:

```yaml
[label values.yaml]
vector:
  customConfig:
    sinks:
      better_stack_http_sink:
        uri: "https://$INGESTING_HOST/"
[highlight]
        inputs: [better_stack_http_filter]
[/highlight]
        auth:
          strategy: "bearer"
          token: "$SOURCE_TOKEN"
[highlight]
    transforms:
      better_stack_http_filter:
        type: "filter"
        inputs: [better_stack_kubernetes_parser]
        condition: .kubernetes.container_name == "my_important_container"
[/highlight]
```