M

mtail

matt hellige – Open Source

mtail: Elevate Your Metrics Collection with Ease

Peter Salakani

mtail transforms logs into Prometheus metrics effortlessly, making it a must-have tool for developers focused on system monitoring.
2025 Editor's Rating

mtail by Matt Hellige

mtail is a powerful open-source tool created by Matt Hellige, designed for extracting metrics from application logs to be exported and consumed by a monitoring system. This software is particularly useful for developers and system administrators who need to efficiently collect and analyze log data in real-time to monitor the health and performance of their applications.

Key Features:

  • Custom Extraction Rules: mtail allows users to define custom extraction rules using regular expressions, making it flexible and adaptable to different log formats.
  • Integration: It seamlessly integrates with various monitoring systems such as Prometheus, making it easy to visualize and alert on the extracted metrics.
  • Efficient Processing: mtail is built for performance, ensuring minimal impact on the application being monitored while efficiently parsing and exporting log data.
  • Real-time Monitoring: Users can set up real-time monitoring of logs, enabling prompt detection of issues and anomalies within the application.
  • Scalability: With its scalable architecture, mtail can handle large volumes of log data, making it suitable for both small-scale projects and enterprise-level applications.

How It Works:

Upon configuring mtail with the desired extraction rules, the tool continuously monitors log files or streams for matching patterns. When a match is found, mtail extracts the relevant metrics based on the defined rules and exports them to the specified monitoring system. This seamless process provides users with valuable insights into the behavior of their applications.

Benefits:

  • Efficient log data extraction
  • Real-time monitoring capabilities
  • Easy integration with popular monitoring systems
  • Customizable extraction rules for diverse log formats
  • Scalable architecture suitable for different project sizes

Mtail by Matt Hellige is a robust tool for extracting valuable metrics from application logs, empowering users to monitor their systems effectively. Its efficient processing, real-time monitoring features, and seamless integration make it a valuable asset for any development or operations team looking to gain deeper insights from their log data.

Overview

mtail is a Open Source software in the category Miscellaneous developed by matt hellige.

The latest version of mtail is currently unknown. It was initially added to our database on 10/16/2009.

mtail runs on the following operating systems: Windows.

mtail has not been rated by our users yet.

Pros

  • Easy to install and set up
  • Provides real-time log monitoring and analysis
  • Supports multiple input sources such as files, pipes, sockets, etc.
  • Can be customized with the use of regular expressions for log processing and filtering
  • Integrates well with Kubernetes for monitoring logs in a cluster environment

Cons

  • Limited documentation available for more complex configurations
  • May require some learning curve to fully utilize all features
  • Does not have a built-in alerting system

FAQ

What is mtail?

mtail is a tool developed by Matt Hellige for extracting metrics from application logs to be exported into monitoring systems.

What types of logs can mtail process?

mtail can process structured log formats such as JSON, as well as unstructured logs using regular expressions for pattern matching.

How does mtail work?

mtail works by continuously monitoring log files, extracting specified metrics using patterns, and exporting the metrics in a format that can be consumed by monitoring systems.

Can mtail be integrated with different monitoring systems?

Yes, mtail can export metrics in various formats such as Prometheus metrics or Graphite, making it compatible with different monitoring systems.

Is mtail open source?

Yes, mtail is an open-source project released under the Apache License 2.0.

What programming language is mtail written in?

mtail is primarily written in the Go programming language.

Can mtail handle high volumes of logs?

Yes, mtail is designed to efficiently handle high volumes of logs and extract metrics in real-time.

Is mtail suitable for monitoring microservices?

Yes, mtail can be configured to extract metrics from logs of individual microservices, making it suitable for monitoring microservices architecture.

Does mtail support alerting based on log data?

While mtail itself does not provide alerting features, the extracted metrics can be used by external alerting tools for setting up alerts.

How can I contribute to the development of mtail?

Contributions to mtail can be made by submitting pull requests on the official GitHub repository or by reporting issues and suggesting enhancements.


Peter Salakani

Peter Salakani

I'm Peter, a software reviews author at UpdateStar and content specialist with a keen focus on usability and performance. With a background in both software development and content creation, I bring a unique perspective to evaluating and discussing general software topics. When I'm not reviewing software, I enjoy staying updated on the latest tech trends, experimenting with new applications, and finding innovative solutions to everyday tech challenges.

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