What is Fluentd used for?

Fluentd is an open source data collector that unifies data collection and consumption by providing a unified logging layer between data sources and backend systems. It is a good fit for centralized app logging, gaming app logging and adtech app logging.

Is Fluentd open source?

Yes. Fluentd is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at fluent/fluentd and is written mainly in Ruby.

Yes. Fluentd is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host Fluentd?

Yes. Fluentd can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is Fluentd an alternative to?

Fluentd is an open-source alternative to Sumo Logic, ThingWorx, Papertrail and Loggly. Other open-source alternatives to Sumo Logic include Graylog, Kibana and Logstash.

Is Fluentd actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Fluentd was on 14 October 2026, and the latest release is v1.19.4, published on 28 September 2026. The project has 14k stars on GitHub.

Fluentd: open-source alternative to Sumo Logic, ThingWorx

About Fluentd

Fluentd is an open source data collector designed to unify data collection and consumption. It decouples data sources from backend systems by providing a unified logging layer in between, allowing for better use and understanding of data.

The project is a Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) graduated project, with all components available under the Apache 2 License. It has over 500 plugins that connect to various data sources and outputs while keeping its core simple.

Key features

Unified logging layer that decouples data sources from backend systems
Over 500 plugins for connecting to data sources and outputs
Simple core design
Proven in production with 5,000+ companies and largest user collecting logs from 50,000+ servers

Good fit for

Centralized app logging
Gaming app logging
Adtech app logging

Built with: Ruby tools
Tags: logging; data-collector; unified-logging; cncf; open-source

Fluentd: questions and answers

What is Fluentd used for?: Fluentd is an open source data collector that unifies data collection and consumption by providing a unified logging layer between data sources and backend systems. It is a good fit for centralized app logging, gaming app logging and adtech app logging.
Is Fluentd open source?: Yes. Fluentd is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at fluent/fluentd and is written mainly in Ruby.
Is Fluentd free?: Yes. Fluentd is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host Fluentd?: Yes. Fluentd can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is Fluentd an alternative to?: Fluentd is an open-source alternative to Sumo Logic, ThingWorx, Papertrail and Loggly. Other open-source alternatives to Sumo Logic include Graylog, Kibana and Logstash.
Is Fluentd actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Fluentd was on 14 October 2026, and the latest release is v1.19.4, published on 28 September 2026. The project has 14k stars on GitHub.