in_forward: improve configuration parameter descriptions #11235

eschabell · 2025-12-02T08:36:28Z

Fixing config parameters for forward input plugin:

shared_key: clarify it's for secure forward authentication
self_hostname: explain it's used in handshake for secure forward auth
unix_perm: add trailing period for consistency
empty_shared_key: clarify it enables empty string as shared key

Fixes issue #11234

Testing

[N/A ] Example configuration file for the change
[N/A ] Debug log output from testing the change
[N/A ] Attached Valgrind output that shows no leaks or memory corruption was found
[N/A ] Run local packaging test showing all targets (including any new ones) build.
[N/A ] Set ok-package-test label to test for all targets (requires maintainer to do).

Documentation

[X ] Documentation required for this feature

Fix docs PR: fluent/fluent-bit-docs#2257

Backporting

[N/A ] Backport to latest stable release.

Fluent Bit is licensed under Apache 2.0, by submitting this pull request I understand that this code will be released under the terms of that license.

Summary by CodeRabbit

Documentation
- Updated Fluent Bit in_forward plugin configuration option descriptions to provide clearer and more specific guidance. Enhanced help text for shared key authentication, hostname configuration, file permissions, and empty shared key handling settings. These changes make the forward input plugin's configuration options easier to understand and configure correctly.

_{✏️ Tip: You can customize this high-level summary in your review settings.}

- shared_key: clarify it's for secure forward authentication - self_hostname: explain it's used in handshake for secure forward auth - unix_perm: add trailing period for consistency - empty_shared_key: clarify it enables empty string as shared key Signed-off-by: Eric D. Schabell <[email protected]>

coderabbitai · 2025-12-02T08:37:00Z

Walkthrough

This PR updates the user-facing help descriptions for four configuration options in the Fluent Bit in_forward plugin (shared_key, self_hostname, unix_perm, and empty_shared_key). The changes clarify and expand the descriptive strings to be more explicit about their purpose in the secure forward authentication mechanism, with no alterations to code logic or runtime behavior.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Summary
In_forward plugin configuration descriptions `plugins/in_forward/fw.c`	Updated help text for configuration options: `shared_key` now emphasizes "secure forward authentication", `self_hostname` details its role in authentication handshake, `unix_perm` adds trailing period, and `empty_shared_key` uses more explicit phrasing. No functional changes.

Estimated code review effort

🎯 1 (Trivial) | ⏱️ ~3 minutes

Possibly related issues

in_forward: improve configuration parameter descriptions #11234: Directly related—both updates describe the same configuration option help strings for the in_forward plugin (shared_key, self_hostname, unix_perm, empty_shared_key).

Suggested reviewers

edsiper
cosmo0920
koleini

Poem

🐰 Hop, hop, descriptions bloom so clear!
Secure forward paths now crystal here,
Authentication's story, boldly told,
Config strings of clarity and gold! ✨

Pre-merge checks and finishing touches

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title accurately and specifically summarizes the main change: improving configuration parameter descriptions in the in_forward plugin.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

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Post copyable unit tests in a comment

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📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 10ebd3a and 1aed12f.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

plugins/in_forward/fw.c (3 hunks)

🧰 Additional context used

🧠 Learnings (1)

📚 Learning: 2025-11-21T06:23:29.770Z

Learnt from: cosmo0920
Repo: fluent/fluent-bit PR: 11171
File: include/fluent-bit/flb_lib.h:52-53
Timestamp: 2025-11-21T06:23:29.770Z
Learning: In Fluent Bit core (fluent/fluent-bit repository), function descriptions/documentation are not required for newly added functions in header files.

Applied to files:

plugins/in_forward/fw.c

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🔇 Additional comments (4)

plugins/in_forward/fw.c (4)

482-485: LGTM! Clear and accurate description.

The updated description correctly specifies this is for "secure forward authentication," which aligns with its usage in the codebase (e.g., line 359 where it's validated alongside user configuration).

487-490: LGTM! More informative description.

The expanded description clearly explains the parameter's role in the secure forward authentication handshake, making it easier for users to understand when and why they need to set this value.

502-505: LGTM! Consistency improvement.

Adding the trailing period makes this description consistent with the formatting of other configuration parameters in the config_map.

517-520: LGTM! Clearer boolean flag description.

The updated description explicitly states what this boolean flag enables, making it easier for users to understand its purpose. This aligns with the implementation at line 358 where it's checked alongside shared_key in the authentication logic.

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cosmo0920

Good catch. It's really good to have!

cosmo0920 · 2025-12-02T10:28:30Z

plugins/in_forward/fw.c

    FLB_CONFIG_MAP_STR, "self_hostname", NULL,
    0, FLB_FALSE, 0,
-    "Hostname"
+    "Hostname used in the handshake process for secure forward authentication."


eschabell requested review from cosmo0920 and edsiper as code owners December 2, 2025 08:36

github-actions bot added the docs-required label Dec 2, 2025

eschabell temporarily deployed to pr December 2, 2025 08:36 — with GitHub Actions Inactive

eschabell temporarily deployed to pr December 2, 2025 08:55 — with GitHub Actions Inactive

patrick-stephens linked an issue Dec 2, 2025 that may be closed by this pull request

in_forward: improve configuration parameter descriptions #11234

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patrick-stephens approved these changes Dec 2, 2025

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cosmo0920 approved these changes Dec 2, 2025

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cosmo0920 added this to the Fluent Bit v4.2.1 milestone Dec 3, 2025

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in_forward: improve configuration parameter descriptions #11235

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eschabell commented Dec 2, 2025 • edited by coderabbitai bot Loading Uh oh! There was an error while loading. Please reload this page.

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Fixes issue #11234

Summary by CodeRabbit

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eschabell commented Dec 2, 2025 •

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