---
title: Retrieving logs programmatically using LogCLI
description: Learn how to programmatically retrieve logs stored in Cockpit using LogCLI. Explore efficient querying methods to automate log retrieval from various data sources like Kubernetes clusters and Object Storage buckets.
tags: cockpit observability logs logcli
dates:
  validation: 2025-10-07
  posted: 2024-05-22
---
import Requirements from '@macros/iam/requirements.mdx'

import image from './assets/scaleway-data-source-url.webp'



This documentation page shows you how to retrieve your Scaleway and custom logs stored in Cockpit programmatically, using [LogCLI](https://grafana.com/docs/loki/latest/query/logcli/).

Retrieving your logs programmatically can be useful in environments where automation, scalability, and integration with other systems are crucial. It enables advanced analytics, greater efficiency, and deeper insights than manual log retrieval through a user interface such as Grafana.

<Requirements />

  - [Owner](/iam/concepts/#owner) status or [IAM permissions](/iam/concepts/#permission) allowing you to perform actions in the intended Organization
  - A Scaleway account logged into the [console](https://console.scaleway.com)
  - [Created a token](/cockpit/how-to/create-token/) with the `query` permission for logs
  - Custom and/or Scaleway logs to query
  - [Installed LogCLI](https://grafana.com/docs/loki/latest/query/logcli/#installation)


## Exporting your environment variables

Open a terminal and run the following command to export your environment variables. Make sure that you replace `<DATA_SOURCE_URL>` and `<COCKPIT_TOKEN_SECRET_KEY>` with your values.

    ```
    export LOKI_ADDR=<DATA_SOURCE_URL>
    export LOKI_BEARER_TOKEN=<COCKPIT_TOKEN_SECRET_KEY>
    ```

    <Message type="note">
     You can retrieve your data source URL in the [Data sources tab](https://console.scaleway.com/cockpit/dataSource) under the **API URL** section.
     <Lightbox image={image} alt="" />
    </Message>

## Retrieving logs

### Retrieving an Object Storage bucket's logs

Open a terminal and paste the following command to retrieve logs from your desired data source. For the sake of this documentation, we are retrieving logs from a Scaleway Object Storage bucket. You can replace `object_storage_bucket` with any other Scaleway resource type, provided that the resource has logs available.

    ```
    logcli query '{resource_type="object_storage_bucket"}'
    ```
An output similar to the following should display:

```
2024/05/20 17:04:33 <DATA_SOURCE_URL>_range?direction=BACKWARD&end=1716390273303145000&limit=30&query=%7Bresource_type%3D%22object_storage_bucket%22%7D&start=1716386673303145000
```

### Retrieving a Kubernetes Kapsule cluster's logs

Open a terminal and paste the following command to retrieve logs from your Kapsule cluster.

    ```
    logcli query '{resource_type="kubernetes_cluster"}'
    ```

An output similar to the following should display:

    ```
    2024/05/22 17:33:19 <DATA_SOURCE_URL>_range?direction=BACKWARD&end=1716391999461784000&limit=30&query=%7Bresource_type%3D%22kubernetes_cluster%22%7D&start=1716388399461784000
    2024/05/22 17:33:19 Common labels: {level="I", log_type="control-plane", region="fr-par", resource_id="36f08aaf-f208-4d58-9385-5064cde63792", resource_name="k8s-sharp-robinson", resource_type="kubernetes_cluster"}
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 legacy.go:727] No candidates for scale down
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 static_autoscaler.go:544] Starting scale down
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 static_autoscaler.go:535] Scale down status: lastScaleUpTime=2024-05-22 14:20:23.13076564 +0000 UTC m=-3598.920416647 lastScaleDownDeleteTime=2024-05-22 14:20:23.13076564 +0000 UTC m=-3598.920416647 lastScaleDownFailTime=2024-05-22 14:20:23.13076564 +0000 UTC m=-3598.920416647 scaleDownForbidden=false scaleDownInCooldown=false
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 pre_filtering_processor.go:57] Node scw-k8s-sharp-robinson-default-e110ac268b5546d should not be processed by cluster autoscaler (no node group config)
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 pre_filtering_processor.go:57] Node scw-k8s-sharp-robinson-default-7cefec16593342e should not be processed by cluster autoscaler (no node group config)
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 pre_filtering_processor.go:57] Node scw-k8s-sharp-robinson-default-bfb90f82c4b949c should not be processed by cluster autoscaler (no node group config)
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 static_autoscaler.go:492] Calculating unneeded nodes
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 static_autoscaler.go:445] No unschedulable pods
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 filter_out_schedulable.go:87] No schedulable pods
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 filter_out_schedulable.go:177] 0 pods marked as unschedulable can be scheduled.
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 filter_out_schedulable.go:176] 0 pods were kept as unschedulable based on caching
    2024-05-22T17:33:04+02:00 {component="kapsule-autoscaler"} I0522        1 filter_out_schedulable.go:137] Filtered out 0 pods using hints
    ```

    <Message type="tip">
     You can tailor your `logcli query` command according to your needs using the [LogCLI flags and commands](https://grafana.com/docs/loki/latest/query/logcli/#logcli-command-reference). Enter `logcli help` in your terminal to see the available flags and commands, and examples of how to use them.
    </Message>