# spicedb_watch

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/llms.txt). Component-specific: [cloud-data-platform-full.txt](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform-full.txt)

---
title: spicedb_watch
page-beta-text: This is a beta feature. Beta features are available for testing and feedback. They are not supported by Redpanda and should not be used in production environments.
latest-operator-version: v26.1.4
latest-console-tag: v3.7.3
latest-connect-version: 4.93.0
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.1.9
docname: connect/components/inputs/spicedb_watch
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: connect/components/inputs/spicedb_watch.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/develop/pages/connect/components/inputs/spicedb_watch.adoc
# Beta release status
page-beta: "true"
page-git-created-date: "2024-11-19"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-05-26"
release-status: beta - This is a beta feature. Beta features are available for testing and feedback. They are not supported by Redpanda and should not be used in production environments.
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/components/inputs/spicedb_watch.md -->

**Available in:** Cloud, [Self-Managed](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/components/inputs/spicedb_watch/%20%22View%20the%20Self-Managed%20version%20of%20this%20component%22)

Consumes messages from the [Watch API](https://buf.build/authzed/api/docs/main:authzed.api.v1#authzed.api.v1.WatchService.Watch) of a [SpiceDB](https://authzed.com/docs/spicedb/getting-started/discovering-spicedb) instance. This input is useful if you have downstream applications that need to react to real-time changes in data managed by SpiceDB.

#### Common

```yml
inputs:
  label: ""
  spicedb_watch:
    endpoint: "" # No default (required)
    bearer_token: ""
    cache: "" # No default (required)
```

#### Advanced

```yml
inputs:
  label: ""
  spicedb_watch:
    endpoint: "" # No default (required)
    bearer_token: ""
    max_receive_message_bytes: 4MB
    cache: "" # No default (required)
    cache_key: authzed.com/spicedb/watch/last_zed_token
    tls:
      enabled: false
      skip_cert_verify: false
      enable_renegotiation: false
      root_cas: ""
      root_cas_file: ""
      client_certs: []
```

## [](#authentication)Authentication

For this input to authenticate with your SpiceDB instance, you must provide:

-   The [`endpoint`](#endpoint) of the SpiceDB instance

-   A [bearer token](#bearer_token)


## [](#configure-a-cache)Configure a cache

You must use a cache resource to store the [ZedToken](https://authzed.com/docs/spicedb/concepts/consistency#zedtokens) (ID) of the latest message consumed and acknowledged by this input. Ideally, the cache should persist across restarts. This means that every time the input is initialized, it starts reading from the newest data updates. The following example uses a [`redis` cache](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/components/rate_limits/redis/).

```yml
# Example
input:
  label: ""
  spicedb_watch:
    endpoint: grpc.authzed.com:443
    bearer_token: ""
    cache: "spicedb_cache"
cache_resources:
  - label: "spicedb_cache"
    redis:
      url: redis://:6379
```

To learn more about cache configuration, see the [Caches section](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/components/caches/about/), which includes a range of cache components.

## [](#fields)Fields

### [](#bearer_token)`bearer_token`

The SpiceDB bearer token to use to authenticate with your SpiceDB instance.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Manage Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/configuration/secret-management/) before adding it to your configuration.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

```yaml
# Examples:
bearer_token: t_your_token_here_1234567deadbeef
```

### [](#cache)`cache`

The [cache resource](#configure-a-cache) that you must configure to store the ZedToken (ID) of the last message processed. The ZedToken is stored in the cache within the `ACK` function of the message. This means that a ZedToken is only stored when a message is successfully routed through all processors and outputs in the data pipeline.

**Type**: `string`

### [](#cache_key)`cache_key`

The key identifier to use when storing the ZedToken (ID) of the last message received.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `authzed.com/spicedb/watch/last_zed_token`

### [](#endpoint)`endpoint`

The endpoint of your SpiceDB instance.

**Type**: `string`

```yaml
# Examples:
endpoint: grpc.authzed.com:443
```

### [](#max_receive_message_bytes)`max_receive_message_bytes`

The maximum message size (in bytes) this input can receive. If a message exceeds this limit, an `rpc error` is written to the Redpanda Connect logs.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `4MB`

```yaml
# Examples:
max_receive_message_bytes: 100MB

# ---

max_receive_message_bytes: 50mib
```

### [](#tls)`tls`

Configure Transport Layer Security (TLS) settings to secure network connections. This includes options for standard TLS as well as mutual TLS (mTLS) authentication where both client and server authenticate each other using certificates. Key configuration options include `enabled` to enable TLS, `client_certs` for mTLS authentication, `root_cas`/`root_cas_file` for custom certificate authorities, and `skip_cert_verify` for development environments.

**Type**: `object`

### [](#tls-client_certs)`tls.client_certs[]`

A list of client certificates for mutual TLS (mTLS) authentication. Configure this field to enable mTLS, authenticating the client to the server with these certificates.

You must set `tls.enabled: true` for the client certificates to take effect.

**Certificate pairing rules**: For each certificate item, provide either:

-   Inline PEM data using both `cert` **and** `key` or

-   File paths using both `cert_file` **and** `key_file`.


Mixing inline and file-based values within the same item is not supported.

**Type**: `object`

**Default**: `[]`

```yaml
# Examples:
client_certs:
  - cert: foo
    key: bar

# ---

client_certs:
  - cert_file: ./example.pem
    key_file: ./example.key
```

### [](#tls-client_certs-cert)`tls.client_certs[].cert`

A plain text certificate to use.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

### [](#tls-client_certs-cert_file)`tls.client_certs[].cert_file`

The path of a certificate to use.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

### [](#tls-client_certs-key)`tls.client_certs[].key`

A plain text certificate key to use.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Manage Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/configuration/secret-management/) before adding it to your configuration.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

### [](#tls-client_certs-key_file)`tls.client_certs[].key_file`

The path of a certificate key to use.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

### [](#tls-client_certs-password)`tls.client_certs[].password`

A plain text password for when the private key is password encrypted in PKCS#1 or PKCS#8 format. The obsolete `pbeWithMD5AndDES-CBC` algorithm is not supported for the PKCS#8 format.

Because the obsolete pbeWithMD5AndDES-CBC algorithm does not authenticate the ciphertext, it is vulnerable to padding oracle attacks that can let an attacker recover the plaintext.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Manage Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/configuration/secret-management/) before adding it to your configuration.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

```yaml
# Examples:
password: foo

# ---

password: ${KEY_PASSWORD}
```

### [](#tls-enable_renegotiation)`tls.enable_renegotiation`

Whether to allow the remote server to request renegotiation. Enable this option if you’re seeing the error message `local error: tls: no renegotiation`.

**Type**: `bool`

**Default**: `false`

### [](#tls-enabled)`tls.enabled`

Whether custom TLS settings are enabled.

**Type**: `bool`

**Default**: `false`

### [](#tls-root_cas)`tls.root_cas`

Specify a root certificate authority to use (optional). This is a string that represents a certificate chain from the parent-trusted root certificate, through possible intermediate signing certificates, to the host certificate. Use either this field for inline certificate data or `root_cas_file` for file-based certificate loading.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Manage Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/configuration/secret-management/) before adding it to your configuration.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

```yaml
# Examples:
root_cas: |-
  -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
  ...
  -----END CERTIFICATE-----
```

### [](#tls-root_cas_file)`tls.root_cas_file`

Specify the path to a root certificate authority file (optional). This is a file, often with a `.pem` extension, which contains a certificate chain from the parent-trusted root certificate, through possible intermediate signing certificates, to the host certificate. Use either this field for file-based certificate loading or `root_cas` for inline certificate data.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

```yaml
# Examples:
root_cas_file: ./root_cas.pem
```

### [](#tls-skip_cert_verify)`tls.skip_cert_verify`

Whether to skip server-side certificate verification. Set to `true` only for testing environments as this reduces security by disabling certificate validation. When using self-signed certificates or in development, this may be necessary, but should never be used in production. Consider using `root_cas` or `root_cas_file` to specify trusted certificates instead of disabling verification entirely.

**Type**: `bool`

**Default**: `false`