# drop

> 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: drop
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/outputs/drop
page-component-name: cloud-data-platform
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Cloud
page-relative-src-path: connect/components/outputs/drop.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/cloud-docs/edit/main/modules/develop/pages/connect/components/outputs/drop.adoc
description: Drop output reference for silently discarding messages in Redpanda Connect pipelines.
page-topic-type: reference
personas: streaming_developer, app_developer
learning-objective-1: Look up drop output syntax and configuration
learning-objective-2: Find examples of drop in conditional routing
learning-objective-3: Identify use cases for drop output in pipelines
page-git-created-date: "2024-09-09"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-05-26"
---

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

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

Silently discards all messages without error or side effects.

The `drop` output is a utility component that drops messages from the [pipeline](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/reference/glossary/#pipeline). Unlike filtering or conditional processors that modify or route messages, `drop` consumes messages and does nothing with them. This is useful for:

-   **Testing and debugging**: Measure input throughput without output bottlenecks

-   **Conditional workflows**: Discard messages that don’t meet certain criteria

-   **Dead letter queue patterns**: Provide a final fallback when all other outputs fail

-   **Development**: Temporarily disable output while testing pipeline logic


Use this reference to:

-   Look up drop output syntax and configuration

-   Find examples of drop in conditional routing

-   Identify use cases for drop output in pipelines


```yaml
outputs:
  label: ""
  drop: {}
```

## [](#performance)Performance

The `drop` output has minimal overhead and immediately acknowledges messages. This makes it ideal for performance testing, as it removes output processing time from measurements.

## [](#examples)Examples

### [](#conditional-filtering)Conditional filtering

Use `drop` with the [`switch`](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/components/outputs/switch/) output to conditionally discard messages:

```yaml
output:
  switch:
    cases:
      - check: this.type == "error"
        output:
          label: error_sink
          kafka:
            addresses: ["kafka:9092"]
            topic: errors
      - check: this.type == "debug"
        output:
          label: drop_debug
          drop: {}  # Don't process debug messages in production
      - output:
          label: main_sink
          kafka:
            addresses: ["kafka:9092"]
            topic: events
```

### [](#dead-letter-queue-pattern)Dead letter queue pattern

Use `drop` as a last resort in a [`fallback`](https://docs.redpanda.com/cloud-data-platform/develop/connect/components/outputs/fallback/) chain:

```yaml
output:
  fallback:
    - kafka:
        addresses: ["kafka:9092"]
        topic: primary_topic
        max_in_flight: 1
    - kafka:
        addresses: ["kafka:9092"]
        topic: dlq_topic
    - drop: {}  # Last resort: drop if both outputs fail
```

### [](#testing-input-throughput)Testing input throughput

Measure how fast your input can consume data without output bottlenecks:

```yaml
input:
  kafka:
    addresses: ["kafka:9092"]
    topics: ["test"]
output:
  drop: {}  # Measure input consumption speed without output overhead
```

For more patterns on message routing, filtering, and when to use `drop` vs. other approaches, see the [Message Routing Patterns](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/cookbooks/message_routing/) cookbook.