# nats_stream

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

---
title: nats_stream
latest-connect-version: 4.93.0
latest-operator-version: v26.1.4
latest-console-tag: v3.7.3
latest-redpanda-tag: v26.1.9
docname: outputs/nats_stream
page-component-name: connect
page-version: master
page-component-version: master
page-component-title: Connect
page-relative-src-path: outputs/nats_stream.adoc
page-edit-url: https://github.com/redpanda-data/rp-connect-docs/edit/main/modules/components/pages/outputs/nats_stream.adoc
page-git-created-date: "2024-05-24"
page-git-modified-date: "2026-05-26"
---

<!-- Source: https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/components/outputs/nats_stream.md -->

**Type:** Output ▼

[Output](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/components/outputs/nats_stream/)[Input](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/components/inputs/nats_stream/)

**Available in:** Self-Managed

Publish messages to a NATS Stream subject.

#### Common

```yml
outputs:
  label: ""
  nats_stream:
    urls: [] # No default (required)
    cluster_id: "" # No default (required)
    subject: "" # No default (required)
    client_id: ""
    max_in_flight: 64
```

#### Advanced

```yml
outputs:
  label: ""
  nats_stream:
    urls: [] # No default (required)
    max_reconnects: "" # No default (optional)
    cluster_id: "" # No default (required)
    subject: "" # No default (required)
    client_id: ""
    max_in_flight: 64
    tls:
      enabled: false
      skip_cert_verify: false
      enable_renegotiation: false
      root_cas: ""
      root_cas_file: ""
      client_certs: []
    tls_handshake_first: false
    auth:
      nkey_file: "" # No default (optional)
      nkey: "" # No default (optional)
      user_credentials_file: "" # No default (optional)
      user_jwt: "" # No default (optional)
      user_nkey_seed: "" # No default (optional)
      user: "" # No default (optional)
      password: "" # No default (optional)
      token: "" # No default (optional)
    inject_tracing_map: "" # No default (optional)
```

> ⚠️ **CAUTION: Deprecation notice**
>
> Deprecation notice
>
> The NATS Streaming Server is being deprecated. Critical bug fixes and security fixes will be applied until June of 2023. NATS-enabled applications requiring persistence should use [JetStream](https://docs.nats.io/nats-concepts/jetstream).

## [](#authentication)Authentication

There are a number of Redpanda Connect components that use NATS services. Each of these components support optional, advanced authentication parameters for [NKeys](https://docs.nats.io/nats-server/configuration/securing_nats/auth_intro/nkey_auth) and [user credentials](https://docs.nats.io/using-nats/developer/connecting/creds).

For an in-depth guide, see the [NATS documentation](https://docs.nats.io/running-a-nats-service/nats_admin/security/jwt).

### [](#nkeys)NKeys

NATS server can use NKeys in several ways for authentication. The simplest approach is to configure the server with a list of user’s public keys. The server can then generate a challenge for each connection request from a client, and the client must respond to the challenge by signing it with its private NKey, configured in the `nkey_file` or `nkey` field.

For more details, see the [NATS documentation](https://docs.nats.io/running-a-nats-service/configuration/securing_nats/auth_intro/nkey_auth).

### [](#user-credentials)User credentials

NATS server also supports decentralized authentication based on JSON Web Tokens (JWTs). When a server is configured to use this authentication scheme, clients need a [user JWT](https://docs.nats.io/nats-server/configuration/securing_nats/jwt#json-web-tokens) and a corresponding [NKey secret](https://docs.nats.io/running-a-nats-service/configuration/securing_nats/auth_intro/nkey_auth) to connect.

You can use either of the following methods to supply the user JWT and NKey secret:

-   In the `user_credentials_file` field, enter the path to a file containing both the private key and the JWT. You can generate the file using the [nsc tool](https://docs.nats.io/nats-tools/nsc).

-   In the `user_jwt` field, enter a plain text JWT, and in the `user_nkey_seed` field, enter the plain text NKey seed or private key.


For more details about authentication using JWTs, see the [NATS documentation](https://docs.nats.io/using-nats/developer/connecting/creds).

## [](#performance)Performance

Send multiple messages in flight in parallel for improved performance. You can tune the number of in flight messages (or message batches) with the field `max_in_flight`.

## [](#fields)Fields

### [](#auth)`auth`

Optional configuration of NATS authentication parameters.

**Type**: `object`

### [](#auth-nkey)`auth.nkey`

Your NKey seed or private key for NATS authentication. NKeys provide secure, cryptographic authentication without passwords.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/configuration/secrets/).

Requires version 4.38.0 or later.

**Type**: `string`

```yaml
# Examples:
nkey: UDXU4RCSJNZOIQHZNWXHXORDPRTGNJAHAHFRGZNEEJCPQTT2M7NLCNF4
```

### [](#auth-nkey_file)`auth.nkey_file`

An optional file containing a NKey seed.

**Type**: `string`

```yaml
# Examples:
nkey_file: ./seed.nk
```

### [](#auth-password)`auth.password`

An optional plain text password (given along with the corresponding user name).

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/configuration/secrets/).

**Type**: `string`

### [](#auth-token)`auth.token`

An optional plain text token.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/configuration/secrets/).

**Type**: `string`

### [](#auth-user)`auth.user`

An optional plain text user name (given along with the corresponding user password).

**Type**: `string`

### [](#auth-user_credentials_file)`auth.user_credentials_file`

An optional file containing user credentials which consist of a user JWT and corresponding NKey seed.

**Type**: `string`

```yaml
# Examples:
user_credentials_file: ./user.creds
```

### [](#auth-user_jwt)`auth.user_jwt`

An optional plaintext user JWT to use along with the corresponding user NKey seed.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/configuration/secrets/).

**Type**: `string`

### [](#auth-user_nkey_seed)`auth.user_nkey_seed`

An optional plaintext user NKey seed to use along with the corresponding user JWT.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/configuration/secrets/).

**Type**: `string`

### [](#client_id)`client_id`

The client ID to connect with.

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

### [](#cluster_id)`cluster_id`

The cluster ID to publish to.

**Type**: `string`

### [](#inject_tracing_map)`inject_tracing_map`

EXPERIMENTAL: A [Bloblang mapping](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/guides/bloblang/about/) used to inject an object containing tracing propagation information into outbound messages. The specification of the injected fields will match the format used by the service wide tracer.

Requires version 4.23.0 or later.

**Type**: `string`

```yaml
# Examples:
inject_tracing_map: meta = @.merge(this)

# ---

inject_tracing_map: root.meta.span = this
```

### [](#max_in_flight)`max_in_flight`

The maximum number of messages to have in flight at a given time. Increase this to improve throughput.

**Type**: `int`

**Default**: `64`

### [](#max_reconnects)`max_reconnects`

The maximum number of times to attempt to reconnect to the server. If negative, it will never stop trying to reconnect.

**Type**: `int`

### [](#subject)`subject`

The subject to publish to.

**Type**: `string`

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

Custom TLS settings can be used to override system defaults.

**Type**: `object`

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

A list of client certificates to use. For each certificate either the fields `cert` and `key`, or `cert_file` and `key_file` should be specified, but not both.

**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 [Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/configuration/secrets/).

**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 [Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/configuration/secrets/).

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

```yaml
# Examples:
password: foo

# ---

password: ${KEY_PASSWORD}
```

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

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

Requires version 3.45.0 or later.

**Type**: `bool`

**Default**: `false`

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

Whether custom TLS settings are enabled.

**Type**: `bool`

**Default**: `false`

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

An optional root certificate authority to use. This is a string, representing a certificate chain from the parent trusted root certificate, to possible intermediate signing certificates, to the host certificate.

> ⚠️ **CAUTION**
>
> This field contains sensitive information that usually shouldn’t be added to a configuration directly. For more information, see [Secrets](https://docs.redpanda.com/connect/configuration/secrets/).

**Type**: `string`

**Default**: `""`

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

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

An optional path of a root certificate authority file to use. This is a file, often with a .pem extension, containing a certificate chain from the parent trusted root certificate, to possible intermediate signing certificates, to the host certificate.

**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.

**Type**: `bool`

**Default**: `false`

### [](#tls_handshake_first)`tls_handshake_first`

Whether to perform the initial TLS handshake before sending the NATS INFO protocol message. This is required when connecting to some NATS servers that expect TLS to be established immediately after connection, before any protocol negotiation.

Requires version 4.60.0 or later.

**Type**: `bool`

**Default**: `false`

### [](#urls)`urls[]`

A list of URLs to connect to. If a list item contains commas, it will be expanded into multiple URLs.

**Type**: `array`

```yaml
# Examples:
urls:
  - "nats://127.0.0.1:4222"

# ---

urls:
  - "nats://username:password@127.0.0.1:4222"
```