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locate-config-setting

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Find where an Agent config setting or section is defined in the YAML schemas, and print its schema node, using `dda inv schema.locate`

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Locate a Datadog Agent configuration setting or section in the schema source and print its definition plus the exact file and line where it lives.

Use this whenever you need to answer "where/how is config key X defined?" — its type, default, env vars, description, or which schema file to edit. It is much faster and more reliable than grepping the ~20k lines of schema YAML by hand, because the schema is split across files (core_schema.yaml plus per-section sub-files referenced via $ref), so a naive grep often points at the wrong file.

Command

dda inv -- schema.locate <setting.path>

<setting.path> is the dotted logical path exactly as a user writes it in datadog.yaml / system-probe.yaml — e.g. api_key, proxy.https, apm_config.enabled. (Use -- so invoke treats the path as a positional arg.)

It can also be a pattern: any argument containing a character outside [A-Za-z0-9_.] (e.g. *, $, [) is matched against every full dotted path in the schema instead of looked up exactly. The pattern is treated as a regular expression (re.search); if it isn't valid regex it falls back to shell-style glob (fnmatch). So '*enabled' lists every setting whose path ends with enabled. Pattern matches are printed as a compact, sorted [<schema>] <path> -> <file>:<line> list (one line per match) rather than full node blocks; pass --json for the full {schema, path, file, line, node} array.

Flags

FlagEffect
--target core / --target system-probeRestrict to one schema (default: search both).
--jsonEmit a JSON array of {schema, path, file, line, node} instead of human text. Use this when you want to parse the result programmatically.

What it prints

  • Setting (leaf): the full schema node — node_type, type, default, env_vars, visibility, description, tags.
  • Section: the section's own metadata, with properties collapsed to the sorted list of immediate child key names (so a big section like apm_config doesn't dump thousands of lines). Drill into a child to see its full node.
  • A clickable location header per match: [<schema>] <file>:<line>.
  • If a key exists in both schemas (e.g. log_level), it prints one block per schema, labeled [core] and [system-probe].

Location semantics (important)

  • A top-level split section (e.g. apm_config, logs_config) is reported at its $ref: line in pkg/config/schema/yaml/core_schema.yaml — that's where it's wired in.
  • A setting inside a split section (e.g. apm_config.enabled) is reported in the sub-file (pkg/config/schema/yaml/apm_config.yaml:<line>) — that's where its real definition is, and the file you'd edit.
  • A setting/section that lives inline in the top file (e.g. api_key, proxy.https) is reported directly in core_schema.yaml.

Behavior notes

  • Reads the YAML source under pkg/config/schema/yaml/ — no build step or agent binary needed; works straight from a checkout. Line numbers are real.
  • Only traverses named settings and sections (properties). Array items and patternProperties internals are out of scope.
  • Not found → prints an error and exits non-zero (no fuzzy suggestions).

Examples

# Top-level setting → core_schema.yaml + full node
dda inv -- schema.locate api_key

# Setting inside a split section → resolves into the sub-file
dda inv -- schema.locate apm_config.enabled

# Bare split section → $ref site in core_schema.yaml, child names only
dda inv -- schema.locate apm_config

# Restrict to one schema and get machine-readable output
dda inv -- schema.locate process_config.enabled --target core --json

# Pattern (glob): every setting whose full path ends with 'enabled'
dda inv -- schema.locate '*enabled'

# Pattern (regex): every path containing 'proxy' (a bare word like 'proxy' is an
# exact lookup, so add metacharacters to force a pattern/contains-match)
dda inv -- schema.locate '.*proxy'

Related

  • The task lives in tasks/schema/locate.py (registered in tasks/schema/__init__.py).
  • Schema source: pkg/config/schema/yaml/. To regenerate it, see dda inv schema.generate.
  • To add a new config field (not just locate one), use the create-config-field skill.
, `[`) is matched against *every* full dotted path\nin the schema instead of looked up exactly. The pattern is treated as a regular\nexpression (`re.search`); if it isn't valid regex it falls back to shell-style\nglob (`fnmatch`). So `'*enabled'` lists every setting whose path ends with\n`enabled`. Pattern matches are printed as a compact, sorted\n`[\u003cschema>] \u003cpath> -> \u003cfile>:\u003cline>` list (one line per match) rather than full\nnode blocks; pass `--json` for the full `{schema, path, file, line, node}` array.\n\n### Flags\n\n| Flag | Effect |\n|---|---|\n| `--target core` / `--target system-probe` | Restrict to one schema (default: search **both**). |\n| `--json` | Emit a JSON array of `{schema, path, file, line, node}` instead of human text. Use this when you want to parse the result programmatically. |\n\n## What it prints\n\n- **Setting (leaf):** the full schema node — `node_type`, `type`, `default`,\n `env_vars`, `visibility`, `description`, `tags`.\n- **Section:** the section's own metadata, with `properties` collapsed to the\n **sorted list of immediate child key names** (so a big section like `apm_config`\n doesn't dump thousands of lines). Drill into a child to see its full node.\n- A clickable location header per match: `[\u003cschema>] \u003cfile>:\u003cline>`.\n- If a key exists in **both** schemas (e.g. `log_level`), it prints one block per\n schema, labeled `[core]` and `[system-probe]`.\n\n## Location semantics (important)\n\n- A **top-level split section** (e.g. `apm_config`, `logs_config`) is reported at\n its `$ref:` line in `pkg/config/schema/yaml/core_schema.yaml` — that's where it's\n wired in.\n- A setting **inside** a split section (e.g. `apm_config.enabled`) is reported in\n the **sub-file** (`pkg/config/schema/yaml/apm_config.yaml:\u003cline>`) — that's where\n its real definition is, and the file you'd edit.\n- A setting/section that lives inline in the top file (e.g. `api_key`,\n `proxy.https`) is reported directly in `core_schema.yaml`.\n\n## Behavior notes\n\n- Reads the YAML **source** under `pkg/config/schema/yaml/` — no build step or\n agent binary needed; works straight from a checkout. Line numbers are real.\n- Only traverses named settings and sections (`properties`). Array `items` and\n `patternProperties` internals are out of scope.\n- Not found → prints an error and exits non-zero (no fuzzy suggestions).\n\n## Examples\n\n```bash\n# Top-level setting → core_schema.yaml + full node\ndda inv -- schema.locate api_key\n\n# Setting inside a split section → resolves into the sub-file\ndda inv -- schema.locate apm_config.enabled\n\n# Bare split section → $ref site in core_schema.yaml, child names only\ndda inv -- schema.locate apm_config\n\n# Restrict to one schema and get machine-readable output\ndda inv -- schema.locate process_config.enabled --target core --json\n\n# Pattern (glob): every setting whose full path ends with 'enabled'\ndda inv -- schema.locate '*enabled'\n\n# Pattern (regex): every path containing 'proxy' (a bare word like 'proxy' is an\n# exact lookup, so add metacharacters to force a pattern/contains-match)\ndda inv -- schema.locate '.*proxy'\n```\n\n## Related\n\n- The task lives in `tasks/schema/locate.py` (registered in `tasks/schema/__init__.py`).\n- Schema source: `pkg/config/schema/yaml/`. To regenerate it, see `dda inv schema.generate`.\n- To **add** a new config field (not just locate one), use the `create-config-field` skill.\n"}],"versionEndpoint":"/skill/api/version"}