# Amazon Kinesis Destination Config Reference


> Complete Rudder CLI reference for the Amazon Kinesis destination config keys, source types, and secrets.



[Amazon Kinesis](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/amazon-kinesis/) is a streaming destination. RudderStack writes each event as a record to a Kinesis data stream you own.

In an Amazon Kinesis destination spec:

- `type: kinesis`
- `definition_version: 1`

## Sample configuration

```yaml
version: rudder/v1
kind: destination
metadata:
  name: kinesis-prod
spec:
  id: kinesis-prod
  display_name: Kinesis Production
  type: kinesis
  definition_version: 1
  enabled: true
  config:
    region: us-east-1
    stream: rudder-events-prod
    role_based_auth: true
    iam_role_arn: "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:role/RudderStackKinesisAccess"
    use_message_id: false

    connection_mode:
      web: cloud
      cloud: cloud
    consent_management:
      web:
        - provider: oneTrust
          consents:
            - analytics
```

The above example uses role-based authentication, so it carries no access keys. Which of `iam_role_arn`, `access_key_id`, and `access_key` you set depends on `role_based_auth` — see [Authentication](#authentication).

## Config keys

`config` accepts only the keys listed below. The [shared config key rules](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/#config-key-rules) cover unknown keys, defaults, and immutability.

### Stream

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="region">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">region</p>Required</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  AWS region the Kinesis stream was created in, for example <code>us-east-1</code>.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>At most 100 characters, and must not contain line breaks.</li>
<li>A <code>{{ path || fallback }}</code> template is accepted in place of a literal, and isn&rsquo;t measured against the length limit.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="stream">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">stream</p>Required</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Name of the Kinesis data stream RudderStack writes records to. The stream must already exist.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>At most 100 characters, and must not contain line breaks.</li>
<li>Templates are accepted on the same terms as <code>region</code>.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="use_message_id">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">use_message_id</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>boolean</code>
  </p><p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Default value:
    <code>false</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Use the event&rsquo;s <code>messageId</code> as the record&rsquo;s partition key. By default RudderStack partitions by <code>userId</code>, or <code>anonymousId</code> when <code>userId</code> is absent. <code>messageId</code> spreads records more evenly across the stream&rsquo;s shards.
</p>

</div>

</div>

### Authentication

`role_based_auth` selects the authentication method, and decides which of the remaining three keys are required.

**Warning**

Rudder CLI checks only that the keys the selected method needs are present. It doesn&#39;t reject the keys belonging to the other method, so a spec carrying both an `iam_role_arn` and an access key pair passes `validate` and applies.

Leave the unused method&#39;s keys out — otherwise you store credentials the destination never reads.

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="role_based_auth">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">role_based_auth</p>Required</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>boolean</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Whether to authenticate with an IAM role. Set it to <code>true</code> to use <code>iam_role_arn</code>, or <code>false</code> to use the access key pair.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>The dashboard defaults this field to <code>true</code>. Rudder CLI requires it explicitly.</li>
<li>A spec that omits this key fails validation with <code>'role_based_auth' is required</code>.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="iam_role_arn">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">iam_role_arn</p>Required</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  ARN of the IAM role RudderStack assumes to write to the stream.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>Required when <code>role_based_auth</code> is <code>true</code>. Leave it unset otherwise.</li>
<li>At most 100 characters, and must not contain line breaks.</li>
<li>Templates are accepted.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  See <a href="https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/aws-iam-role-for-rudderstack/" >AWS IAM Role for RudderStack</a> for how to create the role.
</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="access_key_id">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">access_key_id</p>RequiredSecret</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  AWS access key ID authorizing RudderStack to write to the stream.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>Required when <code>role_based_auth</code> is <code>false</code>. Leave it unset otherwise.</li>
<li>At most 100 characters, and must not contain line breaks.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  Supply it as a <code>{{ .VAR }}</code> reference rather than a literal — see <a href="#secrets" >Secrets</a>.
</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="access_key">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">access_key</p>RequiredSecret</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  AWS secret access key matching <code>access_key_id</code>.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>Required when <code>role_based_auth</code> is <code>false</code>. Leave it unset otherwise.</li>
<li>At most 100 characters, and must not contain line breaks.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  <strong>Warning:</strong> RudderStack recommends role-based authentication. The access key method is deprecated.
</div>

</div>

</div>

**Info:** Either method needs an IAM policy granting RudderStack `kinesis:PutRecord` on the stream. Role-based authentication on its own doesn&#39;t grant it. See [Policy permissions](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/amazon-kinesis/#policy-permissions) for a sample policy.

### Per-source keys

Both keys are objects keyed by the local source type — the tokens listed under [Source types](#source-types). A key naming a source type this destination doesn't support fails validation.

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="connection_mode">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">connection_mode</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Maps each source type you connect to the mode its events reach Kinesis in, using the modes in <a href="#source-types" >Source types</a>.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>An entry is required for each source type you connect — see <a href="#connect-a-source" >Connect a source</a>.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  <div class="rs-code">
  <div class="rs-code__head">yaml<button class="rs-code__copy" type="button">
      
      Copy
    </button>
  </div>
  <div class="highlight"><pre class="chroma"><code class="language-yaml" data-lang="yaml">connection_mode:
  web: cloud
  cloud: cloud</code></pre></div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="consent_management">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">consent_management</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Consent provider configuration per source type. The entry shape, accepted providers, and the rules on <code>resolution_strategy</code> and <code>consents</code> are shared across all destination types — see <a href="https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/#consent-management" >Consent management</a>.
</p>

</div>

</div>

## Source types

Amazon Kinesis accepts events from these source types in the mentioned connection modes:

| Source type | Connection mode |
| :-----| :-----|
| `android` | `cloud` |
| `android_kotlin` | `cloud` |
| `ios` | `cloud` |
| `ios_swift` | `cloud` |
| `web` | `cloud` |
| `unity` | `cloud` |
| `react_native` | `cloud` |
| `flutter` | `cloud` |
| `cordova` | `cloud` |
| `cloud` | `cloud` |
| `warehouse` | `cloud` |

Every source type is `cloud` only — events reach the stream from RudderStack's servers, never in device mode.

`warehouse` is the token a [Reverse ETL source](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/sources/reverse-etl/) resolves to. Rudder CLI manages the destination’s `warehouse` entry — if the destination is connected to a Reverse ETL source, set `connection_mode.warehouse: cloud` in its spec, or `apply` removes it.

Rudder CLI can also declare the Reverse ETL connection itself, for the types listed under [Supported destinations](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/yaml-retl-connections/#supported-destinations) — see [Manage Reverse ETL Connections using Rudder CLI](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/retl-connections/).

**Info:** The dashboard additionally offers Amazon Kinesis to AMP and Shopify sources. Rudder CLI doesn&#39;t manage those connections, so `amp` and `shopify` are invalid here.

## Connect a source

An event stream connection to this destination is checked against two rules at `validate` time.

**The source's type must be supported.** A source's type resolves to one of the tokens above before the check — a JavaScript source resolves to `web`, and webhook and server-side SDK sources resolve to `cloud`. Every type an event stream source can resolve to is supported here, so this check always passes.

**The destination config must carry a `connection_mode` entry for that source type.** This lives on the destination spec, not on the [connection spec](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/yaml-connections/). Without it:

```text
destination 'kinesis-prod' config has no 'connection_mode' entry for source type 'web'
```

Amazon Kinesis needs no additional config keys to connect a source of any type.

## Secrets

`access_key_id` and `access_key` are the secret keys, and apply only when `role_based_auth` is `false`. Write each as a `{{ .VAR }}` reference and supply the value at apply time:

```yaml
config:
  region: us-east-1
  stream: rudder-events-prod
  role_based_auth: false
  access_key_id: "{{ .AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID }}"
  access_key: "{{ .AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY }}"
```

```bash
export RUDDER_AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="AKIAIOSFODNN7EXAMPLE"
export RUDDER_AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="wJalrXUtnFEMI/K7MDENG/bPxRfiCYEXAMPLEKEY"
rudder-cli apply

# or
rudder-cli apply --var-file secrets.vars.yaml
```

Note that:

- `rudder-cli import` writes only the secrets the API returns, as `{{ .VAR }}` references, and leaves the others out. Add any secret key it leaves out, then supply the variables before you apply — see [Secrets](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/#secrets).
- `iam_role_arn` isn't a secret — an ARN identifies a role but grants nothing on its own.

See [How to Use Variable Substitution in Rudder CLI](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/variable-substitution/).

## Changes by release

<p>No changes since this type became available.</p>

For changes across every destination type, see [Destination Type Changes by Release](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/changes/).

## See more

- [Amazon Kinesis Destination](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/amazon-kinesis/) for the connection settings and the IAM policy RudderStack needs
- [Destination Type Reference for Rudder CLI](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/) for the rules shared across destination types
- [Destination YAML Reference](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/yaml-destinations/) for the spec envelope