# Confluent Cloud Destination Config Reference


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



[Confluent Cloud](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/confluent-cloud/) is a streaming destination — a fully managed Apache Kafka service. RudderStack publishes each event as a JSON message to a topic in your Confluent Cloud cluster, keyed by the event's `userId`, or `anonymousId` when `userId` is absent, so one user's events stay in the same partition.

In a Confluent Cloud destination spec:

- `type: confluent_cloud`
- `definition_version: 1`

## Sample configuration

```yaml
version: rudder/v1
kind: destination
metadata:
  name: confluent-cloud-prod
spec:
  id: confluent-cloud-prod
  display_name: Confluent Cloud Production
  type: confluent_cloud
  definition_version: 1
  enabled: true
  config:
    bootstrap_server: pkc-a1b2c.us-east-1.aws.confluent.cloud:9092
    topic: rudder-events
    api_key: "{{ .CONFLUENT_API_KEY }}"
    api_secret: "{{ .CONFLUENT_API_SECRET }}"

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

The above example keeps the API key pair out of the YAML with `{{ .VAR }}` references — see [Secrets](#secrets). Every key in it except the per-source keys is required.

## 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.

**Info:** Confluent Cloud has no topic routing or Avro settings. For those, or for a self-managed cluster, see [Apache Kafka](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/apache-kafka/).

### Connection

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="bootstrap_server">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">bootstrap_server</p>Required</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Bootstrap server of your Confluent Cloud cluster, as <code>host:port</code> — for example <code>pkc-a1b2c.us-east-1.aws.confluent.cloud:9092</code>. The cluster settings in Confluent Cloud show it.
</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 aren&rsquo;t accepted in place of a literal; a template is measured as text against the same limit.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="topic">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">topic</p>Required</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Topic RudderStack publishes events to. An event can name a different topic in <code>integrations.CONFLUENT_CLOUD.topic</code>, which takes precedence.
</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. Kafka&rsquo;s rules on topic names aren&rsquo;t checked locally.</li>
<li>A <code>{{ path || fallback }}</code> template resolves per event, but is measured as text against the same limit.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

</div>

### Authentication

RudderStack connects over TLS and authenticates with SASL/PLAIN, using `api_key` as the username and `api_secret` as the password.

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="api_key">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">api_key</p>RequiredSecret</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  API key of your Confluent Cloud cluster, created in the Confluent Cloud console.
</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>
</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="api_secret">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">api_secret</p>RequiredSecret</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Secret of <code>api_key</code>, created with it in the Confluent Cloud console.
</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>
</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>

### 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 Confluent Cloud 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

Confluent Cloud 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` |
| `cloud` | `cloud` |
| `react_native` | `cloud` |
| `flutter` | `cloud` |
| `cordova` | `cloud` |
| `warehouse` | `cloud` |

Every source type is `cloud` only — events reach Confluent Cloud 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 Confluent Cloud 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 'confluent-cloud-prod' config has no 'connection_mode' entry for source type 'web'
```

Confluent Cloud needs no additional config keys to connect a source of any type.

## Secrets

`api_key` and `api_secret` are the secret keys. Write each as a `{{ .VAR }}` reference and supply the value at apply time:

```yaml
config:
  api_key: "{{ .CONFLUENT_API_KEY }}"
  api_secret: "{{ .CONFLUENT_API_SECRET }}"
```

```bash
export RUDDER_CONFLUENT_API_KEY="..."
export RUDDER_CONFLUENT_API_SECRET="..."
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).

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

- [Confluent Cloud Destination](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/confluent-cloud/) for the connection settings and the partition key
- [Apache Kafka Destination Config Reference](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/apache-kafka/) for a self-managed Kafka cluster
- [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