[apache-kafka] List all kafka topics

I'm using kafka 0.10 without zookeeper. I want to get kafka topics list. This command is not working since we're not using zookeeper: bin/kafka-topics.sh --list --zookeeper localhost:2181. How can I get the same output without zookeeper?

This question is related to apache-kafka apache-zookeeper

The answer is


Kafka is a distributed system and needs Zookeeper. you have to start zookeeper too. Follow "Quick Start" here : https://kafka.apache.org/0100/documentation.html#quickstart


Please use kafka-topics.sh --list --bootstrap-server localhost:9092 to list down all topics


For dockerized kafka/zookeeper

docker ps

find you zookeeper container id

docker exec -it <id> bash

cd bin

./zkCli.sh

ls /brokers/topics

You can try using the below two command and list all Kafka topic

  • bin/kafka-topics.sh --describe --zookeeper 192.168.0.142:2181,192.168.9.115:2181,192.168.4.57:2181
  • bin/kafka-topics.sh --zookeeper 192.168.0.142:2181,192.168.9.115:2181,192.168.4.57:218 --list

Using Confluent's REST Proxy API:

curl -X GET -H "Accept: application/vnd.kafka.v2+json" localhost:8082/topics 

where localhost:8082 is Kafka Proxy address.


Zookeeper is required for running Kafka. zookeeper is must. still if you want to see topic list without zookeeper then you need kafka monitoring tool such as Kafka Monitor Tool, kafka-manager etc.


to see that topic if we run the list topic command:

$ bin/kafka-topics.sh --list --zookeeper localhost:2181

To check if the data is landing in Kafka:

$ bin/kafka-console-consumer.sh --zookeeper localhost:2181 --topic twitterstream --from-beginning


Commands:

  1. To start the kafka:

    $ nohup ~/kafka/bin/kafka-server-start.sh ~/kafka/config/server.properties > ~/kafka/kafka.log 2>&1 &

  2. To list out all the topic on on kafka;

    $ bin/kafka-topics.sh --list --zookeeper localhost:2181

  3. To check the data is landing on kafka topic and to print it out;

    $ bin/kafka-console-consumer.sh --bootstrap-server localhost:9092 --topic your_topic_name --from-beginning


You have a stale version of the package with commands that no longer accept zookeeper but rather bootstrap-server as the connection. Confluent will then connect with Zookeeper internally.

https://www.confluent.io/download/ (5.3 or greater)


Kafka 2.2 and up

Newer versions of Kafka no longer requires ZooKeeper connection string to list topics, but can directly go via the Kafka brokers. kafka-topics.sh is provided in the bin/ folder when downloading Kafka. To list topics, do the following:

bin/kafka-topics.sh --list --bootstrap-server <BROKER-LIST>

To read messages you should use:

kafka-console-consumer.sh --bootstrap-server kafka1:9092,kafka2:9092,kafka3:9092 --topic messages --from-beginning

--bootstrap-server is required attribute. You can use only single kafka1:9020 node.


The Kafka clients no longer require zookeeper but the Kafka servers do need it to operate.

You can get a list of topics with the new AdminClient API but the shell command that ship with Kafka have not yet been rewritten to use this new API.

The other way to use Kafka without Zookeeper is to use a SaaS Kafka-as-a-Service provider such as Confluent Cloud so you don’t see or operate the Kafka brokers (and the required backend Zookeeper ensemble).

For example on Confluent Cloud you would just use the following zookeeper free CLI command:

ccloud topic list

Kafka requires zookeeper and indeed the list of topics is stored there, hence the kafka-topics tool needs to connect to zookeeper too. kafka-clients apis in the newer versions no longer talk to zookeeper directly, perhaps that's why you're under the impression a setup without zookeeper is possible. It is not, as kafka relies on it internally. For reference see: http://kafka.apache.org/documentation.html#quickstart Step 2:

Kafka uses ZooKeeper so you need to first start a ZooKeeper server if you don't already have one


You need to start the zookeeper server first. So first go to kafka/bin/windows and run

zookeeper-server-start.bat ../../config/zookeeper.properties

then in the same folder with a new cmd windows start the kafka servers by running

kafka-server-start.bat ../../config/server.properties

Note: if you starting it for the first time then there are certain changes to be made in these files

then inside kafka/bin/windows run

kafka-topics.bat --zookeeper localhost:2181 --list

to list down all the topics existing.