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KafkaUI via Docker

This guide explains how to set up and use Kafka UI locally with Docker for debugging and inspecting Kafka topics.

1. List Available Topics

To list the topics in a running Kafka cluster:

kafka-topics --bootstrap-server <KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVER> --list

Example:

kafka-topics --bootstrap-server my-cluster.kafka.local:9094 --list

2. Get Kafka Cluster ID

To retrieve the cluster ID of your local or remote Kafka cluster:

kafka-cluster cluster-id --bootstrap-server <KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVER>

Example:

kafka-cluster cluster-id --bootstrap-server my-cluster.kafka.local:9094

You will need this Cluster ID in the next step.

3. Run Kafka UI with Docker

Run the Kafka UI Docker container, replacing <CLUSTER_ID> and <KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVER> with your values:

docker run -d -p 8080:8080
-e KAFKA_CLUSTERS_0_NAME=<CLUSTER_ID>
-e KAFKA_CLUSTERS_0_BOOTSTRAPSERVERS=<KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVER>
provectuslabs/kafka-ui

Example:

docker run -d -p 8080:8080
-e KAFKA_CLUSTERS_0_NAME=abcd1234ClusterId
-e KAFKA_CLUSTERS_0_BOOTSTRAPSERVERS=my-cluster.kafka.local:9094
provectuslabs/kafka-ui

4. Access Kafka UI

Once the container is running, open your browser and navigate to: http://localhost:8080

You will see the Kafka UI interface where you can:

  • Browse topics
  • View messages
  • Manage consumer groups
  • Inspect configurations

Notes

  • Docker must be installed and running on your local machine.
  • Ensure that port 8080 is not already in use. You can check by running: lsof -i:8080
  • Replace placeholder values (<CLUSTER_ID> and <KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVER>) with actual values from your environment.