open-consul/website/content/commands/config/read.mdx

---
layout: commands
page_title: 'Commands: Config Read'
description: >-
  The `consul config read` outputs the JSON representation of a configuration entry identified by kind or name.
---

# Consul Config Read

Command: `consul config read`

Corresponding HTTP API Endpoint: [\[GET\] /v1/config/:kind/:name](/consul/api-docs/config#get-configuration)

The `config read` command reads the config entry specified by the given
kind and name and outputs its JSON representation. See the
[configuration entries docs](/consul/docs/agent/config-entries) for more
details about configuration entries.

The table below shows this command's [required ACLs](/consul/api-docs/api-structure#authentication). Configuration of
[blocking queries](/consul/api-docs/features/blocking) and [agent caching](/consul/api-docs/features/caching)
are not supported from commands, but may be from the corresponding HTTP endpoint.

| ACL Required<sup>1</sup>              |
| ------------------------------------- |
| `service:read`<br />`intentions:read` |

<sup>1</sup> The ACL required depends on the config entry kind being read:

| Config Entry Kind   | Required ACL      |
| ------------------- | ----------------- |
| ingress-gateway     | `service:read`    |
| proxy-defaults      | `<none>`          |
| service-defaults    | `service:read`    |
| service-intentions  | `intentions:read` |
| service-resolver    | `service:read`    |
| service-router      | `service:read`    |
| service-splitter    | `service:read`    |
| terminating-gateway | `service:read`    |

## Usage

Usage: `consul config read [options]`

#### Config Read Options

- `-kind` - Specifies the kind of the config entry to read.

- `-name` - Specifies the name of the config entry to read. The name of the
  `proxy-defaults` config entry must be `global`, and the name of the `mesh`
  config entry must be `mesh`.

#### Enterprise Options

@include 'http_api_partition_options.mdx'

@include 'http_api_namespace_options.mdx'

#### API Options

@include 'http_api_options_client.mdx'

## Examples

    $ consul config read -kind service-defaults -name web
    {
        "Kind": "service-defaults",
        "Name": "web",
        "Protocol": "http",
        "CreateIndex": 13,
        "ModifyIndex": 13
    }