---
layout: docs
page_title: 'Autoscaling Plugins: Target'
description: Target plugins determine where the resource to be autoscaled is located.
---

# Target Plugins

Target plugins determine where the resource to be autoscaled is located and
execute the scaling actions determined by the Autoscaler.

The target can be a group of a Nomad job (in which case, the scaling type is
called horizontal application scaling), the number of Nomad clients (horizontal
cluster scaling), or the amount of resources assigned to a task of a Nomad job
(vertical application scaling).

## Common Policy Configuration Options

All target plugins support the following policy config parameters.

- `dry-run` `(bool: false)` - If set to `true`, the target will not be scaled
  and the proposed scaling action will only be logged.
