---
layout: docs
page_title: connect Stanza - Job Specification
sidebar_title: connect
description: The "connect" stanza allows specifying options for Consul Connect integration
---

# `connect` Stanza

<Placement groups={['job', 'group', 'service', 'connect']} />

The `connect` stanza allows configuring various options for
[Consul Connect](/docs/integrations/consul-connect). It is
valid only within the context of a service definition at the task group
level. For using `connect` when Consul ACLs are enabled, be sure to read through
the [Secure Nomad Jobs with Consul Connect](https://learn.hashicorp.com/tutorials/nomad/consul-service-mesh)
guide.

```hcl
job "countdash" {
  datacenters = ["dc1"]

  group "api" {
    network {
      mode = "bridge"
    }

    service {
      name = "count-api"
      port = "9001"

      connect {
        sidecar_service {}
      }
    }

    task "web" {
      driver = "docker"

      config {
        image = "hashicorpnomad/counter-api:v2"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## `connect` Parameters

- `native` - `(bool: false)` - This is used to configure the service as supporting
  [Connect Native](https://www.consul.io/docs/connect/native) applications. If set,
  the service definition must provide the name of the implementing task in the
  [task][service_task] field.
  Incompatible with `sidecar_service` and `sidecar_task`.

- `sidecar_service` - <code>([sidecar_service][]: nil)</code> - This is used to configure the sidecar
  service injected by Nomad for Consul Connect. Incompatible with `native`.

- `sidecar_task` - <code>([sidecar_task][]:nil)</code> - This modifies the configuration of the Envoy
  proxy task. Incompatible with `native`.

## `connect` Examples

### Using Sidecar Service

The following example is a minimal connect stanza with defaults and is
sufficient to start an Envoy proxy sidecar for allowing incoming connections
via Consul Connect.

```hcl
  connect {
    sidecar_service {}
  }
```

The following example includes specifying [`upstreams`][upstreams].

```hcl
  connect {
     sidecar_service {
       proxy {
         upstreams {
           destination_name = "count-api"
           local_bind_port = 8080
         }
       }
     }
  }
```

The following is the complete `countdash` example. It includes an API service
and a frontend Dashboard service which connects to the API service as a Connect
upstream. Once running, the dashboard is accessible at `localhost:9002`.

```hcl
job "countdash" {
  datacenters = ["dc1"]

  group "api" {
    network {
      mode = "bridge"
    }

    service {
      name = "count-api"
      port = "9001"

      connect {
        sidecar_service {}
      }

      check {
        expose   = true
        type     = "http"
        name     = "api-health"
        path     = "/health"
        interval = "10s"
        timeout  = "3s"
      }
    }

    task "web" {
      driver = "docker"

      config {
        image = "hashicorpnomad/counter-api:v2"
      }
    }
  }

  group "dashboard" {
    network {
      mode = "bridge"

      port "http" {
        static = 9002
        to     = 9002
      }
    }

    service {
      name = "count-dashboard"
      port = "9002"

      connect {
        sidecar_service {
          proxy {
            upstreams {
              destination_name = "count-api"
              local_bind_port  = 8080
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }

    task "dashboard" {
      driver = "docker"

      env {
        COUNTING_SERVICE_URL = "http://${NOMAD_UPSTREAM_ADDR_count_api}"
      }

      config {
        image = "hashicorpnomad/counter-dashboard:v2"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Using Connect Native

The following example is a minimal service stanza for a
[Consul Connect Native](https://www.consul.io/docs/connect/native)
application implemented by a task named `generate`.

```hcl
service {
  name = "uuid-api"
  port = "${NOMAD_PORT_api}"
  task = "generate"

  connect {
    native = true
  }
}
```

### Limitations

[Nomad variable interpolation][interpolation] is _not_ yet supported ([gh-7221]).

[gh-7221]: https://github.com/hashicorp/nomad/issues/7221
[job]: /docs/job-specification/job 'Nomad job Job Specification'
[group]: /docs/job-specification/group 'Nomad group Job Specification'
[task]: /docs/job-specification/task 'Nomad task Job Specification'
[interpolation]: /docs/runtime/interpolation 'Nomad interpolation'
[sidecar_service]: /docs/job-specification/sidecar_service 'Nomad sidecar service Specification'
[sidecar_task]: /docs/job-specification/sidecar_task 'Nomad sidecar task config Specification'
[upstreams]: /docs/job-specification/upstreams 'Nomad sidecar service upstreams Specification'
[native]: https://www.consul.io/docs/connect/native
[service_task]: /docs/job-specification/service#task-1 'Nomad service task'