:_mod-docs-content-type: REFERENCE

[role="_abstract"]
= L

== Listener
[id="glossary-listener_{context}"]
Defines how clients connect to the Kafka cluster. Strimzi supports several listener types for exposing Kafka internally or externally.

Listener types:

internal:: Kafka exposed only within the Kubernetes cluster  
route:: Kafka exposed externally using OpenShift Routes  
loadbalancer:: Kafka exposed externally using a `LoadBalancer` service  
nodeport:: Kafka exposed externally using `NodePort` services  
ingress:: Kafka exposed externally using Kubernetes NGINX Ingress with TLS passthrough  
cluster-ip:: Kafka exposed using a per-broker `ClusterIP` service

== Logging (configuration)
[id="glossary-logging-configuration_{context}"]
Logging for Kafka components and Strimzi operators is configured through their custom resources.  
The configuration uses Log4j2 and supports dynamic updates without restarting pods.

Configuration methods:

inline:: Loggers and levels are defined directly in the custom resource.  
Used for simple changes to log levels.

external:: Loggers and levels are defined in a `ConfigMap` referenced by the custom resource.  
Used for complex, reusable, or filtered configurations.