> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.odigos.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Export profiles to Pyroscope

> Configure a Pyroscope destination on the VM Agent and view OTLP Profiles in the Pyroscope UI.

The VM Agent exports continuous profiles to external backends using the same **destinations** model as traces.

For profiling, add a destination whose **signals** include `PROFILES`. Any backend which accepts OTLP Profiles is supported.

## Pyroscope destination fields

See the [Pyroscope backend reference](/enterprise/backends/pyroscope) for all fields. Defaults for a local Pyroscope container on the same host:

| YAML / env key          | UI label           | Example          | Notes                                                                                                   |
| ----------------------- | ------------------ | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `PYROSCOPE_URL`         | Pyroscope Endpoint | `localhost:4040` | Distributor `host:port`. Odigos appends `/v1development/profiles` — do **not** include any path suffix. |
| `PYROSCOPE_TLS_ENABLED` | Enable TLS         | `false`          | Set to `true` when Pyroscope is fronted by TLS.                                                         |
| `signals`               | Profiles checkbox  | `[PROFILES]`     | Required — Pyroscope only emits profiles.                                                               |

## Add destination with odictl

<Steps>
  <Step title="Launch odictl">
    ```shell theme={null}
    odictl
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the destination type list">
    Press `d` to focus **Destinations**, then `Enter` (or click **+ Add Destination**) and search for **profiles** to filter the list to backends that support the `PROFILES` signal.

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/odigos/Z3K5Ztm4CqA3lhsa/images/vmagent/profiling/2-profile-destination.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Z3K5Ztm4CqA3lhsa&q=85&s=ba6fca5e5cafa507b29424e237eca499" alt="odictl destination type selector filtered by profiles" width="1954" height="984" data-path="images/vmagent/profiling/2-profile-destination.png" />

    Highlight **Pyroscope** and press `Enter`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the destination">
    Fill in **Pyroscope Endpoint** and toggle **Enable TLS** if needed. Leave **Profiles: Yes**.

    <img src="https://mintcdn.com/odigos/Z3K5Ztm4CqA3lhsa/images/vmagent/profiling/3-pyroscope-example.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Z3K5Ztm4CqA3lhsa&q=85&s=b387f5bd0ad1803b89ae16893c6f6275" alt="odictl Pyroscope destination form with localhost:4040 and TLS disabled" width="1084" height="1364" data-path="images/vmagent/profiling/3-pyroscope-example.png" />

    Press `Ctrl+S` (or focus **Apply** with `Tab` and press `Enter`) to save.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm">
    ```shell theme={null}
    sudo journalctl -u odigos-vmagent | grep 'Destination signals configured'
    ```

    Look for a line containing `signals=[PROFILES]` for the new destination.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Add destination with YAML

Create a file under `/etc/odigos-vmagent/destinations.d/`, for example `pyroscope.yaml`:

```yaml theme={null}
- name: pyroscope
  type: pyroscope
  signals:
    - PROFILES
  config:
    PYROSCOPE_URL: "localhost:4040"
    PYROSCOPE_TLS_ENABLED: "false"
```

The destination controller picks the file up automatically.

## Run Pyroscope on the host

Quick local run, useful for testing:

```shell theme={null}
docker run -d --name pyroscope -p 4040:4040 grafana/pyroscope:latest
```

If Pyroscope listens only on localhost, port-forward from your laptop:

```shell theme={null}
ssh -L 4040:localhost:4040 <your-vm>
```

## View profiles

Open Pyroscope at `http://localhost:4040`. Pick profile type **`process_cpu`** and filter by **`service.name`** matching one of your enabled sources.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/odigos/Z3K5Ztm4CqA3lhsa/images/vmagent/profiling/4-pyroscope-ui.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=Z3K5Ztm4CqA3lhsa&q=85&s=57c62acae93b5a2b69c6b6dbcae48f55" alt="Pyroscope UI showing a process_cpu flame graph for odigos-demo-coupon" width="3024" height="1900" data-path="images/vmagent/profiling/4-pyroscope-ui.png" />

## Other OTLP Profiles backends

Any backend that accepts **OTLP Profiles** can be used with destination type `otlp` (gRPC) or `otlphttp` and `signals: [PROFILES]`. Pyroscope is documented here because it is easy to setup self-hosted target for VM deployments, the configuration shape for other backends is identical aside from their own endpoint fields.

## Getting Help

If you have any issues, or require our assistance, please open an issue in [GitHub](https://github.com/odigos-io/odigos), or reach out to us in [Odigos Slack](https://join.slack.com/t/odigos/shared_invite/zt-24u91yknm-0fLXu6qnqYfNHS_GSUgTJw)