[KAFKA-10418] Incomplete error/docs when altering topic configs via kafka-topics with --bootstrap-server

• Type: Improvement
• Status: Resolved
• Priority: Minor
• Resolution: Fixed
• Fix Version/s: 2.7.0
• Assignee: Ron Dagostino
• Reporter: Ron Dagostino
• Created: 18/Aug/20 20:14
• Updated: 15/Sep/20 17:09
• Resolved: 15/Sep/20 17:09

Description

Changing a topic config with the kafka-topics command while connecting to Kafka via --bootstrap-server (rather than connecting to ZooKeeper via --zookeeper) is not supported. The desired functionality is available elsewhere, though: it is possible to change a topic config while connecting to Kafka rather than ZooKeeper via the kafka-configs command instead. However, neither the kafka-topics error message received nor the kafka-topics help information itself indicates this other possibility. For example:

{{$ kafka-topics.sh --bootstrap-server localhost:9092 --alter --topic test --config flush.messages=12345
Option combination "[bootstrap-server],[config]" can't be used with option "[alter]"
}}

{{$ kafka-topics.sh
...
--config <String: name=value> A topic configuration override for the topic being created or altered...It is supported only in combination with – create if --bootstrap-server option is used.
}}

Rather than simply saying that what you want to do isn't available, it would be better to say also that you can do it with the kafka-configs command.

Issue Links

• links to: GitHub Pull Request #9199