> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.prowler.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. ## Submitting Feedback If you encounter incorrect, outdated, or confusing documentation on this page, submit feedback: POST https://docs.prowler.com/feedback ```json { "path": "/developer-guide/outputs", "feedback": "Description of the issue" } ``` Only submit feedback when you have something specific and actionable to report. # Create a Custom Output Format ## Introduction Prowler supports multiple output formats, allowing users to tailor findings presentation to their needs. Custom output formats are valuable when integrating Prowler with third-party tools, generating specialized reports, or adapting data for specific workflows. By defining a custom output format, users can refine how findings are structured, extracting and displaying only the most relevant information. * Output Organization in Prowler Prowler outputs are managed within the `/lib/outputs` directory. Each format—such as JSON, CSV, HTML, SARIF—is implemented as a Python class. * Outputs are generated based on scan findings, which are stored as structured dictionaries containing details such as: * Resource IDs * Severities * Descriptions * Other relevant metadata * Creation Guidelines Refer to the [Prowler Developer Guide](https://docs.prowler.com/projects/prowler-open-source/en/latest/) for insights into Prowler’s architecture and best practices for creating custom outputs. * Identify the most suitable integration method for the output being targeted. ## Steps to Create a Custom Output Format ### Schema * Output Class: * The class must inherit from `Output`. Review the [Output Class](https://github.com/prowler-cloud/prowler/blob/master/prowler/lib/outputs/output.py). * Create a class that encapsulates the required attributes and methods for interacting with the target platform. Below the code for the `CSV` class is presented: ```python title="CSV Class" theme={null} class CSV(Output): def transform(self, findings: List[Finding]) -> None: """Transforms the findings into the CSV format. Args: findings (list[Finding]): a list of Finding objects """ ... ``` * Transform Method: * This method will transform the findings provided by Prowler to a specific format. #### Method Implementation The following example demonstrates the `transform` method for the `CSV` class: ```python title="Transform" theme={null} def transform(self, findings: List[Finding]) -> None: """Transforms the findings into the CSV format. Args: findings (list[Finding]): a list of Finding objects """ try: for finding in findings: finding_dict = {} finding_dict["AUTH_METHOD"] = finding.auth_method finding_dict["TIMESTAMP"] = finding.timestamp finding_dict["ACCOUNT_UID"] = finding.account_uid finding_dict["ACCOUNT_NAME"] = finding.account_name finding_dict["ACCOUNT_EMAIL"] = finding.account_email finding_dict["ACCOUNT_ORGANIZATION_UID"] = ( finding.account_organization_uid ) finding_dict["ACCOUNT_ORGANIZATION_NAME"] = ( finding.account_organization_name ) finding_dict["ACCOUNT_TAGS"] = unroll_dict( finding.account_tags, separator=":" ) finding_dict["FINDING_UID"] = finding.uid finding_dict["PROVIDER"] = finding.metadata.Provider finding_dict["CHECK_ID"] = finding.metadata.CheckID finding_dict["CHECK_TITLE"] = finding.metadata.CheckTitle finding_dict["CHECK_TYPE"] = unroll_list(finding.metadata.CheckType) finding_dict["STATUS"] = finding.status.value finding_dict["STATUS_EXTENDED"] = finding.status_extended finding_dict["MUTED"] = finding.muted finding_dict["SERVICE_NAME"] = finding.metadata.ServiceName finding_dict["SUBSERVICE_NAME"] = finding.metadata.SubServiceName finding_dict["SEVERITY"] = finding.metadata.Severity.value finding_dict["RESOURCE_TYPE"] = finding.metadata.ResourceType finding_dict["RESOURCE_UID"] = finding.resource_uid finding_dict["RESOURCE_NAME"] = finding.resource_name finding_dict["RESOURCE_DETAILS"] = finding.resource_details finding_dict["RESOURCE_TAGS"] = unroll_dict(finding.resource_tags) finding_dict["PARTITION"] = finding.partition finding_dict["REGION"] = finding.region finding_dict["DESCRIPTION"] = finding.metadata.Description finding_dict["RISK"] = finding.metadata.Risk finding_dict["RELATED_URL"] = finding.metadata.RelatedUrl finding_dict["ADDITIONAL_URLS"] = unroll_list(finding.metadata.AdditionalURLs) finding_dict["REMEDIATION_RECOMMENDATION_TEXT"] = ( finding.metadata.Remediation.Recommendation.Text ) finding_dict["REMEDIATION_RECOMMENDATION_URL"] = ( finding.metadata.Remediation.Recommendation.Url ) finding_dict["REMEDIATION_CODE_NATIVEIAC"] = ( finding.metadata.Remediation.Code.NativeIaC ) finding_dict["REMEDIATION_CODE_TERRAFORM"] = ( finding.metadata.Remediation.Code.Terraform ) finding_dict["REMEDIATION_CODE_CLI"] = ( finding.metadata.Remediation.Code.CLI ) finding_dict["REMEDIATION_CODE_OTHER"] = ( finding.metadata.Remediation.Code.Other ) finding_dict["COMPLIANCE"] = unroll_dict( finding.compliance, separator=": " ) finding_dict["CATEGORIES"] = unroll_list(finding.metadata.Categories) finding_dict["DEPENDS_ON"] = unroll_list(finding.metadata.DependsOn) finding_dict["RELATED_TO"] = unroll_list(finding.metadata.RelatedTo) finding_dict["NOTES"] = finding.metadata.Notes finding_dict["PROWLER_VERSION"] = finding.prowler_version self._data.append(finding_dict) except Exception as error: logger.error( f"{error.__class__.__name__}[{error.__traceback__.tb_lineno}]: {error}" ) ``` * Batch Write Data To File Method: * This method will write the modeled object to a file. #### Method Implementation The following example demonstrates the `batch_write_data_to_file` method for the `CSV` class: ```python title="Batch Write Data To File" theme={null} def batch_write_data_to_file(self) -> None: """Writes the findings to a file using the CSV format using the `Output._file_descriptor`.""" try: if ( getattr(self, "_file_descriptor", None) and not self._file_descriptor.closed and self._data ): csv_writer = DictWriter( self._file_descriptor, fieldnames=self._data[0].keys(), delimiter=";", ) csv_writer.writeheader() for finding in self._data: csv_writer.writerow(finding) self._file_descriptor.close() except Exception as error: logger.error( f"{error.__class__.__name__}[{error.__traceback__.tb_lineno}]: {error}" ) ``` ### Integrating the Custom Output Format into Prowler Once the custom output format is created, it must be integrated into Prowler to ensure compatibility with the existing architecture. #### Reviewing Current Supported Outputs Before implementing the new output format, examine the usage of currently supported formats to understand their structure and integration approach. Example: CSV Output Creation in Prowler Below is an example of how Prowler generates and processes CSV output within its [codebase](https://github.com/prowler-cloud/prowler/blob/master/prowler/__main__.py): ```python title="CSV creation" theme={null} if mode == "csv": csv_output = CSV( findings=finding_outputs, create_file_descriptor=True, file_path=f"{filename}{csv_file_suffix}", ) generated_outputs["regular"].append(csv_output) # Write CSV Finding Object to file. csv_output.batch_write_data_to_file() ``` ### Testing * Verify that Prowler’s findings are accurately typed in the desired output format. * Error Handling – Simulate edge cases to assess robustness and failure recovery mechanisms. ### Documentation * Ensure the following elements are included: * Setup Instructions – List all necessary dependencies and installation steps. * Configuration details. * Example Use Cases – Provide practical scenarios demonstrating functionality. * Troubleshooting Guide – Document common issues and resolution steps. * Comprehensive and clear documentation improves maintainability and simplifies onboarding of new users.