# console

> Source: https://docs.clonepartner.com/reference/steps/console/

<!-- sources: src/steps/console-step.ts, src/steps/types.ts, references/envoy/debugging.md, references/envoy/step-types.md -->

# console

Prints each item to stderr and passes it through unchanged — a debugging aid.

## When to use it

Use `console` to inspect what flows through a specific point in the pipeline while developing a task. For richer per-step inspection (input, config, and output together), set `debug: true` on the step you are investigating instead. `console` output goes to stderr and is unrelated to the task-level `output` key, which controls the data stream on stdout.

## Configuration

| Key | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `method` | string | No | `log` | Console method: `log`, `error`, `warn`, `info`, or `debug`. All of them write to stderr. |
| `prefix` | string | No | — | String prepended to each printed item. |

An invalid method fails validation with `Invalid console method: '<value>' (must be log, error, warn, info, debug)`. Any other key produces the warning `Unknown key '<key>' in console config`.

## Example

```yaml
name: inspect-users
connectors:
  source:
    type: csv
steps:
  - name: read_users
    type: call_method
    config:
      connector: source
      method: read
      args:
        resource: users

  - name: debug_print
    type: console
    config:
      prefix: "Processing: "
```

## Behavior notes

- **Writes to stderr, never stdout.** String items are printed as-is; anything else is serialized with `JSON.stringify` and two-space indentation. Stdout stays reserved for the pipeline's data output.
- **Passes the input through unchanged** — the step returns its input, so downstream steps see exactly what came in.

## Related

- [Task YAML schema](/reference/task-yaml/) — the per-step `debug` flag and the top-level `output` key
- [Testing and debugging tasks](/building/testing-and-debugging/) — `--debug`, structured logs, and validation
- [transform](/reference/steps/transform/) — reshape items instead of just printing them