Loki 2.3 is out: Custom retention, 15x query speed on recent data, Prometheus-style recording rules

Loki 2.3 introduces several notable features and improvements, including custom retention settings, enhanced query speed, and Prometheus-style recording rules. The update allows more granular retention control through the Compactor component, enabling storage cost management and compliance with specific security needs. The release also includes experimental support for deleting log entries, with new endpoints for managing deletion requests, and a pattern parser to simplify LogQL queries for unstructured logs. Additionally, ingester sharding boosts query performance up to 15 times for recent data by enabling parallel computation across all time ranges. New LogQL capabilities enhance IP address filtering, and the release is the first under the AGPLv3 license, with easy access options through Grafana Cloud, offering both free and paid plans.