diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 491de26c8..b44a78a6d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -158,9 +158,7 @@ Currently implemented sources:
 * disque
 * docker
 * elasticsearch
-* exec (generic line-protocol-emitting executable plugin, support JSON, influx and graphite)
-* socket (generic line protocol listen input service, support influx and graphite)
-* tail (Plugin to tail the files to process line protocol contents, support influx and graphite)
+* exec (generic executable plugin, support JSON, influx and graphite)
 * haproxy
 * httpjson (generic JSON-emitting http service plugin)
 * influxdb
diff --git a/internal/encoding/encoder.go b/internal/encoding/encoder.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..129906ce5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/encoding/encoder.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+package encoding
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
+)
+
+type Parser interface {
+	InitConfig(configs map[string]interface{}) error
+	Parse(buf []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error)
+	ParseLine(line string) (telegraf.Metric, error)
+}
+
+type Creator func() Parser
+
+var Parsers = map[string]Creator{}
+
+func Add(name string, creator Creator) {
+	Parsers[name] = creator
+}
+
+func NewParser(dataFormat string, configs map[string]interface{}) (parser Parser, err error) {
+	creator := Parsers[dataFormat]
+	if creator == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unsupported data format: %s. ", dataFormat)
+	}
+	parser = creator()
+	err = parser.InitConfig(configs)
+	return parser, err
+}
diff --git a/internal/encoding/graphite/parser.go b/internal/encoding/graphite/parser.go
index a86397b80..f43c76b87 100644
--- a/internal/encoding/graphite/parser.go
+++ b/internal/encoding/graphite/parser.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/influxdata/influxdb/models"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding"
 )
 
 // Minimum and maximum supported dates for timestamps.
@@ -22,31 +23,31 @@ var (
 	MaxDate = time.Date(2038, 1, 19, 0, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
 )
 
-var defaultTemplate *template
-
-func init() {
-	var err error
-	defaultTemplate, err = NewTemplate("measurement*", nil, DefaultSeparator)
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
-}
-
-// Parser encapsulates a Graphite Parser.
-type Parser struct {
-	matcher *matcher
-}
-
 // Options are configurable values that can be provided to a Parser
 type Options struct {
 	Separator string
 	Templates []string
 }
 
-// NewParserWithOptions returns a graphite parser using the given options
-func NewParserWithOptions(options Options) (*Parser, error) {
+// Parser encapsulates a Graphite Parser.
+type GraphiteParser struct {
+	matcher *matcher
+}
+
+func NewParser() *GraphiteParser {
+	return &GraphiteParser{}
+}
+
+func (p *GraphiteParser) InitConfig(configs map[string]interface{}) error {
+
+	var err error
+	options := Options{
+		Templates: configs["Templates"].([]string),
+		Separator: configs["Separator"].(string)}
 
 	matcher := newMatcher()
+	p.matcher = matcher
+	defaultTemplate, _ := NewTemplate("measurement*", nil, DefaultSeparator)
 	matcher.AddDefaultTemplate(defaultTemplate)
 
 	for _, pattern := range options.Templates {
@@ -76,25 +77,29 @@ func NewParserWithOptions(options Options) (*Parser, error) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		tmpl, err := NewTemplate(template, tags, options.Separator)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		tmpl, err1 := NewTemplate(template, tags, options.Separator)
+		if err1 != nil {
+			err = err1
+			break
 		}
 		matcher.Add(filter, tmpl)
 	}
-	return &Parser{matcher: matcher}, nil
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("exec input parser config is error: %s ", err.Error())
+	} else {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 }
 
-// NewParser returns a GraphiteParser instance.
-func NewParser(templates []string) (*Parser, error) {
-	return NewParserWithOptions(
-		Options{
-			Templates: templates,
-			Separator: DefaultSeparator,
-		})
+func init() {
+	encoding.Add("graphite", func() encoding.Parser {
+		return NewParser()
+	})
 }
 
-func (p *Parser) ParseMetrics(buf []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error) {
+func (p *GraphiteParser) Parse(buf []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error) {
 	// parse even if the buffer begins with a newline
 	buf = bytes.TrimPrefix(buf, []byte("\n"))
 
@@ -114,7 +119,7 @@ func (p *Parser) ParseMetrics(buf []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error) {
 
 		// Trim the buffer, even though there should be no padding
 		line := strings.TrimSpace(string(buf))
-		if metric, err := p.Parse(line); err == nil {
+		if metric, err := p.ParseLine(line); err == nil {
 			metrics = append(metrics, metric)
 		}
 	}
@@ -122,7 +127,7 @@ func (p *Parser) ParseMetrics(buf []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error) {
 }
 
 // Parse performs Graphite parsing of a single line.
-func (p *Parser) Parse(line string) (telegraf.Metric, error) {
+func (p *GraphiteParser) ParseLine(line string) (telegraf.Metric, error) {
 	// Break into 3 fields (name, value, timestamp).
 	fields := strings.Fields(line)
 	if len(fields) != 2 && len(fields) != 3 {
@@ -184,7 +189,7 @@ func (p *Parser) Parse(line string) (telegraf.Metric, error) {
 
 // ApplyTemplate extracts the template fields from the given line and
 // returns the measurement name and tags.
-func (p *Parser) ApplyTemplate(line string) (string, map[string]string, string, error) {
+func (p *GraphiteParser) ApplyTemplate(line string) (string, map[string]string, string, error) {
 	// Break line into fields (name, value, timestamp), only name is used
 	fields := strings.Fields(line)
 	if len(fields) == 0 {
diff --git a/internal/encoding/influx/parser.go b/internal/encoding/influx/parser.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7965b69e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/encoding/influx/parser.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package influx
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding"
+)
+
+type InfluxParser struct {
+}
+
+func (p *InfluxParser) Parse(buf []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error) {
+	metrics, err := telegraf.ParseMetrics(buf)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return metrics, nil
+}
+
+func (p *InfluxParser) ParseLine(line string) (telegraf.Metric, error) {
+	metrics, err := p.Parse([]byte(line + "\n"))
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if len(metrics) < 1 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Can not parse the line: %s, for data format: influx ", line)
+	}
+
+	return metrics[0], nil
+}
+
+func NewParser() *InfluxParser {
+	return &InfluxParser{}
+}
+
+func (p *InfluxParser) InitConfig(configs map[string]interface{}) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func init() {
+	encoding.Add("influx", func() encoding.Parser {
+		return NewParser()
+	})
+}
diff --git a/internal/encoding/json/parser.go b/internal/encoding/json/parser.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..69a91d14d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/encoding/json/parser.go
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+package json
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
+
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal"
+	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding"
+)
+
+type JsonParser struct {
+}
+
+func (p *JsonParser) Parse(buf []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error) {
+
+	metrics := make([]telegraf.Metric, 0)
+
+	var jsonOut interface{}
+	err := json.Unmarshal(buf, &jsonOut)
+	if err != nil {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("unable to parse out as JSON, %s", err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	f := internal.JSONFlattener{}
+	err = f.FlattenJSON("", jsonOut)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	metric, err := telegraf.NewMetric("exec", nil, f.Fields, time.Now().UTC())
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return append(metrics, metric), nil
+}
+
+func (p *JsonParser) ParseLine(line string) (telegraf.Metric, error) {
+	metrics, err := p.Parse([]byte(line + "\n"))
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if len(metrics) < 1 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Can not parse the line: %s, for data format: influx ", line)
+	}
+
+	return metrics[0], nil
+}
+
+func NewParser() *JsonParser {
+	return &JsonParser{}
+}
+
+func (p *JsonParser) InitConfig(configs map[string]interface{}) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func init() {
+	encoding.Add("json", func() encoding.Parser {
+		return NewParser()
+	})
+}
diff --git a/internal/encoding/parser.go b/internal/encoding/parser.go
deleted file mode 100644
index dc73bfe68..000000000
--- a/internal/encoding/parser.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,90 +0,0 @@
-package encoding
-
-import (
-	"encoding/json"
-	"fmt"
-	"time"
-
-	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
-	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal"
-	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding/graphite"
-)
-
-type Parser struct {
-	graphiteParser *graphite.Parser
-}
-
-func NewParser(parser *graphite.Parser) *Parser {
-	return &Parser{graphiteParser: parser}
-}
-
-func (p *Parser) Parse(dataFormat string, out []byte, acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
-	var err error
-	var metrics []telegraf.Metric
-	var metric telegraf.Metric
-
-	switch dataFormat {
-	case "", "json":
-		var jsonOut interface{}
-		err = json.Unmarshal(out, &jsonOut)
-		if err != nil {
-			err = fmt.Errorf("unable to parse out as JSON, %s", err)
-			break
-		}
-
-		f := internal.JSONFlattener{}
-		err = f.FlattenJSON("", jsonOut)
-		if err != nil {
-			break
-		}
-		acc.AddFields("exec", f.Fields, nil)
-	case "influx":
-		now := time.Now()
-		metrics, err = telegraf.ParseMetrics(out)
-		for _, metric = range metrics {
-			acc.AddFields(metric.Name(), metric.Fields(), metric.Tags(), now)
-		}
-	case "graphite":
-		metrics, err = p.graphiteParser.ParseMetrics(out)
-		for _, metric = range metrics {
-			acc.AddFields(metric.Name(), metric.Fields(), metric.Tags(), metric.Time())
-		}
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf("Unsupported data format: %s. Must be either json, influx or graphite ", dataFormat)
-	}
-
-	return err
-}
-
-func (p *Parser) ParseSocketLines(dataFormat string, buf []byte) ([]telegraf.Metric, error) {
-	var err error
-	var metrics []telegraf.Metric
-
-	switch dataFormat {
-	case "", "graphite":
-		metrics, err = p.graphiteParser.ParseMetrics(buf)
-	case "influx":
-		metrics, err = telegraf.ParseMetrics(buf)
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf("Unsupported data format: %s. Must be either influx or graphite ", dataFormat)
-	}
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return metrics, nil
-}
-
-func (p *Parser) ParseSocketLine(dataFormat, line string) (telegraf.Metric, error) {
-	metrics, err := p.ParseSocketLines(dataFormat, []byte(line+"\n"))
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	if len(metrics) < 1 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Can not parse the line: %s, for data format: %s ", line, dataFormat)
-	}
-
-	return metrics[0], nil
-}
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/exec/README.md b/plugins/inputs/exec/README.md
index a58b3dde6..4b862b273 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/exec/README.md
+++ b/plugins/inputs/exec/README.md
@@ -95,8 +95,11 @@ Now let's say we have the following configuration:
 
 ```
 [[inputs.exec]]
-  # the command to run
-  command = "/usr/bin/line_protocol_collector"
+  # Shell/commands array
+  # compatible with old version
+  # we can still use the old command configuration
+  # command = "/usr/bin/line_protocol_collector"
+  commands = ["/usr/bin/line_protocol_collector","/tmp/test2.sh"]
 
   # Data format to consume. This can be "json" or "influx" (line-protocol)
   # NOTE json only reads numerical measurements, strings and booleans are ignored.
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/exec/config.go b/plugins/inputs/exec/config.go
deleted file mode 100644
index c4ad5d47f..000000000
--- a/plugins/inputs/exec/config.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-package exec
-
-import (
-	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding/graphite"
-)
-
-// Config represents the configuration for Graphite endpoints.
-type Config struct {
-	Commands []string
-	graphite.Config
-}
-
-// New Config instance.
-func NewConfig(commands, templates []string, separator string) *Config {
-	c := &Config{}
-	if separator == "" {
-		separator = graphite.DefaultSeparator
-	}
-
-	c.Commands = commands
-	c.Templates = templates
-	c.Separator = separator
-
-	return c
-}
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/exec/exec.go b/plugins/inputs/exec/exec.go
index efccc7033..a53a6f32d 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/exec/exec.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/exec/exec.go
@@ -10,8 +10,11 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding"
-	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding/graphite"
 	"github.com/influxdata/telegraf/plugins/inputs"
+
+	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding/graphite"
+	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding/influx"
+	_ "github.com/influxdata/telegraf/internal/encoding/json"
 )
 
 const sampleConfig = `
@@ -57,9 +60,7 @@ type Exec struct {
 	Separator string
 	Templates []string
 
-	encodingParser *encoding.Parser
-
-	config *Config
+	encodingParser encoding.Parser
 
 	initedConfig bool
 
@@ -107,8 +108,13 @@ func (e *Exec) ProcessCommand(command string, acc telegraf.Accumulator) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if err = e.encodingParser.Parse(e.DataFormat, out, acc); err != nil {
+	metrics, err := e.encodingParser.Parse(out)
+	if err != nil {
 		e.errc <- err
+	} else {
+		for _, metric := range metrics {
+			acc.AddFields(metric.Name(), metric.Fields(), metric.Tags(), metric.Time())
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -120,23 +126,22 @@ func (e *Exec) initConfig() error {
 		e.Commands = []string{e.Command}
 	}
 
-	c := NewConfig(e.Commands, e.Templates, e.Separator)
-	if err := c.Validate(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("exec configuration is error: %s ", err.Error())
-
+	if e.DataFormat == "" {
+		e.DataFormat = "json"
 	}
-	e.config = c
 
-	graphiteParser, err := graphite.NewParserWithOptions(graphite.Options{
-		Templates: e.config.Templates,
-		Separator: e.config.Separator})
+	var err error
+
+	configs := make(map[string]interface{})
+	configs["Separator"] = e.Separator
+	configs["Templates"] = e.Templates
+
+	e.encodingParser, err = encoding.NewParser(e.DataFormat, configs)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("exec input parser config is error: %s ", err.Error())
+		return fmt.Errorf("exec configuration is error: %s ", err.Error())
 	}
 
-	e.encodingParser = encoding.NewParser(graphiteParser)
-
 	return nil
 }