Logging (computing): Difference between revisions

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{{distinguish|Data logger}}

In [[computing]], '''logging''' is the act of keeping a [[wikt:log#Etymology 2|log]] of [[Event (computing)|events]] that occur in a computer system, such as problems, errors or justbroad information on current operations. These events may occur in the [[operating system]] or in other [[software]]. A message or ''log entry'' is recorded for each such event. These log messages can then be used to monitor and understand the operation of the system, to [[debugging|debug]] problems, or during an [[audit]]. Logging is particularly important in [[multi-user software]], to have a central overview of the operation of the system.

In the simplest case, messages are written to a file, called a ''log file''.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://blog.pandorafms.org/log-monitoring/ |title= Log Monitoring: not the ugly sister |access-date = February 14, 2018 |last= DeLaRosa |first= Alexander |date= February 8, 2018 |website= [[Pandora FMS]] |language = english |quote= A log file is a text file or XML file used to register the automatically produced and time-stamped documentation of events, behaviors and conditions relevant to a particular system. |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180214153657/https://blog.pandorafms.org/log-monitoring/

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Specifically, a ''transaction log'' is a log of the communications between a system and the users of that system,<ref>{{cite journal | last=Peters | first=Thomas A. | title=The history and development of transaction log analysis | journal=Library Hi Tech | volume=11 | issue=2 | date=1993-02-01 | issn=0737-8831 | doi=10.1108/eb047884 | pages=41–66}}</ref> or a data collection method that automatically captures the type, content, or time of transactions made by a person from a terminal with that system.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Rice | first1=Ronald E. | last2=Borgman | first2=Christine L. | title=The use of computer-monitored data in information science and communication research | journal=Journal of the American Society for Information Science | volume=34 | issue=4 | date=1983 | issn=0002-8231 | doi=10.1002/asi.4630340404 | pages=247–256}}</ref> For Web searching, a transaction log is an electronic record of interactions that have occurred during a searching episode between a Web search engine and users searching for information on that Web search engine.

Many operating systems, software frameworks and programs include a logging system. A widely used logging standard is [[Syslog]], defined in Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) [[Request for Comments|IETF RFC]] 5424).{{Ref RFC|5424}} The Syslog standard enables a dedicated, standardized subsystem to generate, filter, record, and analyze log messages. This relieves software developers of having to design and code their ad hoc logging systems.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://winscp.net/eng/docs/logging_xml|title=XML Logging :: WinSCP|website=winscp.net|date=16 June 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/28752/Use-XML-for-Log-Files|title=Use XML for Log Files|date=August 22, 2008|website=CodeProject}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/dotnet/articles/ms972965(v=msdn.10)|title=Turn Your Log Files into Searchable Data Using Regex and the XML Classes|website=learn.microsoft.com|date=24 June 2011 }}</ref>

== Types ==

=== Event logs ===

''Event logs'' record events taking place in the execution of a system inthat ordercan be used to provideunderstand the activity of the system and to diagnose problems.

That can be used to understand the activity of the system and to diagnose problems.

They are essential to understand particularly in the case of applications with little user interaction.