Logging Best Practices in Spring Boot
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Bolot Kasybekov 24 de abril de 2025
Logging is an essential part of any application, serving as the backbone for monitoring,
debugging, and auditing. Proper logging practices can save hours of debugging and provide
valuable insights into application behavior. However, poorly implemented logging can lead to
performance bottlenecks, missed issues, or compliance risks.
In this article, I will share 12 best practices for logging that will help you build robust and
maintainable logs for your applications.
1. Choose the Right Logging Framework
The first step towards effective logging is selecting a reliable logging framework. For Java
applications, popular choices include:
SLF4J: A unified logging facade that works with multiple logging frameworks.
Logback: The default logging framework for Spring Boot.
Log4j2: Known for its performance and flexibility.
For other ecosystems, frameworks like Winston ([Link]) or Python’s logging module are
excellent starting points. Match your choice to the needs of your project and team.
2. Log at the Right Level
Use logging levels to capture the severity and purpose of each log message:
TRACE: Fine-grained, low-level information (e.g., debugging specific functions).
DEBUG: Debugging information to understand application flow.
INFO: General application events (e.g., startup, shutdown).
WARN: Highlight potentially harmful situations.
ERROR: Critical issues that need immediate attention.
For example:
logger("Processing ID: {}", orderId);logger("Failed process ID: {}", orderId, e);
3. Avoid Logging Sensitive Data
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In an era of strict data protection regulations (like GDPR), be cautious about logging
sensitive information such as:
Passwords
API Keys
PII (Personally Identifiable Information)
If you must log such information, mask or redact it:
(, (email));
4. Write Meaningful Log Messages
Your log messages should provide enough context to understand the issue without needing
to dive into the code. Avoid vague messages like:
Instead, be specific:
Unable connect database. Connection timeout after seconds.
5. Use Structured Logging
Structured logging outputs logs in a machine-readable format (e.g., JSON). This is especially
useful in distributed systems where logs are aggregated and analyzed. Example (JSON log
entry):
Frameworks like Logstash or Fluentd can process structured logs for centralized monitoring.
6. Use Placeholders, Not String Concatenation
Avoid expensive string concatenations in your logs. Use placeholders instead:
logger.( + userId + );
logger.(, userId);
Placeholders defer string evaluation until the log message is actually written, improving
performance.
7. Enable Log Rotation
Logs can grow indefinitely if not managed, causing storage issues. Use log rotation to
archive old logs and keep the latest logs accessible.
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For example, in Logback (Spring Boot’s default logging framework):
<rollingPolicy class=> <fileNamePattern>logs/app-%d{yyyy-MM-}.</fileNamePattern>
<maxHistory>30</maxHistory></rollingPolicy>
8. Centralize Your Logs
In modern distributed applications, logs from multiple services and servers should be
centralized for easier analysis. Tools like ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana),
Splunk, and Graylog allow you to:
Aggregate logs across services.
Search and filter logs efficiently.
Set up alerts for critical issues.
9. Test Your Logging Configuration
Don’t assume your logging setup is perfect — test it! Simulate failures and ensure logs
provide actionable insights. Verify:
Log levels are correctly configured.
Sensitive data isn’t logged.
Logs are rotated and archived as expected.
10. Monitor and Analyze Logs Proactively
Logging isn’t just about debugging — it’s also about monitoring. Use your logs to:
Identify trends and anomalies.
Detect security breaches.
Optimize performance.
Set up tools like Prometheus or Datadog to analyze logs for proactive insights.
11. Avoid Over-Logging
Logging everything can make it harder to find important details. Excessive logging also slows
down your application and increases storage costs. Log only what’s necessary.
For instance, DEBUG-level logs should not be enabled in production unless actively
debugging.
Final Thoughts
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Logging is more than just writing messages to a file — it’s about creating a system that helps
you understand your application. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your
logs are meaningful, efficient, and actionable.
Proper logging empowers your team with the insights they need to build reliable, scalable,
and secure applications. Start implementing these best practices today and watch your
debugging and monitoring workflows improve dramatically!
What are your logging challenges? Let me know in the comments if you have additional tips
or questions about logging practices. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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