Structured logging: What it is and why you need it
Blog post from New Relic
Structured logging is a method of organizing log data in a consistent format, typically using key-value pairs, which enhances the ability to search, filter, and analyze log data for debugging, monitoring, and compliance purposes. This approach is particularly beneficial in complex systems, as it reduces processing power, supports scalability, facilitates automation, and improves security. Structured logs provide standardized data that aids in performance monitoring, distributed tracing, security audits, and business intelligence, ultimately enabling better collaboration among developers and stakeholders. Tools like New Relic enhance structured logging by offering capabilities such as custom attributes, powerful search and analysis features, centralized logging, and integration with popular logging frameworks, making it easier to manage and extract insights from large volumes of log data.