Java: Best Practice for Effective Logging

Tips for Proper Logging

Proper logging in Java is essential for debugging, monitoring, and auditing applications, but it’s important to log securely and appropriately. Here are some to the point examples of proper logging practices in Java.

Log at Appropriate Levels (INFO, WARN, ERROR)

Use the appropriate log level based on the context. Log INFO for general events, WARN for potential issues, and ERROR for critical failures.

logger.info("User {} logged in successfully", username);
logger.warn("User {} attempted to access a restricted resource", username);
logger.error("System failure while processing request from user {}", username, e);

Avoid Logging Sensitive Information

Do not log sensitive data such as passwords, credit card details, or personal identifiers.

logger.info("User login attempt: username={}", username);  // Do not log passwords

Log Exceptions with Stack Traces

Always log the full stack trace when catching exceptions to aid in debugging, but use proper log levels.

try {
    // some code
} catch (Exception e) {
    logger.error("Exception…