The logback manual

This is a reorganised edition of the logback manual (content rooted at src/site/pages2/). It covers the latest logback features with a clearer path from first steps to production and extension.

Start here

• Setup and dependencies

• Introduction — first logging statements

• Architecture — loggers, levels, additivity, context

• Reasons to switch from log4j (optional)

Configuration

• Overview & auto-configuration

• XML syntax — appenders, loggers, root

• Variables and properties

• Conditionals, includes, and advanced

Output

• Appenders (overview; split into focused pages)

  • Console and file

  • Rolling file

  • Network and mail

  • Async and sifting

  • Writing your own appender

  • logback-access appenders

• Encoders

• Layouts — especially PatternLayout

• Using SSL

Selection & context

• Filters and turbo filters

• Mapped Diagnostic Contexts (MDC)

Extending logback

• Joran — models, handlers, phases; start with implicit properties if you write components

• Migration from log4j 1.x (custom components)

Reference (on this site)

• Error codes — meanings of status messages

• FAQ

• Recipes

• logback-access for Jetty/Tomcat

• Performance notes

• Dependencies

• Release notes

• Javadocs · Source (xref)

Removed features

These topics had dedicated chapters or packages in older releases and are not documented as current features:

• Groovy configuration (community support: logback-groovy-config)

• ch.qos.logback.classic.jmx / JMXConfigurator (removed for security reasons and lack of use)

• Receivers chapter (use socket appenders / servers in the network appenders pages)

• Logging separation chapter