https://github.com/josheppinette/python-logfmter
Add logfmt structured logging using the stdlib logging module and without changing a single log call.
https://github.com/josheppinette/python-logfmter
log logfmt logging python python-3 structured structured-logging
Last synced: 4 months ago
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Add logfmt structured logging using the stdlib logging module and without changing a single log call.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/josheppinette/python-logfmter
- Owner: josheppinette
- License: mit
- Created: 2022-02-05T20:02:03.000Z (about 4 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-09-24T22:44:07.000Z (5 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-09-24T23:33:55.986Z (5 months ago)
- Topics: log, logfmt, logging, python, python-3, structured, structured-logging
- Language: Python
- Homepage: https://pypi.org/project/logfmter/
- Size: 1.14 MB
- Stars: 93
- Watchers: 4
- Forks: 11
- Open Issues: 8
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: HISTORY.md
- License: LICENSE.txt
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Add [logfmt](https://www.brandur.org/logfmt) structured logging using the stdlib logging module and without changing a single log call.
```python
> logging.warn("user created", extra=user)
at=WARNING msg="user created" first_name=John last_name=Doe age=25
```
# Table of Contents
1. [Why](#why)
2. [Install](#install)
3. [Usage](#usage)
1. [Integration](#integration)
2. [Configuration](#configuration)
3. [Extension](#extension)
4. [Guides](#guides)
5. [Gotchas](#gotchas)
4. [Development](#development)
1. [Required Software](#required-software)
2. [Getting Started](#getting-started)
3. [Contributing](#contributing)
4. [Publishing](#publishing)
# Why
- enables both human and computer readable logs, [recommended as a "best practice" by Splunk](https://dev.splunk.com/enterprise/docs/developapps/addsupport/logging/loggingbestpractices/)
- formats all first and third party logs, you never have to worry about a library using a different logging format
- simple to integrate into any existing application, requires no changes to existing log statements i.e. [structlog](https://github.com/hynek/structlog)
# Install
```sh
$ pip install logfmter
```
# Usage
This package exposes a single `Logfmter` class that can be integrated into
the [standard library logging system](https://docs.python.org/3/howto/logging.html) like any [`logging.Formatter`](https://docs.python.org/3/howto/logging.html#formatters).
## Integration
Simply use the standard logger's `basicConfig` or `dictConfig` initialization systems to get started. Examples are provided below.
**[basicConfig](https://docs.python.org/3/library/logging.html#logging.basicConfig)**
```python
import logging
from logfmter import Logfmter
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
handler.setFormatter(Logfmter())
logging.basicConfig(handlers=[handler])
logging.error("hello", extra={"alpha": 1}) # at=ERROR msg=hello alpha=1
logging.error({"token": "Hello, World!"}) # at=ERROR token="Hello, World!"
```
**[dictConfig](https://docs.python.org/3/library/logging.config.html#logging.config.dictConfig)**
_If you are using `dictConfig`, you need to consider your setting
of `disable_existing_loggers`. It is enabled by default, and causes
any third party module loggers to be disabled._
```python
import logging.config
logging.config.dictConfig(
{
"version": 1,
"formatters": {
"logfmt": {
"()": "logfmter.Logfmter",
}
},
"handlers": {
"console": {"class": "logging.StreamHandler", "formatter": "logfmt"}
},
"loggers": {"": {"handlers": ["console"], "level": "INFO"}},
}
)
logging.info("hello", extra={"alpha": 1}) # at=INFO msg=hello alpha=1
```
_Notice, you can configure the `Logfmter` by providing keyword arguments as dictionary
items after `"()"`:_
```python
...
"logfmt": {
"()": "logfmter.Logfmter",
"keys": [...],
"mapping": {...}
}
...
```
**[fileConfig](https://docs.python.org/3/library/logging.config.html#logging.config.fileConfig)**
Using logfmter via fileConfig is not supported, because fileConfig does not support custom formatter initialization. There may be some hacks to make this work in the future. Let me know if you have ideas or really need this.
## Configuration
There is no additional configuration necessary to get started using Logfmter.
However, if desired, you can modify the functionality using the following
initialization parameters.
**keys**
By default, the `at=` key/value will be included in all log messages. These
default keys can be overridden using the `keys` parameter. If the key you want to include
in your output is represented by a different attribute on the log record, then you can
use the `mapping` parameter to provide that key/attribute mapping.
Reference the Python [`logging.LogRecord` Documentation](https://docs.python.org/3/library/logging.html?highlight=logrecord#logging.LogRecord)
for a list of available attributes.
```python
import logging
from logfmter import Logfmter
formatter = Logfmter(keys=["at", "processName"])
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
handler.setFormatter(formatter)
logging.basicConfig(handlers=[handler])
logging.error("hello") # at=ERROR processName=MainProceess msg=hello
```
**mapping**
By default, a mapping of `{"at": "levelname"}` is used to allow the `at` key to reference
the log record's `levelname` attribute. You can override this parameter to provide your
own mappings.
```python
import logging
from logfmter import Logfmter
formatter = Logfmter(
keys=["at", "process"],
mapping={"at": "levelname", "process": "processName"}
)
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
handler.setFormatter(formatter)
logging.basicConfig(handlers=[handler])
logging.error("hello") # at=ERROR process=MainProceess msg=hello
```
**datefmt**
If you request the `asctime` attribute (directly or through a mapping), then the date format
can be overridden through the `datefmt` parameter.
```python
import logging
from logfmter import Logfmter
formatter = Logfmter(
keys=["at", "when"],
mapping={"at": "levelname", "when": "asctime"},
datefmt="%Y-%m-%d"
)
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
handler.setFormatter(formatter)
logging.basicConfig(handlers=[handler])
logging.error("hello") # at=ERROR when=2022-04-20 msg=hello
```
**defaults**
Instead of providing key/value pairs at each log call, you can provide defaults:
```py
import logging
from logfmter import Logfmter
formatter = Logfmter(
keys=["at", "when", "trace_id"],
mapping={"at": "levelname", "when": "asctime"},
datefmt="%Y-%m-%d",
defaults={"trace_id": "123"},
)
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
handler.setFormatter(formatter)
logging.basicConfig(handlers=[handler])
logging.error("hello") # at=ERROR when=2022-04-20 trace_id=123 msg=hello
```
This will cause all logs to have the `trace_id=123` pair regardless of including
`trace_id` in keys or manually adding `trace_id` to the `extra` parameter or the `msg` object.
> Note, the defaults object uses format strings as values. This allows for variables templating. See "Aliases" guide for more information.
**ignored_keys**
Sometimes log records include fields that you don't want in your output.
This often happens when other libraries or frameworks add extra keys to the `LogRecord` that are not relevant to your log format.
You can explicitly exclude unwanted keys by using the `ignored_keys` parameter.
```py
import logging
from logfmter import Logfmter
formatter = Logfmter(
keys=["at"],
mapping={"at": "levelname"},
datefmt="%Y-%m-%d",
ignored_keys=["color_message"],
)
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
handler.setFormatter(formatter)
logging.basicConfig(handlers=[handler])
logging.info("Started server process [%s]", 97819, extra={"color_message": "Started server process [%d]"})
# at=INFO msg="Started server process [97819]"
```
## Extension
You can subclass the formatter to change its behavior.
```python
import logging
from logfmter import Logfmter
class CustomLogfmter(Logfmter):
"""
Provide a custom logfmt formatter which formats
booleans as "yes" or "no" strings.
"""
@classmethod
def format_value(cls, value):
if isinstance(value, bool):
return "yes" if value else "no"
return super().format_value(value)
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
handler.setFormatter(CustomLogfmter())
logging.basicConfig(handlers=[handler])
logging.error({"example": True}) # at=ERROR example=yes
```
## Guides
**Aliases**
Providing a format string as a default's key/value allows the realization of aliases:
```py
import logging
from logfmter import Logfmter
formatter = Logfmter(
keys=["at", "when", "func"],
mapping={"at": "levelname", "when": "asctime"},
datefmt="%Y-%m-%d",
defaults={"func": "{module}.{funcName}:{lineno}"},
)
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
handler.setFormatter(formatter)
logging.basicConfig(handlers=[handler])
logging.error("hello") # at=ERROR when=2022-04-20 func="mymodule.__main__:12" msg=hello
```
## Gotchas
**Reserved Keys**
The standard library logging system restricts the ability to pass internal [log record attributes](https://docs.python.org/3/library/logging.html#logrecord-attributes) via the log call's `extra` parameter.
```py
> logging.error("invalid", extra={"filename": "alpha.txt"})
Traceback (most recent call last):
...
```
This can be circumvented by utilizing logfmter's ability to pass extras
via the log call's `msg` argument.
```py
> logging.error({"msg": "valid", "filename": "alpha.txt"})
at=ERROR msg=valid filename=alpha.txt
```
# Development
## Required Software
If you are using [nix](https://zero-to-nix.com/start/install/) & [direnv](https://direnv.net/docs/installation.html), then your dev environment will be managed automatically. Otherwise, you will need to manually install the following software:
- [direnv](https://direnv.net)
- [git](https://git-scm.com/)
- [pyenv](https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv#installation)
> Additionally, if you aren't using nix, then you will need to manually build
> the "external" tools found in `external`. These are used during testing to
> verify compatibility with libraries from different ecosystems. Alternatively, you can exclude those tests with `pytest -m "not external"`, but this is not recommended.
## Getting Started
**Setup**
> If you are using pyenv, you will need to install the correct versions of python using `.."
$ git tag v..
$ git push origin main --tags
```
4. Convert the tag to a release in GitHub with the history
entry as the description.
**Build**
```sh
$ python -m build
```
**Upload**
```
$ twine upload dist/*
```