Plain Text Logging
Plain text logging is a software development practice where application events, errors, and operational data are recorded in human-readable text files, typically using simple formats like log levels (e.g., INFO, ERROR), timestamps, and descriptive messages. It serves as a fundamental debugging and monitoring tool, allowing developers to trace program execution, diagnose issues, and understand system behavior without requiring specialized parsing tools. This approach is widely used across various programming environments due to its simplicity and immediate accessibility.
Developers should use plain text logging for basic debugging, error tracking, and operational monitoring in small to medium-sized applications or during development phases, as it provides quick insights without complex setup. It is particularly valuable in scenarios where lightweight logging is needed, such as command-line tools, scripts, or when integrating with existing text-based analysis workflows. However, for large-scale systems, structured logging or centralized logging solutions are often preferred for better scalability and machine readability.