Fedora Log Files
This document describes the guidelines for log file(s), for use and inclusion in Fedora packages.
For the purposes of these guidelines, a log file is defined as an text file that an application outputs into in the /var/log/ directory.
As of Fedora 18+? systemd journal has become the default syslog solution for Fedora.
Node This guidelines only applies if you are going to support additional optional syslog solutions such as rsyslog or syslog-ng in your package.
Log Files on the filesystem
Packages with log files must reside in their own directory under /var/log which must be named /var/log/$package_name
Each log file in that directory must end with .log filename.
Each package that ships log file(s) must also ship a logrotation file that rotates the log file(s).
Logrotate file
If a package contains a logfile then it needs to also include a properly installed logrotate file.
Each logrotate file must end with the filename .conf. It must be placed /etc/logrotate.d/ and must have 0644 filepermission and be owned by root.
Here are examples of an logrotate file.
Example minimal logrotate file
/var/log/example/*log {
missingok # If the log file is missing, go on to the next one without issuing an error message
notifempty # Don't do any rotation if the logfile is empty
compress # Compress older files with gzip
delaycompress # Don't compress yesterdays files
}
Example minimal logrotate log file with user create mode
/var/log/example/*log {
missingok # If the log file is missing, go on to the next one without issuing an error message
notifempty # Don't do any rotation if the logfile is empty
compress # Compress older files with gzip
delaycompress # Don't compress yesterdays files
create 640 owner group # Set create mode immediately after rotation
}
Example minimal logrotate file with daemon restart
/var/log/example/*log {
missingok # If the log file is missing, go on to the next one without issuing an error message
notifempty # Don't do any rotation if the logfile is empty
compress # Compress older files with gzip
delaycompress # Don't compress yesterdays files
sharedscripts # Scripts are only run once for all files in directory
postrotate
/usr/bin/systemctl restart example.service 2>/dev/null || true
endscript
}
Example minimal logrotate file with user create mode and daemon restart
/var/log/example/*log {
missingok # If the log file is missing, go on to the next one without issuing an error message
notifempty # Don't do any rotation if the logfile is empty
compress # Compress older files with gzip
delaycompress # Don't compress yesterdays files
create 640 owner group # Set create mode immediately after rotation
sharedscripts # Scripts are only run once for all files in directory
postrotate
/usr/bin/systemctl restart example.service 2>/dev/null || true
endscript
}
You can debug your logrotate file by running
# logrotate -d -f /etc/logrotate.d/example.conffrom the command line.
Rsyslog file
If package wants to use rsyslog as an additional optional syslog solution it also needs to contain an rsyslog conf file.
Each rsyslog file must end with the filename .conf. It must be placed /etc/rsyslog.d/ directory and must have 0644 filepermission and be owned by root.
Here is an examples of rsyslog file.
Example minimal rsyslog file
# Log example generated log messages to file :syslogtag, isequal, "[EXAMPLE]" /var/log/example/example.log & ~
You can debug your ryslog file by running
# rsyslogd -f /etc/rsyslog.d/example.conf -N1from the command line.
Log Files Packaging
If an package is going to provide additional optional syslog support then they must be placed into a separate $name-<syslogging option> subpackage as in $name-rsyslog or $name-syslog-ng
Example of rsyslog subpackage
Name:
.....
Source1: %{name}.logrotate
%package example-rsyslog
Summary: Rsyslog support for %{name}
Group: System Environment/Base
Requires: %{name} = %{version}-%{release}
Requires: logrotate
Requires: rsyslog
%description example-rsyslog
Rsyslog support for %{name}
%install
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_localstatedir}/log/%{name}
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d
%{__install} -p -D -m 0700 %{SOURCE1} $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d/%{name}.conf
%files example-rsyslog
%config(noreplace) %{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d/%{name}.conf
%dir %attr(0700,root,root) %{_localstatedir}/log/%{name}
Example of rsyslog subpackage with additional rsyslog file
Name:
.....
Source1: %{name}.logrotate
Source2: %{name}.rsyslog
%package example-rsyslog
Summary: Rsyslog support for %{name}
Group: System Environment/Base
Requires: %{name} = %{version}-%{release}
Requires: logrotate
Requires: rsyslog
%description
Rsyslog support for %{name}
%install
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_localstatedir}/log/%{name}
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_sysconfdir}/rsyslog.d
%{__install} -p -D -m 0700 %{SOURCE1} $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d/%{name}.conf
%{__install} -p -D -m 0700 %{SOURCE2} $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_sysconfdir}/rsyslog.d/%{name}.conf
%files example-rsyslog
%config(noreplace) %{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d/%{name}.conf
%config(noreplace) %{_sysconfdir}/rsyslog.d/%{name}.conf
%dir %attr(0700,root,root) %{_localstatedir}/log/%{name}
Example of syslog-ng subpackage
Name:
.....
Source1: %{name}.logrotate
%package example-syslog-ng
Summary: Syslog-ng support for %{name}
Group: System Environment/Base
Requires: %{name} = %{version}-%{release}
Requires: logrotate
Requires: syslog-ng
%description
Syslog-ng support for %{name}
%install
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_localstatedir}/log/%{name}
mkdir -p $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d
%{__install} -p -D -m 0700 %{SOURCE1} $RPM_BUILD_ROOT%{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d/%{name}.conf
%files example-syslog-ng
%config(noreplace) %{_sysconfdir}/logrotate.d/%{name}.conf
%dir %attr(0700,root,root) %{_localstatedir}/log/%{name}