Say it like this
- Check the logs to see what went wrong
- Add more logging to that function
- The logs show that the service crashed at midnight
Use it at work
Debugging
- We need more logging around the payment call.
- There's no logging, so we can't see what happened.
Code review
- Don't log passwords or tokens.
- Use structured logging with JSON.
Costs
- Logging costs are too high. Let's lower the log level.
- We keep logs for 30 days.
Don't say this
Use 'add logging' not 'do logging.' Adding is the standard verb in tech English.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| logging | Recording what code does | Developers | Debugging |
| monitoring | Watching system health | SRE | All the time |
| tracing | Following one request across services | Engineers | Slow requests |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your code has a bug. What do you say to your teammate?
2. When the service crashed, we checked the _______ to see what happened.
3. Which sentence uses logging incorrectly?
4. Rewrite using logging: 'We need to write down information about what happens when the code runs so we can understand problems.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"Check the logs to see what went wrong"
We don't save your recording. The word check uses your browser's speech recognition.
More about logging
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"I added detailed logging to the payment module so we can track every transaction."
- in a code review
"This code is missing logging statements. We need to log errors if the API call fails."
- in a team meeting
"The customer reported an issue, but our logging level was set to ERROR only, so we missed the warning signs."
More mistakes(2)
Handle with care. Non-technical speakers may confuse logging with recording wood. In tech, logging is about recording software events, not physical logs.
- ✕The logging is very important for finding the issue.✓Good logging is critical for finding the issue.
Experienced developers talk about 'good logging' or 'better logging,' not just 'logging is important.'
- ✕We logged in to the system and saw an error.✓We checked the logs and found an error.
'Logged in' means entering a system with credentials. 'Checked the logs' means reviewing log files.
Other forms(3)
- logging noun
"Proper logging helps us understand system behavior."
- log verb
"We log every error to help with debugging."
- logs noun
"Check the logs if the service fails."
Often used with(6)
- add logging · The most common phrase; means to insert logging statements into code
- check the logs · To review log files to understand what happened
- debug logging · Extra detailed logging used temporarily while fixing problems
- log level · The severity level of a log message (DEBUG, INFO, WARNING, ERROR, FATAL)
- structured logging · Logging in a machine-readable format like JSON for easier searching
- log file · The file where log messages are written and stored
Similar words(3)
- tracing · Similar but often more detailed; shows the path code takes through a program
- monitoring · Broader term; includes logging but also covers metrics and alerts
- recording · General term; logging is a specific type of recording in software
Opposites(2)
- silence
- suppressing output
Questions(5)
- What does logging mean in software engineering?
- Logging is the practice of writing messages during code execution to record what the program is doing. These messages are saved to log files and help engineers understand program behavior, find bugs, and monitor systems in production.
- How do you use logging in a sentence at work?
- You might say 'We need to add logging to this function' or 'Check the logs to see when the error occurred.' Logging is used as both a noun (the logs, logging practices) and a verb (to log an error).
- Is logging formal or informal?
- Logging is neutral technical vocabulary used in both casual team conversations and formal documentation. It is standard in all tech environments.
- What are log levels?
- Log levels categorize messages by importance: DEBUG (detailed info for developers), INFO (general information), WARNING (potential issues), ERROR (serious problems), and FATAL (system crashes). Teams choose which levels to record in production.
- Why is logging important?
- Logging is essential because it provides visibility into what code does when running. Without logs, debugging is nearly impossible. Logs also help monitor production systems and detect issues before users complain.
