Python Logging Module

The logging module lets you record debug, info, warning, error, and exception messages in a consistent way.

import logging

Use logging instead of print() when messages have different importance levels or when you may later send them to a file.

Basic configuration

basicConfig configures the default logger.

import logging

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
logging.info('Application started')
logging.warning('Low disk space')
INFO:root:Application started
WARNING:root:Low disk space

Messages below the configured level are ignored:

import logging

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.WARNING)
logging.info('Hidden message')
logging.warning('Visible message')
WARNING:root:Visible message

Creating a named logger

Named loggers are useful in larger applications.

import logging

logger = logging.getLogger('app.users')
logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)
print(logger.name)
app.users

Formatting messages

You can customize the output format.

import logging

logging.basicConfig(
    level=logging.INFO,
    format='%(levelname)s:%(name)s:%(message)s',
)

logger = logging.getLogger('app')
logger.info('Ready')
INFO:app:Ready

Logging exceptions

logger.exception records the traceback automatically inside an except block.

import logging

logging.basicConfig(level=logging.ERROR)
logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)

try:
    1 / 0
except ZeroDivisionError:
    logger.exception('Calculation failed')
ERROR:__main__:Calculation failed
Traceback (most recent call last):
...
ZeroDivisionError: division by zero