quick post on logs for swa

src/content/posts/2020-08-12-getting-logs-from-static-web-apps-apis.md

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+title = "Getting Logs From Static Web Apps APIs"
+date = 2020-08-12T14:35:09+10:00
+description = "A quick tip on how to make it easier to diagnose production problems with Static Web Apps"
+draft = false
+tags = ["serverless"]
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+
+I've been doing a lot recently with [Azure Static Web Apps](http://docs.microsoft.com/azure/static-web-apps?{{<cda>}}), mainly because I find it to be a service that really fits me needs. Sometimes though, I write code that has a bug in it, especially in the Functions backend, and that can be difficult to diagnose.
+
+The other day I found myself in such a situation, the API worked locally, but when deployed to Azure it didn't. _sigh_ And as the service is in preview the debugging story is still not great. _sigh again_
+
+Now, we know that the API for the Static Web Apps is [Azure Functions](https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/azure-functions?{{<cda>}}) and Functions integrates with [App Insights](https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/azure-functions/functions-monitoring?{{<cda>}}), so I figured there has to be some way to tap into that.
+
+First up, we need to create an [Application Insights](https://portal.azure.com/?{{<cda>}}#create/Microsoft.AppInsights) resource in Azure:
+
+![Create a new resource](/images/getting-logs-from-swa/001.png)
+
+Once the resource is created, copy the **Instrumentation Key** for it:
+
+![Instrumentation Key location](/images/getting-logs-from-swa/002.png)
+
+Now we can head over to our Static Web App, then navigate to it's **Configuration** and click **Add**:
+
+![Add Configuration](/images/getting-logs-from-swa/003.png)
+
+We need to add a new configuration value named `APPINSIGHTS_INSTRUMENTATIONKEY` which has the value of your **Instrumentation Key**. Once this is saved the Functions are restarted and connected to App Insights. All that's left is to start generating some errors and check out the `exceptions` query.
+
+A bonus tip is that if you want to look at anything you write out to the logs of Azure Functions (`context.log` in JavaScript), they are available in the `traces` table.
+
+## Conclusion
+
+It's not immediately obvious how to connect up a Static Web Apps backend API to App Insights, but as it's Functions under the hood it really only takes a `APPINSIGHTS_INSTRUMENTATIONKEY` being set. And since configuration values are per-environment, you can use a different App Insights for your non-production instance easily.
+
+And a shout-out to [Anthony Chu](https://anthonychu.ca/) who pointed me in this direction.