Structured Logging

Structured Logging

logme writes logs in a text format by default. This is the primary mode and is optimized for performance, readability and unambiguous parsing.

In addition to this, structured logging is available when it is needed.

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Runtime structured output

Structured output can be enabled so that logme produces JSON or XML directly during logging.

In this mode, each message becomes a structured event that can be consumed by external systems in real time.

The output is streaming by design:

• JSON is written as JSONL (one object per line)
• XML is written as a sequence of fragments

This allows logs to be processed incrementally without waiting for a complete document.

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Post-processing with logmefmt

Existing logs can also be converted using the logmefmt tool.

This is useful when you need a finalized JSON or XML document for analysis or export.

Unlike runtime output, this produces a complete and valid document.

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When to use which approach

Runtime structured output is suitable when logs are consumed immediately, for example by log collectors or monitoring systems.

Post-processing is more appropriate when working with already recorded logs or when a complete document is required.

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Summary

Text logging remains the default and most common mode.

Structured logging is an extension that can be enabled when needed, either at runtime or through post-processing.