How do I send Monolog logs to a database?

Use third-party handlers like the Doctrine or PDO handlers listed in the wiki. Install the package, configure the handler with your database connection, and push it to your logger instance as per the documentation.

Monolog vs log4php: which is better for PHP?

Monolog is more modern with PSR-3 compliance and active development, while log4php is older and less integrated. For new projects, Monolog is preferred due to its ecosystem and framework support.

Does Monolog slow down my PHP application?

It can if using many processors or synchronous handlers. To mitigate, use async handlers like the BufferHandler or offload logging to a separate process, as suggested in the utility classes documentation.

How to create a custom handler in Monolog?

Extend the AbstractHandler class and implement the write method. The extending documentation provides examples, and you can register it via pushHandler on your logger instance.

What's the best way to integrate Monolog with a custom framework?

Leverage PSR-3 compliance by type-hinting against the LoggerInterface. Create a logger instance with handlers, and inject it into your application, similar to the basic usage example.

Can Monolog handle structured logging for JSON outputs?

Yes, use formatters like JsonFormatter to serialize log records into JSON. This is useful for log aggregation tools and is detailed in the handlers and formatters documentation.

Monolog — Feature-Rich PHP Logging

What is Monolog?

Monolog is a powerful logging library for PHP that enables developers to send application logs to various destinations including files, sockets, databases, and web services. It solves the problem of centralized log management by providing a flexible system of handlers, formatters, and processors that can be combined to create sophisticated logging strategies.

Target Audience

PHP developers building applications that require robust logging capabilities, particularly those working with frameworks like Symfony, Laravel, or any PSR-3 compatible ecosystem.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Monolog for its PSR-3 compliance ensuring framework interoperability, its extensive ecosystem of handlers for diverse logging destinations, and its pre-built integrations with major PHP frameworks that reduce setup complexity.

Sends your logs to files, sockets, inboxes, databases and various web services

Use Cases

Best For

PHP applications needing PSR-3 compliant logging
Sending application logs to multiple destinations simultaneously
Integrating logging with Symfony or Laravel frameworks
Building custom logging pipelines with handlers and processors
Centralizing logs from distributed PHP services
Adding structured logging to legacy PHP applications

Not Ideal For

Simple PHP CLI scripts or microservices where minimal dependencies and lightweight logging are prioritized
Projects already locked into a non-PSR-3 logging system that would require extensive refactoring to adopt
Teams needing ultra-low-latency, real-time log processing without handler chain overhead
Applications stuck on PHP versions below 8.1 that cannot upgrade to Monolog 3.x for security fixes

Pros & Cons

Pros

PSR-3 Interoperability

Implements the standard PHP logger interface, ensuring seamless integration with any PSR-3 compatible framework or library, as evidenced by the extensive framework integrations listed in the README.

Extensive Handler Ecosystem

Supports sending logs to files, sockets, databases, and web services through specialized handlers, enabling diverse logging destinations without custom code.

Advanced Customization

Allows building complex logging pipelines with customizable handlers, formatters, and processors, detailed in the documentation for extending Monolog.

Strong Framework Integration

Comes pre-integrated with major PHP frameworks like Symfony and Laravel, reducing setup time and effort, as highlighted in the framework integrations section.

Cons

Legacy Version Neglect

Monolog 1.x support is limited and no longer receives PHP support fixes, forcing users on older PHP versions to migrate for maintenance, as admitted in the README's support notes.

PHP Version Barrier

Monolog 3.x requires PHP 8.1 or above, which can exclude projects on older LTS PHP versions that cannot upgrade easily.

Configuration Verbosity

Setting up advanced logging strategies with multiple handlers and processors can be verbose and complex, potentially overwhelming for straightforward logging needs.

What is Monolog?

Target Audience

PHP developers building applications that require robust logging capabilities, particularly those working with frameworks like Symfony, Laravel, or any PSR-3 compatible ecosystem.

Value Proposition

Use Cases

Best For

PHP applications needing PSR-3 compliant logging
Sending application logs to multiple destinations simultaneously
Integrating logging with Symfony or Laravel frameworks
Building custom logging pipelines with handlers and processors
Centralizing logs from distributed PHP services
Adding structured logging to legacy PHP applications

Not Ideal For

Simple PHP CLI scripts or microservices where minimal dependencies and lightweight logging are prioritized
Projects already locked into a non-PSR-3 logging system that would require extensive refactoring to adopt
Teams needing ultra-low-latency, real-time log processing without handler chain overhead
Applications stuck on PHP versions below 8.1 that cannot upgrade to Monolog 3.x for security fixes

Pros & Cons

Pros

PSR-3 Interoperability

Implements the standard PHP logger interface, ensuring seamless integration with any PSR-3 compatible framework or library, as evidenced by the extensive framework integrations listed in the README.

Extensive Handler Ecosystem

Supports sending logs to files, sockets, databases, and web services through specialized handlers, enabling diverse logging destinations without custom code.

Advanced Customization

Allows building complex logging pipelines with customizable handlers, formatters, and processors, detailed in the documentation for extending Monolog.

Strong Framework Integration

Comes pre-integrated with major PHP frameworks like Symfony and Laravel, reducing setup time and effort, as highlighted in the framework integrations section.

Cons

Legacy Version Neglect

Monolog 1.x support is limited and no longer receives PHP support fixes, forcing users on older PHP versions to migrate for maintenance, as admitted in the README's support notes.

PHP Version Barrier

Monolog 3.x requires PHP 8.1 or above, which can exclude projects on older LTS PHP versions that cannot upgrade easily.

Configuration Verbosity

Setting up advanced logging strategies with multiple handlers and processors can be verbose and complex, potentially overwhelming for straightforward logging needs.

Monolog

What is Monolog?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Found a gem we're missing?

Monolog

What is Monolog?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Found a gem we're missing?