What does logger mean?
A logger is something that keeps a record, most commonly a software component that captures messages, events, errors, and diagnostic information in a computer system. Loggers support troubleshooting by preserving an account of what happened, though the amount and detail of that account depend on how the software is configured. The term can also refer to hardware that records data, a person responsible for maintaining records, or, particularly in North America, a worker engaged in logging timber. In everyday technical writing, “enable logging” means to activate the recording of relevant system activity, while “check the logs” means to inspect the recorded information. The word is useful because it names both the act of systematic record-keeping and the entity performing it. Its computing sense is now dominant, while its older occupational and record-keeping senses remain familiar in regional and technical contexts.
nounA device, program, or person that records information in a log. In computing, it is software that captures events, messages, or diagnostic data for later review.
- A software component that records messages, events, or diagnostic information, especially in a computer system.
- A device that records measurements, movement, or other data.
- A person who keeps or writes a log.
- A worker employed in logging timber, especially in North America.
"The system logger records each failed attempt to access the database."
"Enable the debug logger before restarting the application."
"The wildlife tracker included a logger that recorded the animal's location and temperature."
"A logger recorded the timber harvested from each section of the forest."
The plural is used for multiple recording programs, devices, workers, or people who keep logs.
"The technicians installed new loggers throughout the building."
A logger quietly keeps the digital trail that turns a mysterious malfunction into a readable story.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of logger
The word logger was formed from log plus the agent suffix -er, meaning a person or thing that keeps a log. In navigation, a log was a line used to measure a ship's distance, and the associated record of a voyage became known as a ship's log. The modern computing sense developed as digital systems began producing systematic records of messages and events during the twentieth century. Related English words include logbook and logline, while prologue and epilogue ultimately share the Greek root logos, meaning “word” or “account.”
Related word forms
How logger is actually used
In modern computing, logger usually refers to software rather than a person. The occupational sense associated with timber is especially common in North America.