Laravel Error Logger Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Steps

1. Installation:

   composer require justbetter/laravel-error-logger
   php artisan vendor:publish --provider="JustBetter\ErrorLogger\ServiceProvider"
   php artisan migrate
   

2. First Log Entry: Manually log an exception in a controller or service:

   use JustBetter\ErrorLogger\Facades\ErrorLogger;
   
   try {
       // Risky code here
   } catch (\Exception $e) {
       ErrorLogger::log($e);
   }
   

3. Verify Storage: Check the error_logs table in your database for the recorded entry.

First Use Case

Log critical exceptions (e.g., payment failures, API timeouts) and review them via:

• Database (error_logs table)
• Nova dashboard (if using justbetter/nova-error-logger)

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflows

1. Manual Logging:

   • Use ErrorLogger::log($exception) in catch blocks for critical exceptions.
   • Example: Logging failed API calls:

     try {
         $response = Http::post('https://api.example.com/fail');
     } catch (\Exception $e) {
         ErrorLogger::log($e, ['request_data' => $request->all()]);
     }
     

2. Contextual Data: Attach metadata to logs for debugging:

   ErrorLogger::log($e, [
       'user_id' => auth()->id(),
       'ip' => request()->ip(),
       'route' => route()->getName(),
   ]);
   

3. Scheduler Integration:

   • Add the daily notification job to App\Console\Kernel.php:

     $schedule->job(new \JustBetter\ErrorLogger\Jobs\ErrorNotificationJob())
              ->dailyAt('09:00');
     

   • Configure notification channel in .env:

     LARAVEL_ERROR_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL=slack
     

4. Nova Integration (if installed):

   • Access logs via Nova’s Error Logs resource.
   • Filter by user, severity, or date range.

Integration Tips

• Middleware: Create middleware to auto-log HTTP exceptions:

  public function handle($request, Closure $next) {
      try {
          return $next($request);
      } catch (\Exception $e) {
          ErrorLogger::log($e);
          throw $e; // Re-throw to maintain flow
      }
  }
  

• Testing: Mock ErrorLogger in tests:

  $this->partialMock(ErrorLogger::class, function ($mock) {
      $mock->shouldReceive('log')->once();
  });
  

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Manual Logging Required:

   • The package does not auto-capture exceptions. Always wrap risky code in try-catch and log manually.
   • Fix: Use middleware or decorators for global exception handling.

2. Database Bloat:

   • Unpruned logs can fill the error_logs table.
   • Fix: Run php artisan laravel-error-logger:prune regularly (e.g., weekly via scheduler).

3. Notification Delays:

   • Daily notifications (ErrorNotificationJob) may lag if the server is offline.
   • Fix: Monitor job status with php artisan schedule:work.

4. Nova Dependency:

   • Nova integration requires justbetter/nova-error-logger. Without it, logs are database-only.

Debugging

• Missing Logs:

  • Verify the error_logs table exists and is writable.
  • Check Laravel logs (storage/logs/laravel.log) for migration errors.

• Notification Failures:

  • Ensure the LARAVEL_ERROR_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL (e.g., slack) is configured in .env.
  • Test notifications manually:

    php artisan laravel-error-logger:notify
    

Extension Points

1. Custom Channels: Extend notification support by implementing JustBetter\ErrorLogger\Contracts\NotificationChannel:

   class EmailChannel implements NotificationChannel {
       public function send(array $errors) { /* ... */ }
   }
   

2. Log Filters: Override the ErrorLogger facade to filter logs before storage:

   ErrorLogger::extend(function ($logger) {
       $logger->setFilter(function ($exception, $context) {
           return !str_contains($exception->getMessage(), 'expected');
       });
   });
   

3. Prune Logic: Customize the prune command by publishing and modifying the migration:

   php artisan vendor:publish --tag="error-logger-migrations"