Nova Log Viewer Laravel Package

Getting Started

Minimal Steps

1. Installation Run composer require laravel/nova-log-viewer in your Laravel project. Ensure your project uses Laravel Nova (v3+ recommended).

2. Registration Add the tool to Nova’s tools() method in app/Providers/NovaServiceProvider.php:

   public function tools()
   {
       return [
           \Laravel\Nova\LogViewer\LogViewer::make(),
       ];
   }
   

3. First Use Case

   • Access the tool via Nova’s sidebar (under "Tools").
   • View real-time logs with auto-refresh (polling enabled by default).
   • Filter logs by level (e.g., error, info) or keyword (e.g., auth).

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflows

1. Log Monitoring

   • Use the live-updating feature to track logs in real-time (adjust polling interval via config).
   • Example: Monitor error logs during deployment:

     // In NovaServiceProvider::tools()
     LogViewer::make()->withPollingInterval(5); // Refresh every 5 seconds
     

2. Debugging with Nova

   • Filter by level: Quickly isolate error or debug logs.
   • Search logs: Use the search bar to find specific entries (e.g., failed job).
   • Copy log entries: Click the copy button to paste logs into Slack/email.

3. Integration with Nova Features

   • Link to resources: Use the viaResource() method to attach the tool to a Nova resource (e.g., User):

     LogViewer::make()->viaResource(User::class);
     

   • Customize appearance: Override the tool’s view by publishing its assets:

     php artisan vendor:publish --tag=nova-log-viewer
     

4. Log Management

   • Clear logs: Use Laravel’s Log::clear() via Nova’s tool (if extended).
   • Log retention: Configure LOG_MAX_FILES in .env to manage log file size.

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

1. Polling Overhead

   • High polling intervals (e.g., 1s) may strain the server. Default (10s) is recommended.
   • Fix: Adjust LOG_VIEWER_POLLING_INTERVAL in config/services.php or via the tool’s settings.

2. Log File Permissions

   • Nova may fail to read logs if storage permissions are restrictive.
   • Fix: Ensure storage/logs/ is writable:

     chmod -R 775 storage/logs/
     

3. Large Log Files

   • Nova buffers logs in memory; very large files (e.g., laravel.log > 100MB) may cause timeouts.
   • Fix: Use Laravel’s Log::clear() to rotate logs or increase LOG_MAX_FILES.

4. Monolog-Specific Quirks

   • Custom Monolog handlers (e.g., SingleFileHandler) may not display properly.
   • Fix: Ensure logs are written to storage/logs/laravel.log (default).

Debugging Tips

1. Check Nova Logs

   • If the tool fails to load, inspect Nova’s logs at storage/logs/nova.log.

2. Disable Polling for Testing

   • Temporarily disable polling to test static log rendering:

     LogViewer::make()->withoutPolling();
     

3. Extend Log Levels

   • Add custom log levels (e.g., alert) by extending the tool’s view:

     // Publish the tool first, then modify `resources/js/tools/LogViewer/Levels.vue`.
     

Extension Points

1. Custom Log Filters

   • Override the tool’s query logic in a service provider:

     public function boot()
     {
         \Laravel\Nova\LogViewer\LogViewer::extend(function ($tool) {
             $tool->withCustomFilter(fn ($query) => $query->where('context.user_id', auth()->id()));
         });
     }
     

2. Add Log Actions

   • Attach buttons to log entries (e.g., "Replay Job") by extending the tool’s view:

     // resources/js/tools/LogViewer/LogEntry.vue
     methods: {
         replayJob(entry) {
             Nova.request().post(`/nova-vendor/log-viewer/replay`, { entry });
         }
     }
     

3. Localization

   • Translate the tool’s UI by publishing its language files:

     php artisan vendor:publish --tag=nova-log-viewer-lang
     

   • Then add translations to resources/lang/vendor/nova-log-viewer/.