- What is laraxgram/watchdog used for in Laravel?
- Laraxgram Watchdog is a lightweight Laravel monitoring package that watches application logs and health signals for errors, downtime, failed jobs, and similar issues, then sends Telegram alerts. It is intended for teams that want real-time chat notifications without adding a full APM stack. It hooks into Laravel's logging pipeline and uses a configurable Telegram bot and chat ID.
- How do I install and configure laraxgram/watchdog in a Laravel app?
- Install it with Composer using composer require laraxgram/watchdog, then publish its configuration file. Add your Telegram bot token and chat ID, and choose which log levels or events should trigger alerts. Test in a staging environment first, because Telegram credentials and alert routing should be validated before production.
- Which Laravel and PHP versions are supported by laraxgram/watchdog?
- The supplied overview does not pin exact Laravel and PHP version ranges, so check the package's composer.json, README, and release notes before installing. Confirm compatibility with your target Laravel version and PHP runtime, especially if you are on an older or newer major release. Testing in a staging copy of your application is the safest way to verify support.
- How do I send Laravel error logs to Telegram with Watchdog?
- Configure the package's Telegram bot token and chat ID, then set the log levels or events that should be forwarded. Watchdog integrates with Laravel's logging pipeline, so once the channel and thresholds are configured, matching log entries are sent to your chosen Telegram chat. Use a dedicated bot and chat for testing before routing production alerts.
- Does laraxgram/watchdog monitor failed jobs and application downtime?
- The package is described as watching for errors, downtime, failed jobs, and other health issues, with Telegram alerts for timely notification. The exact detection mechanics depend on your Laravel logging, queue, and health-check configuration. Review the package config and test failed-job and downtime scenarios in staging to confirm behavior.
- What is the Context Log feature in laraxgram/watchdog v1.3.0?
- Context Log enriches Telegram alert messages with additional request or error context, improving observability without requiring a separate logging stack. It is an additive feature in v1.3.0, but you should review what context is included before enabling it in production. Make sure sensitive values such as tokens or personal data are redacted.
- How does the Log Repeat Counter work in laraxgram/watchdog?
- The Log Repeat Counter is a lightweight aggregation layer that helps distinguish recurring issues from one-off events in Telegram alerts. The available information does not state whether its state is stored in memory, cache, or per process, so validate counts under concurrent requests and multi-server deployments. If accurate repeat counts matter, test the behavior with your cache and queue setup.
- Will laraxgram/watchdog slow down my Laravel app under high log volume?
- Synchronous Telegram HTTP calls during logging can add overhead if your application produces high log volume or Telegram is slow to respond. The package is described as minimal overhead, but you should benchmark it with production-like traffic and consider queueing or throttling alerts if needed. Monitor logging latency and Telegram API behavior after rollout.
- How does Watchdog handle Telegram API failures, retries, or rate limits?
- The supplied overview does not specify retry, queue, or fallback behavior for Telegram API failures, so review the package source and configuration before relying on it for critical alerts. Test with an invalid token, network timeout, and rate-limit scenario in staging. If guaranteed delivery matters, add queueing, a fallback channel, or external monitoring around the package.
- Is laraxgram/watchdog production-ready compared with Sentry or Flare?
- Watchdog is a lightweight Telegram alerting add-on, not a full APM replacement; it can complement Sentry, Flare, or similar tools by pushing real-time chat notifications. Production readiness depends on confirming Laravel and PHP compatibility, maintainer activity, and issue response, since support is community-driven via GitHub with no commercial SLA. Protect the bot token, restrict chat access, and redact sensitive Context Log data before enabling production alerts.