Unified Logging with Redirects

Learn how to redirect console and Next.js logs through your DoubleTie Logger for unified logging.

How to Unify Logging by Redirecting Console and Next.js

This guide shows you how to redirect all console and Next.js logs through your DoubleTie logger, creating a unified logging experience.

Prerequisites

A basic logger setup from the Getting Started section
Next.js (optional, for Next.js redirection)

Steps

1. Create a unified logging setup

First, create a logger configuration file that sets up redirection:

// lib/logger.ts
import { createLogger, redirectAllLoggers } from '@doubletie/logger';
 
// Create a custom logger
const logger = createLogger({
  level: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? 'warn' : 'debug',
  appName: 'my-app'
});
 
// Set up unified logging
const redirectResults = redirectAllLoggers(logger);
 
if (!redirectResults.next) {
  logger.warn('Next.js logger redirection failed - Next.js may not be loaded yet');
}
 
export default logger;

2. Import the logger early in your application

For the redirection to work properly, you need to import your logger file early in your application's lifecycle:

For Next.js applications:

// pages/_app.tsx (for Pages Router) or app/layout.tsx (for App Router)
import '../lib/logger'; // This will execute the redirection
 
function MyApp({ Component, pageProps }) {
  return <Component {...pageProps} />;
}
 
export default MyApp;

For standard Node.js applications:

// index.ts or main.ts (your entry point)
import './lib/logger'; // Do this import first
import express from 'express';
 
const app = express();
// rest of your application...

3. Use console methods directly

Once redirection is set up, you can use standard console methods anywhere in your code, and they'll go through your logger:

// Any file in your application
console.log('This will go through your logger as info level');
console.error('This will go through your logger as error level');
console.warn('This will go through your logger as warn level');
console.debug('This will go through your logger as debug level');

Redirection Mappings

When you redirect console methods, they map to logger methods as follows:

Console Method	Logger Method
console.log	logger.info
console.error	logger.error
console.warn	logger.warn
console.debug	logger.debug
console.info	logger.info

Console-Only Redirection

If you only want to redirect console methods but not Next.js:

import { createLogger, redirectConsoleMethods } from '@doubletie/logger';
 
const logger = createLogger({ level: 'debug' });
 
// Only redirect console methods
redirectConsoleMethods(logger);
 
console.log('This goes through the logger now');

Next.js-Only Redirection

If you only want to redirect Next.js logger but keep console methods as they are:

import { createLogger, redirectNextjsLogger } from '@doubletie/logger';
 
const logger = createLogger({ level: 'debug' });
 
// Only redirect Next.js logger
const success = redirectNextjsLogger(logger);
 
if (!success) {
  console.warn('Failed to redirect Next.js logger - it may not be loaded yet');
}

Dynamic Redirection in Next.js

In Next.js, the timing of redirection matters. If you're using server-side rendering, you might need to set up redirection differently:

// lib/logger.ts
import { createLogger, redirectAllLoggers } from '@doubletie/logger';
 
const logger = createLogger({
  level: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production' ? 'warn' : 'debug'
});
 
// For client-side only
if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
  // Only redirect in the browser
  redirectAllLoggers(logger);
}
 
// For server-side
export function setupServerLogger() {
  // Call this from getServerSideProps or similar
  redirectAllLoggers(logger);
  return logger;
}
 
export default logger;

Best Practices for Unified Logging

Set up early: Redirect as early as possible in your application lifecycle
Be consistent: Use the same logger configuration across all parts of your app
Check environment: Consider different log levels for development vs. production
Handle timing: Be aware of when the Next.js logger becomes available
Use structured data: Even with console.log, pass objects for better logging:
console.log('User action', { userId: '123', action: 'login' });