# What should I include in hosting application logs?

Canonical URL: https://help.iagenify.com/faqs/hosting/what-should-i-include-in-hosting-application-logs

[← Back to Hosting FAQs](https://help.iagenify.com/faqs/hosting)

HELP CENTER · FAQ Hosting 1 min read
# What should I include in hosting application logs?
Useful application logs help explain what the service did and why without recording secrets or unnecessary personal data. Capture structured context that connects a request to its outcome, while keeping message content and credentials out of routine logs.
IaGenify
Hosting

## Record diagnostic context
Include timestamp, severity, service and release version, request or trace identifier, and a concise event description. Add relevant operation names and durations so slow paths can be investigated without dumping full payloads.
Use consistent fields and distinguish expected validation failures from unexpected errors. Redact authorization headers, tokens, passwords, and sensitive user values before data reaches the logging system.
## Control retention and access
Choose retention based on troubleshooting needs and applicable policy, and restrict access to people who need it. Logs can reveal architecture, identifiers, or usage patterns even when message bodies are absent.
Alert on actionable patterns such as sustained error rates or repeated startup failures, not on every isolated event. Test that correlation identifiers appear across the application and any connected background jobs. [← Back to Hosting FAQs](https://help.iagenify.com/faqs/hosting)