How to Use the Command 'gcloud logging logs list' (with examples)
The ‘gcloud logging logs list’ command is used to list logs in a Google Cloud project. It is a useful command for identifying available logs for monitoring and analysis. It provides information about the logs in a project, such as their names, resource types, and creation times. The command can be customized using various arguments to filter, sort, and limit the output.
Use case 1: List all logs in the current project
Code:
gcloud logging logs list
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to get an overview of all the logs available in the current Google Cloud project. It allows you to quickly see the names and resource types of the logs that can be used for monitoring and analysis.
Explanation: The command ‘gcloud logging logs list’ without any additional arguments lists all the logs in the current Google Cloud project.
Example Output:
NAME
projects/my-project/logs/log1
projects/my-project/logs/log2
projects/my-project/logs/log3
...
Use case 2: List all logs for a specific log bucket and location
Code:
gcloud logging logs list --bucket=bucket_id --location=location
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to list all the logs belonging to a specific log bucket and location. It allows you to narrow down the output to logs that are relevant to a particular bucket and location.
Explanation: The ‘–bucket’ argument specifies the ID of the log bucket, and the ‘–location’ argument specifies the location of the bucket. The command will list all the logs associated with the specified log bucket and location.
Example Output:
NAME
projects/my-project/logs/log1
projects/my-project/logs/log2
...
Use case 3: List all logs for a specific view in a log bucket
Code:
gcloud logging logs list --bucket=bucket_id --location=location --view=view_id
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to retrieve logs for a specific view within a log bucket. It allows you to narrow down the logs based on a predefined view that filters the logs and displays only the relevant ones.
Explanation: The ‘–bucket’ argument specifies the ID of the log bucket, the ‘–location’ argument specifies the location of the bucket, and the ‘–view’ argument specifies the ID of the view. The command will list all the logs associated with the specified log bucket, location, and view.
Example Output:
NAME
projects/my-project/logs/log1
projects/my-project/logs/log2
...
Use case 4: List logs with a filter expression
Code:
gcloud logging logs list --filter="expression"
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to filter logs based on a specific condition or expression. It allows you to retrieve only the logs that match the given filter, providing more precise results.
Explanation: The ‘–filter’ argument specifies the filter expression to be applied to the logs. The command will list only the logs that satisfy the provided filter expression.
Example Output:
NAME
projects/my-project/logs/log1
projects/my-project/logs/log2
...
Use case 5: List a specified number of logs
Code:
gcloud logging logs list --limit=number
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to limit the number of logs returned by the command. It allows you to specify the maximum number of logs that should be listed, making it easier to manage large log volumes.
Explanation: The ‘–limit’ argument specifies the maximum number of logs to be listed. The command will return only the specified number of logs, starting from the most recent logs.
Example Output:
NAME
projects/my-project/logs/log1
projects/my-project/logs/log2
...
Use case 6: List logs sorted by a specific field in ascending or descending order
Code:
gcloud logging logs list --sort-by="field_name"
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to sort the logs based on a specific field in either ascending or descending order. It allows you to organize the logs based on a criterion, such as log name or creation time, that helps in analyzing the logs more effectively.
Explanation: The ‘–sort-by’ argument specifies the field by which the logs should be sorted. Prefixing the field name with ‘~’ (tilde) indicates descending order, while the absence of tilde indicates ascending order. The command will list the logs sorted based on the specified field.
Example Output:
NAME
projects/my-project/logs/log1
projects/my-project/logs/log2
...
Use case 7: List logs sorted by multiple fields
Code:
gcloud logging logs list --sort-by="field1,~field2"
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to sort the logs based on multiple fields. It allows you to define a primary and secondary sorting criterion, ensuring that the logs are organized in a specific order that aligns with your analysis needs.
Explanation: The ‘–sort-by’ argument specifies multiple fields separated by commas. Prefixing any field with ‘~’ (tilde) indicates descending order for that specific field. The command will list the logs sorted based on the specified fields.
Example Output:
NAME
projects/my-project/logs/log1
projects/my-project/logs/log2
...
Use case 8: List logs with verbose output, showing additional details
Code:
gcloud logging logs list --verbosity=debug
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want more detailed information about the logs. It allows you to retrieve verbose output with additional details, providing a comprehensive view of the logs.
Explanation: The ‘–verbosity’ argument specifies the level of detail in the command’s output. Setting it to ‘debug’ enables the verbose output, showing additional details about the logs.
Example Output:
NAME RESOURCE TYPE CREATE TIME
projects/my-project/logs/log1 cloudsql_database 2021-01-01T10:00:00Z
projects/my-project/logs/log2 compute.googleapis.com 2021-02-01T11:00:00Z
...
Conclusion
The ‘gcloud logging logs list’ command is a versatile tool for listing logs in a Google Cloud project. With its various options for filtering, sorting, and limiting the output, it provides flexibility and control over the log listing process. Understanding the different use cases and their corresponding arguments allows users to effectively manage and analyze logs in their Google Cloud projects.
