Log Tailer Plus: A Client-Side Log Tailer for AEM

In the past, while working on client engagements, the simple task of viewing the logs has been problematic. Without system access, analyzing AEM logs in real-time on a non-local environment is almost impossible using the provided AEM tools. This is because the out of the box client-side logging with AEM is a reflection of the plain text logs on the system. However, those who have viewed logs directly on their system typically leverage other software to view log files. On the client-side, unfortunately, there are no such applications available out of the box with AEM. Log Tailer Plus was created to fill that void – providing a client-side application for viewing logs within AEM.

As a reminder, here is a screenshot of two different log consoles found in AEM out of the box:

/system/console/slinglog/tailer.txt


CRX/DE Logger (actually uses tailer.txt under the hood)

A New Challenger has Appeared
Log Tailer Plus solves the above problem and allows users to view the AEM Logs without the need for system-level permissions. Because it is built around the existing /system/console/slinglog/tailer.txt servlet, it already included (server-side) support for leveraging the sling configurations appenders. On top of the existing functionality, Log Tailer Plus includes additional client-side functionality in order to display the data in a much more consumable format.
Features

Standard Message Format Highlighting / Hover


Coming Soon: User/Custom highlight rules
Multiple Logs in the Same Window


Add Log Form Control


Note: Each logger currently requires 600px width. Only enormous screens will support more than three concurrent loggers in the same window.

Pin/Follow Toggle


Clear Log, Advanced Settings, Remove Tailer


Advanced Settings Dialog


Stack trace collapsing


Look! The stack trace disappears!

Installation
Requirements:
AEM 6.2+

Notes:
Do not install Log Tailer Plus in production deployments. Exposing your logs can be a security risk.

Steps:
To install, simply download and install the provided AEM package, or build it yourself from the source (see below for links). The tool installs to /apps/log-tailer-plus and is completely self-contained. Once installed, access the Log Tailer Plus by navigating to the pre-configured vanity URL /log-tailer-plus. The top-level apps page is also directly accessible: /apps/log-tailer-plus.html.

Download/More Information
For more information about the project, visit the projects:

1. Github Repository.
2. Releases