Errsole: The First Node.js Logger with a Built-In Dashboard
Tags: opensource, node, react, winston
Published: 2024-05-09 11:43:47

Logging is an essential component of any development project, especially in Nodejs. Usually, developers have relied on solutions like [Winston](https://github.com/winstonjs/winston), [Pino](https://github.com/pinojs/pino), and [AWS CloudWatch](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cloudwatch/). 

However, these tools often have notable limitations: lacking seamless log viewing, requiring third-party services, or providing alerts with no context. [Errsole](https://github.com/errsole/errsole.js), the world's first open-source Node.js logger with a built-in dashboard, solves these issues.


## [Winston](https://github.com/winstonjs/winston)
Winston, a popular Node.js logging solution, allows users to save logs to a file or database. Although it's customizable, it lacks an integrated log viewer, forcing developers to use separate services or create custom tools for log analysis. This additional step can be both inconvenient and time-consuming.

## [Pino](https://github.com/pinojs/pino)
Pino shares many features with Winston, such as customizable logging levels and formats. However, similar to Winston, it requires separate solutions to effectively visualize or search logs, limiting its usability.

## [AWS CloudWatch](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cloudwatch/)
AWS CloudWatch provides comprehensive logging, alerting, and monitoring features. However, it suffers from two major drawbacks:

**Complexity:** Setting up alerts/alarms requires expertise and significant configuration, making it less approachable for smaller teams.
**Alert Context:** Alerts generated by CloudWatch don't have log context, leaving developers uncertain about the nature and source of issues.

## [Errsole](https://github.com/errsole/errsole.js)
Errsole enhances Node.js logging by providing a seamless, built-in dashboard that's both easy to configure and user-friendly.

**Effortless Setup:** After installing Errsole and adding just two lines of configuration code, it automatically starts capturing console logs. The intuitive dashboard gives quick access to logs without the need for third-party services.

**Custom Logging Levels:** Errsole offers custom log levels (info, error, warn, alert), letting developers categorize logs based on their application's unique needs.

**Integrated Dashboard:** The dashboard is fully integrated into the app, and accessible via localhost or a dedicated domain.

**Log Viewing & Filtering:** View, filter, and search logs by log level and timestamp.

**Alerts & Integrations:** Set up custom alerts with detailed context, delivered via Slack or email. Proper context provides actionable insights, unlike the generic notifications from CloudWatch.

**Data Control:** Control data Time-to-Live (TTL) to optimize storage and retention.

**Team Collaboration:** Invite team members directly through the dashboard for seamless collaboration.

**Open-Source:** Errsole is open-source, offering advanced logging capabilities to developers of all levels.


## Conclusion
Errsole is raising the bar for Node.js logging by addressing long-standing challenges associated with traditional solutions. With its built-in dashboard, customizable alerts, and effortless setup, it's time to consider Errsole as the future of Node.js logging. Whether you're a solo developer or part of a large team, this comprehensive tool provides everything needed to monitor, visualize, and act on application logs effectively.