Logging Configuration for .NET

Overview

This skill configures structured logging following Microsoft best practices:

• ILogger<T> - Inject into services for category-based logging
• ILoggerFactory - Create loggers dynamically when needed
• Structured Logging - Preserve log properties for analysis
• Source Generators - High-performance compile-time logging
• Serilog Integration - Enhanced sinks and enrichers

Quick Reference

Logging Structure

/Infrastructure/Logging/
├── LoggerConfiguration.cs
├── LogEvents.cs           # LoggerMessage source generators
├── LogEnrichers/
│   ├── UserContextEnricher.cs
│   └── CorrelationIdEnricher.cs
└── Sinks/
    └── CustomSink.cs

Template: Service with ILogger<T>

// src/{name}.application/Services/OrderService.cs
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

namespace {name}.application.services;

/// <summary>
/// Services should inject ILogger<T> for category-based logging.
/// The category is automatically set to the full type name.
/// </summary>
public sealed class OrderService : IOrderService
{
    private readonly ILogger<OrderService> _logger;
    private readonly IOrderRepository _orderRepository;

    public OrderService(
        ILogger<OrderService> logger,
        IOrderRepository orderRepository)
    {
        _logger = logger;
        _orderRepository = orderRepository;
    }

    public async Task<Result<Order>> ProcessOrderAsync(
        Guid orderId,
        CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
        // STRUCTURED LOGGING - Use placeholders, not string interpolation
        // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
        _logger.LogInformation(
            "Processing order {OrderId}",
            orderId);

        try
        {
            var order = await _orderRepository.GetByIdAsync(orderId, cancellationToken);

            if (order is null)
            {
                _logger.LogWarning(
                    "Order {OrderId} not found",
                    orderId);

                return Result.Failure<Order>(OrderErrors.NotFound(orderId));
            }

            // Log with multiple properties
            _logger.LogInformation(
                "Order {OrderId} retrieved. Status: {Status}, Total: {Total}",
                orderId,
                order.Status,
                order.Total);

            return Result.Success(order);
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            // Always log exceptions with the exception parameter first
            _logger.LogError(
                ex,
                "Error processing order {OrderId}",
                orderId);

            throw;
        }
    }
}

Template: ILoggerFactory Usage

// src/{name}.infrastructure/Services/DynamicLoggerService.cs
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

namespace {name}.infrastructure.services;

/// <summary>
/// Use ILoggerFactory when you need to create loggers dynamically.
/// Common use cases:
/// - Factory classes that create multiple types
/// - Plugin systems where type isn't known at compile time
/// - Base classes that want child-specific categories
/// </summary>
public sealed class PluginManager
{
    private readonly ILoggerFactory _loggerFactory;

    public PluginManager(ILoggerFactory loggerFactory)
    {
        _loggerFactory = loggerFactory;
    }

    public IPlugin LoadPlugin(string pluginName, Type pluginType)
    {
        // Create a logger with a dynamic category
        var logger = _loggerFactory.CreateLogger(pluginType);

        logger.LogInformation(
            "Loading plugin {PluginName} of type {PluginType}",
            pluginName,
            pluginType.Name);

        // Or with a string category
        var customLogger = _loggerFactory.CreateLogger($"Plugins.{pluginName}");

        customLogger.LogDebug(
            "Plugin {PluginName} initialized",
            pluginName);

        return CreatePlugin(pluginType, customLogger);
    }
}

Template: High-Performance Logging with Source Generators

// src/{name}.application/Logging/LogEvents.cs
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

namespace {name}.application.logging;

/// <summary>
/// LoggerMessage source generators provide the best logging performance.
/// Benefits:
/// - Zero allocation for disabled log levels
/// - Compile-time validation of message templates
/// - Strongly typed parameters
/// </summary>
public static partial class LogEvents
{
    // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
    // INFORMATION LEVEL
    // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 1000,
        Level = LogLevel.Information,
        Message = "Processing request {RequestName} with ID {RequestId}")]
    public static partial void LogRequestProcessing(
        this ILogger logger,
        string requestName,
        Guid requestId);

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 1001,
        Level = LogLevel.Information,
        Message = "Request {RequestName} completed in {ElapsedMs}ms")]
    public static partial void LogRequestCompleted(
        this ILogger logger,
        string requestName,
        long elapsedMs);

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 1002,
        Level = LogLevel.Information,
        Message = "User {UserId} authenticated successfully")]
    public static partial void LogUserAuthenticated(
        this ILogger logger,
        Guid userId);

    // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
    // WARNING LEVEL
    // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 2000,
        Level = LogLevel.Warning,
        Message = "Slow request detected: {RequestName} took {ElapsedMs}ms")]
    public static partial void LogSlowRequest(
        this ILogger logger,
        string requestName,
        long elapsedMs);

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 2001,
        Level = LogLevel.Warning,
        Message = "Cache miss for key {CacheKey}")]
    public static partial void LogCacheMiss(
        this ILogger logger,
        string cacheKey);

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 2002,
        Level = LogLevel.Warning,
        Message = "Rate limit exceeded for client {ClientId}")]
    public static partial void LogRateLimitExceeded(
        this ILogger logger,
        string clientId);

    // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
    // ERROR LEVEL
    // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 3000,
        Level = LogLevel.Error,
        Message = "Error processing request {RequestName}")]
    public static partial void LogRequestError(
        this ILogger logger,
        Exception exception,
        string requestName);

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 3001,
        Level = LogLevel.Error,
        Message = "Database operation failed for entity {EntityType} with ID {EntityId}")]
    public static partial void LogDatabaseError(
        this ILogger logger,
        Exception exception,
        string entityType,
        Guid entityId);

    [LoggerMessage(
        EventId = 3002,
        Level = LogLevel.Error,
        Message = "External service {ServiceName} returned error: {ErrorCode}")]
    public static partial void LogExternalServiceError(
        this ILogger logger,
        string serviceName,
        string errorCode);

    // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
    // DEBUG LEVEL
    // ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

    [LoggerMessage(