Logdash Java SDK

Official Java SDK for Logdash.io - Zero-configuration observability platform designed for developers working on side projects and prototypes.

Why Logdash?

Most observability solutions feel overwhelming for small projects and prototypes. Logdash provides instant logging and real-time metrics without complex configurations. Just add the SDK and start monitoring your application immediately.

Key Features

• 🚀 Zero Configuration: Start logging and tracking metrics in seconds
• 📊 Real-time Dashboard: Cloud-hosted interface with live data updates
• 📝 Structured Logging: Multiple log levels with rich context support
• 📈 Custom Metrics: Track counters, gauges, and business metrics effortlessly
• ⚡ Asynchronous: Non-blocking operations with automatic resource management
• 🛡️ Production Ready: Built with enterprise-grade patterns and error handling
• 🔧 Framework Agnostic: Works with Spring Boot, Quarkus, Micronaut, or standalone apps
• ☕ Java 17+ Compatible: Supports Java 17, 21, and all newer versions

Pre-requisites

Setup your free project in less than 2 minutes at logdash.io

Installation

Maven Central

<dependency>
    <groupId>io.logdash</groupId>
    <artifactId>logdash</artifactId>
    <version>0.2.0</version>
</dependency>

Gradle

dependencies {
    implementation 'io.logdash:logdash:0.2.0'
}

Gradle (Kotlin DSL)

dependencies {
    implementation("io.logdash:logdash:0.2.0")
}

Local Installation

# Clone and install locally
git clone https://github.com/logdash-io/java-sdk.git
cd java-sdk
mvn clean install

Then use in your project:

<dependency>
    <groupId>io.logdash</groupId>
    <artifactId>logdash</artifactId>
    <version>0.2.0</version>
</dependency>

Quick Start

Basic Usage

import io.logdash.sdk.Logdash;
import java.util.Map;

public class Application {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Initialize with your API key from https://logdash.io
        var logdash = Logdash.builder()
                .apiKey("your-api-key-here")
                .build();

        var logger = logdash.logger();
        var metrics = logdash.metrics();

        // Start logging and tracking metrics immediately
        logger.info("Application started");
        metrics.mutate("app_starts", 1);

        // Your application logic here
        processUserRequest(logger, metrics);

        // Graceful shutdown (optional)
        logdash.flush();
        logdash.close();
    }

    private static void processUserRequest(var logger, var metrics) {
        logger.info("Processing user request", Map.of(
                "userId", 12345,
                "endpoint", "/api/users",
                "method", "GET"
        ));

        metrics.set("active_users", 150);
        metrics.mutate("api_requests", 1);
        metrics.mutate("response_time_ms", -25);
    }
}

Try-with-resources Pattern

public class Application {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try (var logdash = Logdash.create("your-api-key")) {
            logdash.logger().info("Application started");
            logdash.metrics().mutate("app.starts", 1);

            // Your application code here

            // Automatic cleanup on close
        }
    }
}

Framework Integration

Spring Boot

Configuration:

# application.yml
logdash:
  api-key: ${LOGDASH_API_KEY:your-development-key}
  enable-console-output: false

Integration:

@SpringBootApplication
public class Application {

    @Value("${logdash.api-key}")
    private String logdashApiKey;

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        SpringApplication.run(Application.class, args);
    }

    @Bean
    @ConditionalOnProperty(name = "logdash.api-key")
    public Logdash logdash() {
        return Logdash.builder()
                .apiKey(logdashApiKey)
                .enableConsoleOutput(false) // Use Spring's logging
                .build();
    }
}

@RestController
public class UserController {

    private final LogdashLogger logger;
    private final LogdashMetrics metrics;

    public UserController(Logdash logdash) {
        this.logger = logdash.logger();
        this.metrics = logdash.metrics();
    }

    @GetMapping("/users/{id}")
    public User getUser(@PathVariable Long id) {
        logger.info("Fetching user", Map.of("userId", id));
        metrics.mutate("user.fetch.requests", 1);

        var user = userService.findById(id);

        logger.debug("User retrieved", Map.of(
                "userId", id,
                "username", user.getUsername()
        ));

        return user;
    }
}

Standalone Applications

public class StandaloneApp {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        var logdash = Logdash.builder()
                .apiKey(System.getenv("LOGDASH_API_KEY"))
                .build();

        var logger = logdash.logger();
        var metrics = logdash.metrics();

        // Add shutdown hook for graceful cleanup
        Runtime.getRuntime().addShutdownHook(new Thread(() -> {
            logger.info("Application shutting down");
            logdash.close();
        }));

        // Your application logic
        runApplication(logger, metrics);
    }
}

Logging

Log Levels & Context

var logger = logdash.logger();

// Simple messages
logger.error("Database connection failed");
logger.warn("High memory usage detected");
logger.info("User session started");
logger.http("GET /api/health - 200 OK");
logger.verbose("Loading user preferences");
logger.debug("Cache hit for key: user_123");
logger.silly("Detailed trace information");

// Structured logging with context
logger.info(
    "Payment processed",
    Map.of(
        "userId", 12345,
        "amount", 29.99,
        "currency", "USD",
        "paymentMethod", "credit_card",
        "transactionId", "txn_abc123"
    )
);

logger.error(
    "API call failed",
    Map.of(
        "endpoint", "https://external-api.com/data",
        "statusCode", 503,
        "retryAttempt", 3,
        "errorMessage", "Service temporarily unavailable"
    )
);

Metrics

Track business and technical metrics to monitor application performance:

var metrics = logdash.metrics();

// Counters - track events and occurrences
metrics.mutate("page_views", 1);
metrics.mutate("api_requests", 5);
metrics.mutate("response_time_ms", -100);
metrics.mutate("available_licenses", -1);

// Gauges - track current values
metrics.set("active_users", 1_250);
metrics.set("memory_usage_mb", 512.5);
metrics.set("queue_size", 0);

View Your Data

To see the logs or metrics, go to your project dashboard at logdash.io

Configuration

Development Configuration

Logdash logdash = Logdash.builder()
        .apiKey("your-api-key")
        .enableConsoleOutput(true)      // See logs locally
        .enableVerboseLogging(true)     // Debug SDK behavior
        .build();

Production Configuration

Logdash logdash = Logdash.builder()
        .apiKey(System.getenv("LOGDASH_API_KEY"))
        .enableConsoleOutput(false)     // Use your app's logging
        .enableVerboseLogging(false)    // Disable debug output
        .requestTimeoutMs(10000)        // 10s timeout
        .maxRetries(5)                  // More retries in prod
        .maxConcurrentRequests(20)      // Higher concurrency
        .build();

Configuration

All Configuration Options

Parameter	Default	Description
apiKey	null	Your Logdash API key (required)
baseUrl	https://api.logdash.io	Logdash API endpoint
enableConsoleOutput	true	Show logs/metrics in console
enableVerboseLogging	false	Enable SDK debug output
requestTimeoutMs	15000	HTTP request timeout
maxRetries	3	Failed request retry attempts
retryDelayMs	500	Base delay between retries
maxConcurrentRequests	10	Maximum concurrent HTTP requests
shutdownTimeoutMs	10000	Graceful shutdown timeout

Performance Considerations

• Initialize once at application startup and reuse the instance
• Use structured logging for better searchability and performance
• Avoid logging sensitive data (passwords, tokens, PII)
• The SDK is async - logging calls return immediately without blocking
• Memory efficient - automatic batching and resource management

Getting Your API Key

1. Visit Logdash.io
2. Create a free account
3. Generate your API key in the dashboard
4. View live demo at demo-dashboard

Examples

Check out the examples/ directory for a complete sample application demonstrating:

• Basic SDK usage patterns
• Structured logging examples
• Metrics tracking patterns
• Error handling strategies
• Framework integration examples

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Logs not appearing in dashboard:

• Verify your API key is correct and active
• Check network connectivity to api.logdash.io
• Enable verbose logging to see HTTP requests: .enableVerboseLogging(true)

High latency or timeouts:

• Increase requestTimeoutMs for slower networks
• Reduce maxConcurrentRequests to limit resource usage
• Check your network connection stability

Missing logs in production:

• Ensure SDK is initialized before first log call
• Verify API key environment variable is set
• Check firewall settings for outbound HTTPS (port 443)

Requirements

• Java 17 or higher (tested on Java 17, 21, 22)
• Internet connection for sending data to Logdash
• Valid API key from logdash.io

Contributing

We welcome contributions! Here's how to get started:

Development Setup

git clone https://github.com/logdash-io/java-sdk.git
cd java-sdk
mvn clean compile

Running Tests

# Unit tests
mvn test

# Integration tests  
mvn failsafe:integration-test

# All tests with coverage
mvn clean verify

GitFlow Workflow

# Start new feature
git checkout dev && git pull origin dev
git checkout -b feat/awesome-feature

# Development and testing
mvn clean verify
git add . && git commit -m "feat: add awesome feature"
git push origin feat/awesome-feature

# Create pull request to dev branch

Code Quality

• Follow existing code style
• Ensure all tests pass
• Add tests for new features
• Update documentation as needed

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Support & Resources

• 📖 Documentation: https://logdash.io/docs
• 🚀 Live Demo: https://logdash.io/demo-dashboard
• 🐛 Issues: GitHub Issues
• 💬 Community: Discord Server
• 📧 Support: contact@logdash.io
• 🔗 Main Repository: https://github.com/logdash-io/

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Made with ❤️ for developers who want simple, effective observability without the complexity.