Implementing API Error Logging

1. Introduction

API error logging is crucial for diagnosing issues with third-party integrations. It ensures that errors are captured, stored, and analyzed to improve the robustness of your application.

2. Key Concepts

3. Step-by-Step Process

Below is a structured approach to implementing API error logging:

graph TD;
            A[Start] --> B{API Call};
            B -->|Success| C[Log Success];
            B -->|Error| D[Log Error];
            D --> E[Notify Developer];
            E --> F[End];

3.1 Implementation Steps

1. Identify the APIs that require error logging.
2. Choose a logging framework (e.g., Winston for Node.js).
3. Integrate the logging framework into your API call functions.
4. Log errors with relevant information (e.g., timestamp, error message, stack trace).
5. Set up alerts or notifications for critical errors.

3.2 Code Example

const axios = require('axios');
const winston = require('winston');

// Configure Winston logging
const logger = winston.createLogger({
    level: 'error',
    format: winston.format.json(),
    transports: [
        new winston.transports.File({ filename: 'error.log' })
    ]
});

// API call with error logging
async function fetchData(url) {
    try {
        const response = await axios.get(url);
        return response.data;
    } catch (error) {
        logger.error({
            message: 'API call failed',
            error: error.message,
            timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
        });
        throw error; // Re-throw error after logging
    }
}

4. Best Practices

• Ensure logs are stored securely and are accessible only to authorized personnel.
• Use structured logging for better search and filtering capabilities.
• Implement a retention policy for logs to manage storage effectively.
• Regularly review logs to identify recurring issues.

5. FAQ