pino vs winston vs log4js vs bunyan
Node.js Logging Libraries
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Node.js Logging Libraries

Logging libraries in Node.js provide developers with tools to capture, format, and manage log messages generated by applications. These libraries help in debugging, monitoring application performance, and maintaining logs for auditing purposes. Each library has its own unique features and design philosophies, catering to different logging needs and preferences. Choosing the right logging library can significantly impact the maintainability and performance of your application.

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pino17,744,56717,170652 kB1453 days agoMIT
winston17,316,88524,307275 kB519a month agoMIT
log4js6,553,0945,842160 kB973 years agoApache-2.0
bunyan2,447,6767,222-2935 years agoMIT
Feature Comparison: pino vs winston vs log4js vs bunyan

Performance

  • pino:

    Pino is one of the fastest logging libraries available for Node.js, optimized for performance with a focus on low latency and high throughput. It uses a binary format for logs, which can be parsed quickly, making it ideal for high-load applications.

  • winston:

    Winston provides a balance between performance and flexibility. While it may not be as fast as Pino, it offers a wide range of features and configurations that can be tailored to meet specific logging needs.

  • log4js:

    Log4js offers good performance but can be slower than some alternatives due to its extensive configuration options and flexibility. It is suitable for applications where logging complexity is required over raw speed.

  • bunyan:

    Bunyan is designed to be fast, with a focus on producing JSON logs that can be processed quickly. It has a low overhead, making it suitable for high-performance applications that need efficient logging without significant delays.

Log Format

  • pino:

    Pino outputs logs in a JSON format that is optimized for performance. It also provides options for pretty-printing logs during development, making it easier to read while maintaining efficiency in production.

  • winston:

    Winston is highly configurable and supports multiple formats, including JSON, plain text, and custom formats. This versatility allows developers to tailor the log output to their specific requirements.

  • log4js:

    Log4js supports various log formats, including plain text and JSON. This flexibility allows developers to choose the format that best suits their needs, whether for human readability or machine processing.

  • bunyan:

    Bunyan outputs logs in a structured JSON format by default, which is easy to parse and integrate with log management tools. This structured approach allows for better querying and analysis of logs.

Configuration and Extensibility

  • pino:

    Pino offers a simple API with limited configuration options, focusing on performance over extensive features. It can be extended with custom serializers and transports, but it is less configurable than some alternatives.

  • winston:

    Winston is known for its extensibility, supporting multiple transports and custom formats. This makes it a great choice for applications that require flexible logging solutions across different environments.

  • log4js:

    Log4js is highly configurable, allowing developers to define multiple appenders and log levels. Its extensibility makes it suitable for complex applications that require detailed logging strategies.

  • bunyan:

    Bunyan has a straightforward API and configuration options, making it easy to set up and use. However, it is less extensible compared to some other libraries, focusing on simplicity and performance.

Community and Support

  • pino:

    Pino has gained popularity due to its performance and is actively maintained. The community is growing, and there are numerous resources available for developers looking to implement it.

  • winston:

    Winston is one of the most popular logging libraries in the Node.js ecosystem, with a large community and extensive documentation. It is widely adopted, ensuring robust support and resources for developers.

  • log4js:

    Log4js has a long history and a strong community, with extensive documentation and examples available. It is widely used in various applications, ensuring good support and resources.

  • bunyan:

    Bunyan has a solid community and is well-maintained, but it may not have as extensive a user base as some other libraries. Documentation is clear, making it easy to get started.

Use Cases

  • pino:

    Pino is perfect for high-performance applications, such as real-time data processing systems or microservices, where logging speed and efficiency are critical.

  • winston:

    Winston is well-suited for applications that require complex logging strategies, such as enterprise applications that need to log to various outputs and formats.

  • log4js:

    Log4js is suitable for applications that need versatile logging options, such as web applications that log to multiple destinations and require detailed configuration.

  • bunyan:

    Bunyan is ideal for applications that require structured logging, such as microservices or APIs, where logs need to be easily parsed and analyzed by external tools.

How to Choose: pino vs winston vs log4js vs bunyan
  • pino:

    Choose Pino if performance is a priority. It is designed for high throughput and low overhead, providing extremely fast logging capabilities. Pino is ideal for applications that generate a large volume of logs and require minimal impact on performance.

  • winston:

    Choose Winston if you need a highly configurable logging library that supports multiple transports and formats. It is great for applications that require flexibility in logging to different destinations, such as files, databases, or external services.

  • log4js:

    Choose Log4js if you are looking for a versatile logging library that supports multiple appenders and layouts. It is suitable for applications that require a wide range of logging options and configurations, including file, console, and remote logging.

  • bunyan:

    Choose Bunyan if you need a simple and fast logging library that outputs JSON logs, making it easy to integrate with log management systems and tools. It is particularly useful for applications that require structured logging and want to leverage features like log levels and serializers.

Similar Npm Packages to pino

pino is a fast and low-overhead logging library for Node.js applications. It is designed to provide a simple and efficient way to log messages, making it ideal for high-performance applications. Pino's focus on speed and efficiency allows developers to log structured data with minimal impact on application performance. It supports various logging levels and can be easily integrated into existing applications, making it a popular choice among developers looking for a reliable logging solution.

While Pino is a powerful logging library, there are several alternatives available in the Node.js ecosystem that also provide robust logging capabilities. Here are a few notable alternatives:

  • bunyan is a simple and fast JSON logging library for Node.js. It provides a structured logging format that is easy to read and parse, making it suitable for both development and production environments. Bunyan supports various logging levels and includes features such as log rotation and integration with external logging services. If you prefer a straightforward logging solution with a focus on JSON output, Bunyan is a solid choice.
  • log4js is a logging library inspired by the popular log4j framework from the Java ecosystem. It offers a flexible and configurable logging system that supports various appenders, allowing developers to customize how and where logs are output. Log4js is well-suited for applications that require extensive logging configuration and supports multiple logging formats, making it a versatile option for developers.
  • winston is a widely-used logging library for Node.js that provides a simple and flexible API for logging messages. It supports multiple transports, allowing logs to be sent to various destinations such as files, databases, or external services. Winston is highly configurable and supports custom log formats, making it a popular choice for applications that require a robust and extensible logging solution.

To see how Pino compares with Bunyan, Log4js, and Winston, check out the comparison: Comparing bunyan vs log4js vs pino vs winston.

Similar Npm Packages to winston

winston is a popular logging library for Node.js applications. It provides a simple and flexible way to log messages, allowing developers to create custom log formats, transports, and levels. With its extensive features, winston is widely used in various applications to manage logging effectively. However, there are several alternatives in the Node.js ecosystem that also provide robust logging solutions. Here are a few notable ones:

  • bunyan is a simple and fast JSON logging library for Node.js. It is designed to be easy to use and provides a structured logging format, making it suitable for production environments. Bunyan supports log levels, child loggers, and streams, allowing developers to customize how logs are output. If you prefer a logging library that focuses on performance and structured logging, bunyan is an excellent choice.
  • log4js is a logging library inspired by the popular log4j framework from the Java ecosystem. It offers a variety of appenders for logging to different destinations, such as files, console, and remote servers. Log4js supports log levels, categories, and layouts, providing a comprehensive logging solution. If you're looking for a feature-rich logging library with a familiar API for those coming from Java, log4js is a solid option.
  • morgan is a middleware for logging HTTP requests in Node.js applications, particularly those built with Express. It provides a simple way to log incoming requests, including details such as the request method, URL, response status, and response time. Morgan is lightweight and easy to integrate into existing applications, making it ideal for developers who need basic request logging without the overhead of a full logging library.

To see how winston compares with bunyan, log4js, and morgan, check out the comparison: Comparing bunyan vs log4js vs morgan vs winston.

Similar Npm Packages to log4js

log4js is a popular logging library for Node.js applications, inspired by the Java logging framework Log4j. It provides a flexible and powerful way to log messages, allowing developers to configure different log levels, appenders, and layouts. With log4js, you can easily manage logging in your applications, making it easier to debug and monitor your code. While log4js is a robust option for logging, there are several alternatives available in the Node.js ecosystem. Here are a few noteworthy ones:

  • bunyan is a simple and fast JSON logging library for Node.js. It is designed to be easy to use and provides a structured logging format, making it suitable for production environments. Bunyan supports log levels and can be easily integrated with various transports for log management. Its focus on performance and structured logging makes it a great choice for applications that require high throughput and easy log parsing.
  • pino is another fast and low-overhead logging library for Node.js. It is designed for high-performance applications and provides a JSON-based logging format. Pino is known for its speed and efficiency, making it an excellent choice for applications where performance is critical. It also offers a rich set of features, including support for log levels, serializers, and transport options, allowing developers to customize their logging experience.
  • winston is a versatile logging library for Node.js that supports multiple transports and log levels. It is highly configurable and can log messages to various destinations, such as files, databases, or external services. Winston is widely used in the Node.js community due to its flexibility and extensive feature set. If you need a logging solution that can adapt to different environments and requirements, Winston is a solid choice.

To explore how log4js compares to bunyan, pino, and winston, check out the comparison: Comparing bunyan vs log4js vs pino vs winston.

Similar Npm Packages to bunyan

bunyan is a simple and fast JSON logging library for Node.js applications. It is designed to provide structured logging, making it easier to analyze logs and integrate with log management systems. Bunyan is particularly useful for applications that require a clear and consistent logging format, allowing developers to easily filter and search through logs. While bunyan is a solid choice for logging in Node.js, there are several alternatives that also offer robust logging capabilities. Here are a few notable ones:

  • log4js is a popular logging library inspired by the Java-based Log4j. It provides a flexible logging framework that supports multiple appenders, allowing developers to log messages to various destinations such as files, consoles, and remote servers. Log4js is highly configurable and supports different log levels, making it suitable for applications of all sizes. If you need a logging solution that offers extensive configuration options and multiple output formats, log4js is a great choice.

  • pino is a fast and low-overhead logging library for Node.js applications. It emphasizes performance and is designed to be as efficient as possible, making it an excellent choice for high-performance applications. Pino outputs logs in a structured JSON format, which can be easily parsed and analyzed. Its focus on speed and simplicity makes it a popular choice among developers who need a lightweight logging solution without sacrificing functionality.

  • winston is a versatile logging library for Node.js that supports multiple transports, allowing developers to log messages to various destinations such as files, databases, and external services. Winston is highly customizable, enabling developers to define their own log formats and levels. Its flexibility and extensive features make it suitable for both small and large applications. If you are looking for a comprehensive logging solution with a wide range of options, winston is an excellent choice.

To explore how bunyan compares with log4js, pino, and winston, check out the comparison: Comparing bunyan vs log4js vs pino vs winston.

README for pino

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pino

npm version Build Status js-standard-style

Very low overhead JavaScript logger.

Documentation

Runtimes

Node.js

Pino is built to run on Node.js.

Bare

Pino works on Bare with the pino-bare compatability module.

Pear

Pino works on Pear, which is built on Bare, with the pino-bare compatibility module.

Install

Using NPM:

$ npm install pino

Using YARN:

$ yarn add pino

If you would like to install pino v6, refer to https://github.com/pinojs/pino/tree/v6.x.

Usage

const logger = require('pino')()

logger.info('hello world')

const child = logger.child({ a: 'property' })
child.info('hello child!')

This produces:

{"level":30,"time":1531171074631,"msg":"hello world","pid":657,"hostname":"Davids-MBP-3.fritz.box"}
{"level":30,"time":1531171082399,"msg":"hello child!","pid":657,"hostname":"Davids-MBP-3.fritz.box","a":"property"}

For using Pino with a web framework see:

Essentials

Development Formatting

The pino-pretty module can be used to format logs during development:

pretty demo

Transports & Log Processing

Due to Node's single-threaded event-loop, it's highly recommended that sending, alert triggering, reformatting, and all forms of log processing are conducted in a separate process or thread.

In Pino terminology, we call all log processors "transports" and recommend that the transports be run in a worker thread using our pino.transport API.

For more details see our Transports⇗ document.

Low overhead

Using minimum resources for logging is very important. Log messages tend to get added over time and this can lead to a throttling effect on applications – such as reduced requests per second.

In many cases, Pino is over 5x faster than alternatives.

See the Benchmarks document for comparisons.

Bundling support

Pino supports being bundled using tools like webpack or esbuild.

See Bundling document for more information.

The Team

Matteo Collina

https://github.com/mcollina

https://www.npmjs.com/~matteo.collina

https://twitter.com/matteocollina

David Mark Clements

https://github.com/davidmarkclements

https://www.npmjs.com/~davidmarkclements

https://twitter.com/davidmarkclem

James Sumners

https://github.com/jsumners

https://www.npmjs.com/~jsumners

https://twitter.com/jsumners79

Thomas Watson Steen

https://github.com/watson

https://www.npmjs.com/~watson

https://twitter.com/wa7son

Contributing

Pino is an OPEN Open Source Project. This means that:

Individuals making significant and valuable contributions are given commit-access to the project to contribute as they see fit. This project is more like an open wiki than a standard guarded open source project.

See the CONTRIBUTING.md file for more details.

Acknowledgments

This project was kindly sponsored by nearForm. This project is kindly sponsored by Platformatic.

Logo and identity designed by Cosmic Fox Design: https://www.behance.net/cosmicfox.

License

Licensed under MIT.

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