How to log cron jobs?

Better Stack Team
Updated on May 26, 2023

To log cron jobs, you can use the following steps:

Redirect the output

You can redirect the output of the cron job to a log file by adding the following line at the end of the cron job command: >> /path/to/logfile 2>&1. This will redirect both the standard output and standard error streams to the specified log file.

 
* * * * * myjob.sh **>> /path/to/logfile 2>&1**

Set up log rotation

If you want to keep your log file from growing too large, you can set up log rotation using a tool like logrotate. This will automatically rotate your log files based on size or time interval.

Use a logging tool

Another option is to use a logging tool like syslog-ng or rsyslog to log your cron jobs. These tools can be configured to store logs in a central location and provide advanced features such as filtering and alerting.

Monitor logs

Once you have set up logging, it's important to monitor the logs to ensure that your cron jobs are running as expected. You can use tools like Better Uptime to monitor your logs and alert you if any errors or warnings are detected

By following these steps, you can effectively log your cron jobs and ensure that your system is running smoothly.

Got an article suggestion? Let us know
Explore more
Licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

We are hiring.

Software is our way of making the world a tiny bit better. We build tools for the makers of tomorrow.

Explore all positions →