Logging in Java with the JDK 1.4 logging API and Apache Log4j by Samudra Gupta

[Book Review Team]

<pre>Author/s : Samudra Gupta
Publisher : APress
Category : Miscellaneous Java
Review by : Thomas Paul
Rating : 8 horseshoes</pre>
This book covers the two most popular logging APIS, the one built in to JDK 1.4 and the Apache log4j. The book starts with a brief introduction to logging and why we should care about it. The rest of the book is divided into two parts, each discussing one of the two APIs. The final chapter covers best practices and a brief comparison of the two APIs. The sections on the logging APIs are divided into two parts, the first discussing the features of the API and the next discussing how to create your own custom components to extend the API.
The book is very well written. The author does a nice job of combining the discussion with code examples to make the topics clear. He uses UML diagrams appropriately to help the reader understand how a log request flows through the many classes. He clearly explains each of the classes in the logging frameworks and how to properly use them. The discussion of log4j ends with a chapter on the log tag library written for use with JSPs.
Overall this is a very good book. If you are doing no more than very basic logging then this book is probably a lot more information than you need. But if you want to incorporate logging into your development projects in more than just a very basic way or if you are interested in comparing in detail the two APIs, you will find this book useful.


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[Book Review Team]

<pre>Author/s : Samudra Gupta
Publisher : Apress
Category : Miscellaneous Java
Review by : Mark Spritzler
Rating : 8 horseshoes</pre>
Well I thought I was going to be able to knock down a few trees on the Ranch, and sell them, when I read the title of this book.
Instead, I learned how to implement the two most popular logging APIs for Java. Now they are so very similar, just different names for classes that do identical tasks. However, Log4j has some more features. The book also explains all the different sources, filters, and formatters that you can incorporate in your apps to log when logging is needed, and present the information best needed to be logged.
Now I know what you are thinking, why write a book about logging, I mean the APIs for basic logging are very simple. But throw that thought right out the window or barn. Samudra does a great job of explaining the ins and outs of logging and some best practices.
I would highly recommend this book if you want to learn these APIs. If you already have experience with them, then you might be bored.
If we had .5 point ratings then I would have put this book as an 8.5.


More info at Amazon.com
More info at Amazon.co.uk

[Thomas Paul]

Isn't it nice when two reviewers agree on a book!

[Mark Spritzler]

Yes, it is pretty cool.
I get confirmation that I must be on the right track with my review.
Mark