With over 8 million app developers worldwide, setting yourself apart from the pack can be a bit difficult. Honing your skills and using the tools that are available to you is a must when trying to edge out your competition. Once you have built and released your app for mass consumption, you may face functionality issues. One of the first things you need to check when these issues occur is your logs. Being able to get these logs in a timely manner is essential when trying to get your app back on track. The biggest problems that most developers have with log files is having to go through another developer or a system administrator to get their log files. Rather than having to deal with this problem, you can use a cloud logging service. Read below to find out why using this type of cloud logging can benefit you and the apps you develop.

1. Cloud Services Make Log Searching Easier

Trying to search through log files using traditional methods can be quite frustrating. Generally, the data you will search through will not be structured and will include lots of additional metadata that is not that useful. This means that in order to find the information you need in your logs can take a very long time. When you allow your files to get sent to a logging service, they will include additional information that can provide context. These files will feature everything from the server name that they came from to the application name and location. This additional information will make it much easier to find what you need in a hurry.

2. The Power of Structured Logging

Logging additional data or objects from the code in your app can also be very helpful. By inputting this additional data, you can use custom fields to find problems in a hurry. Most of the logs that your app produces will feature a client ID. With this ID, you can find the information you need without having to dig through tons of data. Not only will cloud logging allow you to save time, it can help you get your app fixed without an excessive amount of downtime.

3. Tracking Application Errors

When code errors occur within your program, you will need to find and fix them in a timely manner. These errors can cause things like database timeouts and null reference exceptions. These errors will bring your app to a grinding halt, which is never a good thing. The right cloud logging service will send out alerts when application errors occur. If your logs are structured and organized, finding unique code errors will be much easier. Your log files will be able to tell you when these errors first occurred and how often they are happening. This information will allow you to backtrack and figure out what part of your code needs to be changed.

4. Provide Users With a Consistent and Quality App Experience

The main concern you should have as an app developer is providing users with the quality and glitch-free experience they deserve. By closely monitoring your app with the help of a logging service, you will not have to worry about losing users due to functionality issues. While a log service will cost money, it is well worth the investment. With their help, you can keep your app reliable for the foreseeable future. Suggested: A guide to Cloud Computing.