#4
Every log line is an architectural decision
Every log line is an architectural decision.
The most expensive part of a log isn't writing it. It's everything that happens after.
One log line becomes:
- Network traffic
- Storage consumption
- Search indexes
- Query latency
- Retention cost
- Infrastructure cost
A log isn't just written and printed.
It's ingested, transported, indexed, stored, queried, and eventually deleted.
Every stage introduces a trade-off.
Every trade-off affects scalability, performance, or cost.
Production logging isn't about writing logs.
It's about designing their lifecycle.