log-viewer
Log Viewer is a Laravel package that provides a web-based UI for viewing, searching, and filtering application logs instead of reading raw log files. It supports Laravel logs, Horizon, and other server logs (Apache, Nginx, Redis, etc.) with features like dark mode, mobile-friendly interface, and sharable links.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | opcodesio/log-viewer |
| Owner | opcodesio |
| Primary language | PHP |
| License | MIT — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 4.4k |
| Forks | 311 |
| Open issues | 20 |
| Latest release | v3.24.2 (2026-06-11) |
| Last updated | 2026-06-11 |
| Source | https://github.com/opcodesio/log-viewer |
What log-viewer is
A PHP/Laravel package (MIT licensed) that parses and displays logs via a web interface at `/log-viewer` route. It handles multiple log formats, supports custom parsers, requires PHP 8.0+ and Laravel 8+, and provides an API for programmatic access to log data.
Get the log-viewer source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/opcodesio/log-viewer.gitcd log-viewer# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Requires web server process to have filesystem read permissions on all target log directories; set up file ACLs or ownership accordingly.
- Custom log parsers must be defined if logs use non-standard formats; document parser rules before deploying to staging/production.
- Default route `/log-viewer` should be access-controlled (authentication/authorization middleware) to prevent unauthorized log exposure in shared environments.
- Performance depends on log file size and filesystem I/O; large log files may cause UI slowness; implement log rotation policies.
- Database is not required; all state is derived from filesystem, reducing deployment complexity but limiting real-time log search across large datasets.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Production Critical Monitoring Required — This is a viewer, not a real-time monitoring/alerting system. For production SLOs, use dedicated APM or log aggregation platforms (DataDog, ELK, etc.).
- High-Volume Log Ingestion (Millions/Day) — Designed for direct filesystem reads; not optimized for massive log streams. Larger deployments should use distributed log systems.
- Compliance-Sensitive Log Retention — Package does not provide encryption-at-rest, audit trails, or retention policies. SOC 2 / HIPAA / PCI environments need specialized tooling.
- Non-Laravel Stack — Tightly coupled to Laravel framework; cannot be used in non-Laravel PHP applications or other language stacks without significant modification.
License & commercial use
MIT License (MIT). Permissive open-source license; no copyleft requirements. See LICENSE.md in repository.
MIT is a permissive OSI-approved license permitting commercial use, modification, and distribution. No commercial support contract or SLA terms are stated in the data provided; review the maintainer's terms if production uptime guarantees are required.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Strong |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Low |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
Log files may contain sensitive data (credentials, PII, tokens). Access control is operator's responsibility; authentication/authorization middleware must be applied to `/log-viewer` route. No built-in encryption, audit logging, or rate limiting. Filesystem permissions must restrict log directory access. Review the security policy linked in the repository for vulnerability disclosure procedures.
Alternatives to consider
Laravel Telescope
Built-in Laravel debugging tool; logs requests, queries, jobs. Lighter-weight, first-party support, but less specialized for raw log file analysis.
ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)
Enterprise log aggregation; handles massive volume, real-time alerting, multi-host support. Overkill for small/medium teams but required for large-scale deployments.
Papertrail / Loom (SaaS)
Cloud-hosted log aggregation; zero ops, instant setup, compliance features. Higher cost and external dependency; best for teams without log infrastructure.
Build on log-viewer with DEV.co software developers
If you need a lightweight, zero-ops log inspection tool for Laravel development or staging environments, Log Viewer is low-risk: MIT licensed, easy to install, and minimal dependencies. Confirm access control requirements and custom log parser needs before production deployment.
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log-viewer FAQ
Does Log Viewer store logs in a database?
Can I use this in production?
What log formats are supported?
Is there a mobile app or CLI interface?
Custom software development services
DEV.co is a software development agency delivering custom software development services to companies building on open source. Our software developers and web developers design, integrate, and ship production systems — spanning web development, APIs, AI, data, and cloud. If log-viewer is part of your open-source observability roadmap, our team can implement, customize, migrate, and maintain it.
Evaluate Log Viewer for Your Laravel Stack
If you need a lightweight, zero-ops log inspection tool for Laravel development or staging environments, Log Viewer is low-risk: MIT licensed, easy to install, and minimal dependencies. Confirm access control requirements and custom log parser needs before production deployment.