---
title: "Log4j 2 Integration"
description: "Learn how to use Sentry's Log4j 2 integration with Spring Boot."
url: https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/java/guides/spring-boot/logging-frameworks/log4j2/
---

# Log4j 2 Integration for Spring Boot

For the best experience, we recommend using Sentry's Spring Boot integration with the Log4j 2 logging framework integration as they work together seamlessly.

##### Logs over Breadcrumbs

By default this integration captures logs as breadcrumbs and error events (great for error context!). But if you need to search and query your logs across your entire application, we recommend enabling the new logs feature. Logs at or above the `minimumLevel` are automatically sent as Sentry Logs when enabled.

## [Installation](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/java/guides/spring-boot/logging-frameworks/log4j2.md#installation)

Spring Boot uses Logback by default, so first [follow the guide on configuring Log4j 2 with Spring Boot](https://docs.spring.io/spring-boot/how-to/logging.html#howto.logging.log4j) to make Log4j 2 the active logging backend.

Then, to use Sentry's Log4j 2 integration in your Spring Boot application, you must include a dependency to the `sentry-log4j2` module:

```xml
<dependency>
    <groupId>io.sentry</groupId>
    <artifactId>sentry-log4j2</artifactId>
    <version>8.59.0</version>
</dependency>
```

*Other available variations of the above snippet: Gradle, SBT*

For other dependency managers see the [central Maven repository](https://search.maven.org/artifact/io.sentry/sentry-log4j2).

## [Configuration](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/java/guides/spring-boot/logging-frameworks/log4j2.md#configuration)

### [Spring Boot Configuration](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/java/guides/spring-boot/logging-frameworks/log4j2.md#spring-boot-configuration)

To send logs to Sentry and have them show up in the Logs section, you need to enable the feature:

```properties
sentry.logs.enabled=true
```

For Spring Boot 3 and 4, Sentry can register `SentryAppender` for you once the application context refreshes. This auto-configuration is opt-in:

```properties
sentry.logging.enabled=true
```

If Log4j 2 isn't the active logging backend, the appender isn't added.

Minimum logging levels for `SentryAppender` can be configured in `application.properties` or `application.yml` file.

```properties
sentry.logging.minimum-event-level=info
sentry.logging.minimum-breadcrumb-level=debug
sentry.logging.minimum-level=debug
```

The default values are:

* `info` or higher to include a log message as breadcrumb.
* `info` or higher will send a log message to Sentry and will show up in the Logs section.
* `error` or higher will send an event to Sentry and will show up in the Issues section.

The appender is added to the root logger by default. To attach it to specific loggers instead, configure their names:

```properties
sentry.logging.loggers[0]=com.example.orders
sentry.logging.loggers[1]=com.example.payments
```

Use non-overlapping logger names. Log4j 2 loggers are additive by default, so attaching the appender to both a logger and one of its ancestors can send the same log entry twice.

### [XML Configuration](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/java/guides/spring-boot/logging-frameworks/log4j2.md#xml-configuration)

Spring Boot 2 doesn't support `SentryAppender` auto-configuration, and errors logged before the Spring context refreshes aren't captured by it. In both cases, leave `sentry.logging.enabled` unset and configure `SentryAppender` in the `log4j2.xml` file:

```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<Configuration>

  <Appenders>
    <Console name="CONSOLE" target="SYSTEM_OUT">
      <PatternLayout
        pattern="%d{HH:mm:ss.SSS} [%t] %-5level %logger{36} - %msg%n"
      />
    </Console>
    <Sentry name="SENTRY" minimumLevel="DEBUG" />
  </Appenders>

  <Loggers>
    <Root level="INFO">
      <AppenderRef ref="CONSOLE" />
      <AppenderRef ref="SENTRY" />
    </Root>
  </Loggers>

</Configuration>
```

You do not need to configure your DSN in the Log4j 2 configuration file since Sentry is configured from the Spring Boot integration.

However, if errors that may appear during startup should to be sent to Sentry, the DSN must be provided to *both* the Log4j 2 and Spring Boot configurations.

## [Mapped Diagnostic Context (MDC)](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/java/guides/spring-boot/logging-frameworks/log4j2.md#mapped-diagnostic-context-mdc)

Starting with Sentry Java SDK version 8.24.0, you can use the [`contextTags`](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/java/guides/spring-boot/configuration/options.md#contextTags) option to include specific properties from the Mapped Diagnostic Context (MDC) as attributes on log entries sent to Sentry.