Better Stack (Log Management)
Cloud-based log management solution for aggregating, searching, and analyzing application logs at scale
Graylog
Free and open log management platform for centralized logging
Graylog is a free and open log management platform that centralizes, analyzes, and visualizes log data from distributed systems and applications.
Overview
Centralized Log Management for Modern Infrastructure
Graylog is a free and open log management platform designed for teams that need to collect, index, and analyze log data from distributed systems at scale. Built primarily in Java with a modern TypeScript frontend, it provides a unified interface for monitoring application behavior, troubleshooting issues, and maintaining security posture across your infrastructure.
Flexible Ingestion and Analysis
The platform supports multiple ingestion protocols including GELF, Syslog, AMQP, and Kafka, making it adaptable to diverse logging architectures. Graylog's search and filtering capabilities enable rapid investigation of incidents, while its visualization tools help teams identify patterns and anomalies in log streams. Security-focused features position it as a viable SIEM alternative for organizations prioritizing threat detection and compliance.
Deployment and Community
Graylog serves operations teams, DevOps engineers, and security analysts who require robust log aggregation without vendor lock-in. The active community provides support through IRC channels on Freenode and Libera, plus discussion forums for troubleshooting and feature requests. Whether you're managing microservices, monitoring application performance, or conducting security audits, Graylog delivers the visibility needed to maintain reliable, secure systems.
Highlights
Multi-protocol log ingestion via GELF, Syslog, AMQP, and Kafka
Real-time search and filtering across centralized log streams
Security-focused features suitable for SIEM use cases
Extensible architecture with community-driven development
Pros
- Free and open platform with no licensing costs
- Supports diverse log sources and ingestion protocols
- Active community and multiple support channels
- Suitable for both operational monitoring and security analysis
Considerations
- Requires Java runtime and infrastructure setup
- May need tuning for high-volume environments
- Learning curve for advanced search syntax and configuration
- Self-hosted deployment requires ongoing maintenance
Managed products teams compare with
When teams consider Graylog, these hosted platforms usually appear on the same shortlist.
Looking for a hosted option? These are the services engineering teams benchmark against before choosing open source.
Fit guide
Great for
- DevOps teams needing centralized log aggregation across microservices
- Security analysts conducting threat detection and compliance audits
- Organizations seeking vendor-neutral log management solutions
- Teams with Java expertise and self-hosting capabilities
Not ideal when
- Teams requiring fully managed SaaS solutions with zero infrastructure overhead
- Small projects needing simple file-based logging without centralization
- Organizations without resources for self-hosted platform maintenance
- Environments with strict constraints against Java-based applications
How teams use it
Microservices Troubleshooting
Aggregate logs from distributed services into a single searchable interface, reducing mean time to resolution for production incidents.
Security Event Monitoring
Collect authentication logs, firewall events, and application security data to detect threats and support compliance reporting.
Application Performance Analysis
Correlate application logs with infrastructure metrics to identify performance bottlenecks and optimize resource allocation.
Compliance Audit Trail
Maintain centralized, searchable records of system access and changes to satisfy regulatory requirements and audit requests.
Tech snapshot
Java69%
TypeScript30%
JavaScript2%
CSS1%
FreeMarker1%
Shell1%
Frequently asked questions
What log formats does Graylog support?
Graylog supports GELF, Syslog, AMQP, and Kafka ingestion protocols, allowing it to collect logs from a wide range of systems and applications.
Can Graylog be used as a SIEM solution?
Yes, Graylog includes security-focused features that make it suitable for SIEM use cases, including threat detection and security event analysis.
What infrastructure is required to run Graylog?
Graylog requires a Java runtime environment and typically runs alongside Elasticsearch or OpenSearch for log storage and MongoDB for metadata.
Is Graylog suitable for high-volume logging environments?
Yes, Graylog can scale to handle high log volumes, though proper infrastructure sizing and tuning are necessary for optimal performance.
Where can I get support for Graylog?
Community support is available through IRC channels on Freenode and Libera, plus community discussion forums. Commercial support options may also be available.
Project at a glance
Active- Stars
- 7,942
- Watchers
- 7,942
- Forks
- 1,101
Repo age15 years old
Last commit16 hours ago
Self-hostingSupported
Primary languageJava
Last synced 12 hours ago