How to Configure logrotate

1. Create /etc/logrotate.d/myapp
2. Specify the log path: /var/log/myapp/*.log
3. Options: daily / weekly / monthly (frequency)
4. rotate N — how many old copies to keep
5. compress — gzip the old ones
6. postrotate hook: systemctl reload nginx if HUP is required
7. Test: logrotate -d /etc/logrotate.d/myapp (debug mode, no changes)
8. Manual run: logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.d/myapp

• notifempty + empty log — not rotated → after weeks a huge empty file
• Missing missingok — logrotate errors when log file is absent
• postrotate without || true — failing script blocks rotation
• copytruncate loses events sent between copy and truncate
• Rotation not working — check /var/lib/logrotate/status is updating

To configure logrotate in 2026, edit the logrotate configuration file located at /etc/logrotate.conf or create a new file in the /etc/logrotate.d/ directory for specific applications. Specify the log file paths, rotation frequency, and retention policy using directives such as weekly, daily, rotate, and compress. Use the command logrotate -d /etc/logrotate.conf to test the configuration without executing it.

Logrotate is a vital tool for managing log files on Unix-like systems, enabling automated rotation, compression, and removal of log files. The primary configuration file is located at /etc/logrotate.conf, while additional configurations can be placed in the /etc/logrotate.d/ directory for specific applications or services.

Each logrotate configuration file can contain various directives that specify how logs should be managed. Here are some key directives:

• daily — Rotate logs daily.
• weekly — Rotate logs weekly.
• monthly — Rotate logs monthly.
• rotate N — Keep the last N rotated logs.
• compress — Compress rotated logs to save space.
• delaycompress — Delay compression until the next rotation.
• missingok — Do not issue an error if the log file is missing.
• notifempty — Do not rotate the log if it is empty.
• sharedscripts — Run post-rotation scripts only once for all logs.

To illustrate, here’s a practical example of configuring logrotate for a hypothetical application named myapp:

/var/log/myapp/*.log {
    daily
    rotate 7
    compress
    missingok
    notifempty
    create 0640 myapp myapp
    postrotate
        systemctl reload myapp
    endscript
}

In this example:

• Logs located in /var/log/myapp/*.log will be rotated daily.
• Only the last 7 rotated logs will be kept.
• Logs will be compressed after rotation.
• If the log file is missing or empty, logrotate will not issue an error.
• After log rotation, systemctl reload myapp ensures that the application continues to write to the new log files seamlessly.

To activate the configuration, save the above content in a file named myapp within the /etc/logrotate.d/ directory. You can then test the configuration using:

logrotate -d /etc/logrotate.conf

The -d flag enables debug mode, allowing you to verify the configuration without performing any log rotations. Once confirmed, you can execute:

logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.conf

This command forces logrotate to perform the rotation immediately, which is particularly useful for testing.

In addition to the basic directives, logrotate also supports custom scripts that can be executed before or after rotation. For instance, you might want to archive logs to a different location:

postrotate
    cp /var/log/myapp/*.log /archive/myapp/
    rm /var/log/myapp/*.log
endscript

In this case, the logs will be copied to /archive/myapp/ before being deleted from the original location. This ensures that you have a backup of the logs while still maintaining system performance.

Logrotate also integrates with systemd timers, allowing for advanced scheduling options. In a typical setup, the default logrotate service is executed daily by a cron job. However, you can define a systemd timer for more precise control over log rotation frequency. For instance:

sudo systemctl enable logrotate.timer
sudo systemctl start logrotate.timer

To summarize, configuring logrotate effectively is crucial for maintaining healthy log management practices in your applications. By leveraging its various features and directives, you can ensure that your log files do not consume excessive disk space while preserving essential logs for troubleshooting and auditing purposes.