Log Analysis: Advanced Debugging Techniques
Use advanced log analysis techniques to diagnose issues, understand agent behavior, and optimize performance across your OpenClaw deployment.
What You Will Get
By the end of this guide, you will be able to use the RunTheAgent logging system like an expert. You will filter, search, and correlate log entries to diagnose issues quickly and understand exactly what your agent is doing at every step.
Logs are the single most important debugging tool for production agents. Every request, tool call, model response, and error is recorded with timestamps and context. Knowing how to navigate this data is the difference between spending minutes versus hours on a debugging session.
You will learn to use log filters, build search queries, correlate events across conversations, export logs for offline analysis, and set up log-based alerts. The result is a debugging workflow that lets you investigate any issue methodically and efficiently.
Step-by-Step Setup
Follow these steps to set up and use advanced log analysis.
Open the Logs Panel
Navigate to your agent's Logs tab in the RunTheAgent dashboard. The panel displays a real-time stream of log entries. Each entry shows a timestamp, log level (info, warn, error), event type, and a summary. Pause the stream to analyze specific entries without the display scrolling.
Configure Log Levels
Set the appropriate log level for your debugging needs. 'Error' shows only failures. 'Warn' adds potential issues. 'Info' includes normal operations. 'Debug' adds detailed internal state. Use 'Debug' level when actively troubleshooting and switch back to 'Info' or 'Warn' for daily monitoring to keep log volume manageable.
Use Filters to Narrow Results
Apply filters to focus on specific event types, time ranges, or conversation IDs. For example, filter by event type 'tool_call' to see every tool invocation, or filter by a specific conversation ID to trace a single user's interaction from start to finish.
Build Search Queries
Use the search bar to find specific patterns in log entries. Search for error messages, user IDs, or tool names. Combine search terms with boolean operators for precise results. For example, 'error AND tool_call AND lookup_order' finds all errors related to the order lookup tool.
Correlate Events Across Conversations
Some issues span multiple conversations or agents. Use the correlation ID to trace a request from the user's message through the coordinator, sub-agents, tools, and back to the final response. The correlation ID links all related log entries regardless of which component generated them.
Export Logs for Offline Analysis
For complex investigations, export logs as a CSV or JSON file. This lets you analyze them with external tools, build visualizations, or share them with your team. The export dialog lets you specify the time range, log level, and filters to include.
Set Up Log-Based Alerts
Create alerts that trigger when specific patterns appear in the logs. For example, alert on 'error rate exceeds 5% in the last 5 minutes' or 'tool_call latency exceeds 10 seconds'. These alerts catch issues before they become widespread, often before users even notice.
Tips and Best Practices
Add Custom Log Entries
Use the logging tool in your agent's prompt to emit custom log entries at important decision points. For example, log when the agent chooses to escalate a conversation or switch models. Custom entries make the agent's reasoning visible in the logs.
Set Retention Policies
Configure how long logs are retained based on their level. Keep error logs for 90 days, info logs for 30 days, and debug logs for 7 days. This balances storage costs with the ability to investigate historical issues.
Create Saved Views
Save commonly used filter and search combinations as named views. A 'Production Errors' view, a 'Slow Responses' view, and a 'Tool Failures' view let you jump straight to relevant data without rebuilding queries each time.
Review Logs After Every Deployment
After updating your agent's configuration or skills, review the logs for the first hour to catch any issues introduced by the change. A quick post-deployment log review prevents problems from going unnoticed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
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