logger-messages

Active-voice log messages describe who performed an action using present or recent past tense. Replace passive phrasing like "Plugin was activated" with direct action: "Activated plugin". Use placeholders for dynamic values such as "{plugin_name}" to provide context, keeping messages concise and user-focused for readability in activity logs.

Effective logger messages combine active voice, contextual placeholders, and unique globally-scoped message keys. Each message should be concise, describe the action clearly, and include relevant variables that help users understand what happened. Consistency across all loggers in the loggers/ directory ensures readable, actionable event logs.

Use curly braces to insert dynamic values: "{plugin_name}", "{version}", or other context variables relevant to the event. Placeholders replace static text with actual data from the event, making messages specific and informative rather than generic. Always ensure placeholders map to available event context.

Passive voice obscures who performed an action and distances the reader from accountability. Active voice—"User updated settings" instead of "Settings were updated"—makes logs clearer, more scannable, and more useful for understanding what happened in your activity history at a glance.

Message keys must be globally unique across all loggers in the loggers/ directory to prevent conflicts and maintain clear identification of events. Adopt a naming convention scoped to each logger class or module, review existing keys before adding new ones, and document your key structure.

Update logger messages when they use passive voice, lack sufficient context via placeholders, are unclear or verbose, or fail to follow active-voice conventions. Refactor messages during code review or when adding new events to maintain consistency and improve log readability for end users.