ConsoleLogger - Simple is Good

• Cross-platform implementation supporting asynchronous Console logging.
• Configurable default minimum log level.
• Single-line, Multi-line or Custom log entry formats.
• Indent multiline messages for easier reading and analysis.
• Configurable color scheme for Console log messages, for easier reading.
• Per-provider log level filtering via Logging:ConsoleLogger:LogLevel in appsettings.json.

Target frameworks

.NET 8, .NET 9, .NET 10.

Single-line Format

Multi-line Format

How to use

Scenario #1: Quickstart

using ConsoleLoggerLibrary;

...<omitted>...

.ConfigureLogging((context, builder) =>
  {
    builder.ClearProviders();
    builder.AddConsoleLogger();
  })

Scenario #2: Using appsettings.json

When the host registers IConfiguration (e.g. via Host.CreateDefaultBuilder), the no-arg AddConsoleLogger() automatically binds options from the Logging:ConsoleLogger section — no need to pass IConfiguration explicitly.

appsettings.json -- all options shown

{
  "Logging": {
    "LogLevel": {
      "Default": "Debug",
      "System": "Information",
      "Microsoft": "Error"
    },
    "ConsoleLogger": {
      "LogMinLevel": "Debug",
      "UseUtcTimestamp": false,
      "MultiLineFormat": false,
      "IndentMultilineMessages": true,
      "EnableConsoleColors": true,
      "LogLevelColors": {
        "Trace": "Cyan",
        "Debug": "Blue",
        "Information": "Green",
        "Warning": "Yellow",
        "Error": "Red",
        "Critical": "Magenta",
        "None": "White"
      }
    }
  }
}

Program.cs -- full file for complete context

using ConsoleLoggerLibrary;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

namespace ConsoleLoggerDemo;

internal class Program
{
    static async Task Main(string[] args)
    {
        try
        {
            await Host.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
                .ConfigureLogging((context, builder) =>
                {
                    builder.ClearProviders();
                    builder.AddConsoleLogger();
                })
                .ConfigureServices((hostContext, services) =>
                {
                    services.AddHostedService<App>();
                })
                .RunConsoleAsync();
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Unexpected error: {ex.Message}");
        }
    }
}

If your host doesn't register IConfiguration automatically, pass it explicitly: builder.AddConsoleLogger(context.Configuration);

Scenario #3: Using ConfigureLogging

Program.cs -- full file for complete context, all ConsoleLoggerOptions shown

using ConsoleLoggerLibrary;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration;
using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

namespace ConsoleLoggerDemo;

internal class Program
{
    static async Task Main(string[] args)
    {
        try
        {
            await Host.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
                .ConfigureLogging((context, builder) =>
                {
                    builder.ClearProviders();
                    builder.AddConsoleLogger(configure =>
                    {
                        configure.LogMinLevel = LogLevel.Trace;
                        configure.UseUtcTimestamp = false;
                        configure.MultiLineFormat = false;
                        configure.IndentMultilineMessages = true;
                        configure.EnableConsoleColors = true;
                        configure.LogLevelColors = new()
                        {
                            [LogLevel.Trace] = ConsoleColor.Cyan,
                            [LogLevel.Debug] = ConsoleColor.Blue,
                            [LogLevel.Information] = ConsoleColor.Green,
                            [LogLevel.Warning] = ConsoleColor.Yellow,
                            [LogLevel.Error] = ConsoleColor.Red,
                            [LogLevel.Critical] = ConsoleColor.DarkRed,
                            [LogLevel.None] = ConsoleColor.White
                        };
                    });
                })
                .ConfigureServices((hostContext, services) =>
                {
                    services.AddHostedService<App>();
                })
                .RunConsoleAsync();
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Unexpected error: {ex.Message}");
        }
    }
}

Per-provider log level filtering

Because the provider registers itself via LoggerProviderOptions.RegisterProviderOptions, you can scope per-category log levels to just this provider (independent of the global Logging:LogLevel section) by adding a LogLevel subsection under ConsoleLogger:

"Logging": {
  "LogLevel": {
    "Default": "Information"
  },
  "ConsoleLogger": {
    "LogMinLevel": "Trace",
    "LogLevel": {
      "Default": "Information",
      "Microsoft.Hosting.Lifetime": "Warning",
      "MyApp.Diagnostics": "Trace"
    }
  }
}

LogMinLevel sets the floor honored by this provider. The framework's global MinLevel is automatically lowered to match when LogMinLevel is more permissive (e.g. Trace), so per-provider Trace/Debug entries aren't filtered out before reaching the writer.

Indentation

IndentMultilineMessages=true

2026-04-19--18.10.20|INFO|ConsoleLoggerDemo.App|{
                                                 "Date": "4/19/2026",
                                                 "Location": "Center Moriches",
                                                 "TemperatureCelsius": 20,
                                                 "Summary": "Nice"
                                                }

IndentMultilineMessages=false

2026-04-19--18.11.19|INFO|ConsoleLoggerDemo.App|{
  "Date": "4/19/2026",
  "Location": "Center Moriches",
  "TemperatureCelsius": 20,
  "Summary": "Nice"
}

Note: The IndentMultilineMessages option is only for the Single-Line message format.

Debugging

The package ships portable PDBs with Source Link embedded and a companion .snupkg symbol package. Enable "Source Link support" in Visual Studio (or JetBrains Rider) to step into the library directly from your debugger.

Releases

See GitHub Releases for the changelog.

Reference

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/extensions/custom-logging-provider