awslogs Command Examples (Queries groups, streams and events from Amazon CloudWatch logs)

The awslogs command is a utility that allows you to query and retrieve log data from Amazon CloudWatch Logs using the command line. Amazon CloudWatch Logs is a fully managed log storage and monitoring service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It enables you to collect, store, and analyze log data from various AWS resources and applications.

Here’s an overview of the awslogs command and its functionality:

  • Log Group and Log Stream Querying: With the awslogs command, you can query log data from specific log groups and log streams within CloudWatch Logs. Log groups are containers for log streams, which represent individual sources of log events. You can specify the log group and log stream names to retrieve log data for analysis.
  • Time Range Filtering: The awslogs command allows you to filter log events based on a specific time range. You can specify the start and end time for the log data you want to retrieve, enabling you to narrow down your search and focus on specific time intervals.
  • Log Event Filtering: You can use various filtering options with the awslogs command to retrieve specific log events that match certain patterns or criteria. This includes filtering based on keywords, log levels, error codes, or custom patterns. Filtering helps you extract relevant log information from the vast amount of log data stored in CloudWatch Logs.
  • Log Data Output: The awslogs command provides flexible output options for the retrieved log data. You can choose to display the log events in the command line output, save them to a file, or stream them for further processing or analysis using other command-line tools or scripts.
  • Integration with Other Tools and Services: awslogs can be used in conjunction with other command-line utilities or scripting languages to automate log retrieval, analysis, and processing. It integrates well with tools like grep, awk, or sed for advanced log parsing and manipulation.
  • Authentication and Permissions: The awslogs command relies on AWS credentials for authentication and authorization. You need to configure the AWS CLI with valid access keys or IAM roles to access the CloudWatch Logs service and retrieve log data.

Using the awslogs command, you can efficiently query and retrieve log data from CloudWatch Logs, allowing you to monitor and analyze the logs generated by your AWS resources and applications. It provides a convenient and flexible way to interact with CloudWatch Logs from the command line, making log analysis and troubleshooting tasks more accessible and manageable.

awslogs Command Examples

1. List log groups:

# awslogs groups

2. List existing streams for the specified group:

# awslogs streams /var/log/syslog

3. Get logs for any streams in the specified group between 1 and 2 hours ago:

# awslogs get /var/log/syslog --start='{{2h ago}}' --end='1h ago'

4. Get logs that match a specific CloudWatch Logs Filter pattern:

# awslogs get /aws/lambda/my_lambda_group --filter-pattern='ERROR'

5. Watch logs for any streams in the specified group:

# awslogs get /var/log/syslog ALL --watch
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