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Custom log paths

Patcherly already monitors standard log locations automatically. With a Core or Pro plan you can add extra log files on top of those defaults.

What's monitored automatically

Every target monitors the typical log locations for its connector type right out of the box — no setup needed. For example:

  • WordPress — wp-content/debug.log and common web server error logs
  • PHP — Apache, Nginx, and PHP error logs, plus framework logs (Laravel, Symfony)
  • Python — logs/error.log, app.log, Django and WSGI server logs
  • Node.js — logs/error.log, error.log, app.log, PM2 logs

You can see the full preset list in Dashboard → Targets → Log paths (the "Preset paths" section, shown for every target).

Adding custom log paths (Core and Pro)

If your app writes errors to a non-standard location, you can tell Patcherly to monitor that file too.

  1. Open Targets

  2. Go to your dashboard and navigate to Targets

  3. Open Log Paths

  4. Find your target and click Log paths in the action row

  5. Add a new path

  6. In the Custom log paths section, click Add log path
  7. Enter the log file path (absolute or relative to your app root)
  8. Add an optional description so you remember what it's for
  9. Make sure Enabled is toggled on
  10. Click Save

The connector picks up new paths within a few minutes.

Plan note: Custom log paths require a Core or Pro plan. Preset paths are monitored on all plans.

Path formats

Enter the path the same way you'd see it in your server's file system:

/var/log/my-app/error.log
logs/custom-error.log
storage/logs/laravel.log

What's allowed

For your own protection, Patcherly applies a strict policy to every custom log path:

  • Paths must end in .log or .txt (rotated logs like error.log.1 and error.log.1.gz are accepted automatically).
  • Paths must live under one of the allowed roots for your connector type:
  • WordPress — anything inside wp-content/, logs/, or log/, or a single file at the website root like _error_log.log or /_error_log.log (covers WP Engine / Kinsta / shared-hosting SFTP jails — see below)
  • PHP / Python / Node.js — /var/log/, logs/, log/, storage/logs/, app/logs/, or a single file at the application root (e.g. error.log or /error.log)
  • Windows hosts — C:\inetpub\logs\, C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\, or relative logs\ / log\
  • The connector will not create the log file for you — it must already exist.
  • Up to 32 custom paths per website/app (target). Need more? Contact [email protected].

Site-root files on shared hosting (WP Engine, Kinsta, etc.)

On managed-WordPress hosts, the SFTP user is jailed to the website root (you don't see the full server filesystem). PHP error logs commonly live at the WordPress install root, so paths like:

_error_log.log
/_error_log.log
debug.log
/debug.log

are accepted. The leading / is read as "website root", not server root — Patcherly resolves it against the WordPress install (ABSPATH). Paths with internal slashes (/etc/passwd.log, /var/data/secret.log) are still rejected.

What's rejected

Patcherly refuses, and your connector will skip, paths that contain:

  • .. (path traversal) — e.g. ../../etc/passwd
  • A leading . in the file name — e.g. .bash_history, .env
  • A scheme prefix — e.g. php://input, phar://..., data://...
  • A NUL byte
  • A Windows reserved device name — CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1-COM9, LPT1-LPT9
  • UNC paths — e.g. \\server\share\log

If the dashboard rejects a path you save, the error message will name the rule (for example extension, root, or traversal).

Managing log paths

Enable / Disable

  • Enabled — the path is actively monitored
  • Disabled — the path is saved but skipped until re-enabled

Toggle the Enabled switch to pause monitoring without deleting the path.

Edit a path

  1. In the Custom log paths section, click Edit on the path you want to change
  2. Update the file path, description, or enabled status
  3. Click Save

Delete a path

  1. Click Remove on the path you want to delete
  2. Confirm the deletion

The path is permanently removed. Preset paths are not affected.

Discovered paths

Your connector automatically reports which log files it can see on the server. In the Log paths modal you'll see a Discovered section — useful for:

  • Confirming which files are accessible and readable
  • Quickly adding a discovered path as a custom log path with one click

Troubleshooting

My custom log file isn't showing up in errors - Check that the path is correct and the file exists on the server (the connector will not create it for you) - Make sure the path passes the rules above — .log or .txt, under an allowed root, no .., no leading . - Make sure the connector has read permission for that file - Confirm the log path is enabled (not toggled off) - The connector refreshes its path list every few minutes — wait a moment after saving

Save fails with "extension" / "root" / "traversal" / etc. - Your path was rejected by the path-safety rules. Re-read What's allowed / What's rejected above and fix the offending part of the path. - If you genuinely need a log under a non-standard root, contact [email protected] so we can review whether the root can be allowed for your account.

I don't see the Custom log paths section - Custom log paths require a Core or Pro plan. Preset paths are always monitored regardless of plan.

The path shows as "not readable" in Discovered paths - The connector can see the file but cannot read it — check file permissions on your server - The connector process must have read access to the log file