Is Log4J Dead on the Java Platform?

[Harry Hartley]

I would like to assess where things really stand with Log4J before committing more of my project code to the log4j framework.   I am an old time C and C++ developer, but fairly new to the java open source. It has taken some time, but I have figured out pretty much everything I feel I need to know to complete my web application. I have learned how to effectively use: Ant, Struts, Basic Tomcat Configuration, JSP’s and Servlets, MySQL, ConnectorJ, Cascading Stylesheets, Log4J, server/context/web.xml files, blah, blah, and blah.   As you can imagine it has been a process not without some frustration. Documentation ranges from obscure/poor to pretty good. I have become used to persisting where it seems as though there is NOTHING that documents how things work, but eventually I figure it out through surfing the web, or looking at source code.   During the last couple of years while away from coding, all the java coders would tell me how great and simple log4j is. Thus I decided to use it in my current project. Again, my typical learning curve before I have any useful code/configuration.   Which brings me to my question/observation: 1)       The documentation for Log4J is pitiful. I have not purcha$ed the ‘full’ manual, and will not. Maybe its as simple as that. 2)       The download seems very incomplete. There are MANY directories that are empty. The various examples directories are incomplete. 3)       There are references to classes in the documentation that do not exist. Specifically XMLSocketAppender. 4)       Since early this year, log4j mailing lists are essentially silent.   There seems to be more functionality in log4cxx. Is log4cxx the flagship and log4j the follower?   Java  based Chainsaw has several receivers that are not supported by appenders under log4j? Again, specifically XMLSocketAppender.   The ‘full’ manual is for a fee, is this standard practice under apache? This is the first time I’ve seen this under the apache initiative.   I notice that tomcat itself seems to opt for a default of java.util.logging and support log4j as a compatibility issue. Is this accurate?   My title begs the question, is log4J essentially dead?   Or maybe I should ask a slightly different question… What is the best logging package to use with tomcat?   Harry