DebugLevel

Debuglevel is a configuration parameter used in software systems to control the verbosity of debugging output. It determines which debugging statements are emitted during execution and how much detail is provided. Values are usually numeric but can also be symbolic in some environments; higher levels generally produce more information, while lower levels produce less or none.

In practice, debuglevel often maps to logging or diagnostic levels. A lower level may report only errors or warnings, while higher levels enable informational messages, verbose traces, or trace-level details such as variable values and step-by-step execution. Some systems treat debuglevel as the minimum severity to log, while others enable or disable individual debug statements based on the current level.

Common implementations include logging frameworks, runtime diagnostics, and firmware or embedded software. Debuglevel can be set at startup or adjusted at runtime, sometimes via configuration files, command-line options, or interactive consoles. It may be numeric (for example 0 to 5) or use named levels such as ERROR, WARN, INFO, DEBUG, and TRACE. In some environments, changing the debuglevel affects only output formatting, while in others it also enables additional code paths or assertions.

Best practices encourage using the lowest debuglevel that meets diagnostic needs, especially in production, to reduce performance overhead and avoid exposing sensitive information. Dynamic changes should be validated to prevent inconsistent logging. When deploying, document the debuglevel policy and consider using structured logging to improve post hoc analysis.

See also: logging levels, verbosity, debug mode.