Log2txt

Log2txt is a generic term used in computing to describe tools and workflows that convert log data into human-readable text. In practice, a program or script named log2txt may exist as a command-line utility, a library function, or a module that ingests logs produced by applications, systems, or devices and renders them as plain text for display, storage, or analysis.

Input formats commonly supported include JSON, JSON Lines (one JSON object per line), CSV, key-value logs, as well as standard textual formats such as syslog and web server logs. Output is typically plain text, often with structured lines that preserve timestamps, severity levels, component identifiers, and messages. Some implementations support custom field mappings to shape the textual representation.

Key features may include timestamp normalization, log level extraction, message extraction, template-based formatting, filtering by time range or severity, pattern matching, and optional colorization for terminal output. Some tools offer streaming operation to process logs in real time, while others perform batch conversion.

Typical usage involves selecting an input source, specifying the format, applying filters or templates, and directing the result to stdout or a file. In practice, log2txt utilities are used to improve readability for humans, to prep logs for archiving, or as a preprocessing step for analytics pipelines.

Because log2txt is not a single standardized project, implementations vary in language, performance, and licensing. It is common to encounter multiple open-source and proprietary tools with similar naming that fulfill the same general purpose in different environments, from system administration to software development workflows.