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Timber Examples - Logger Library

In this tutorial you will learn how about Timber, the android logger library and how to use it via simple examples.

What is Timber?

Timber is a logger with a small, extensible API which provides utility on top of Android's normal Log class.

In the library Behavior is added through Tree instances. You can install an instance by calling Timber.plant. Installation of Trees should be done as early as possible. The onCreate of your application is the most logical choice.

The DebugTree implementation will automatically figure out from which class it's being called and use that class name as its tag. Since the tags vary, it works really well when coupled with a log reader like Pidcat.

There are no Tree implementations installed by default because every time you log in production, a puppy dies.

How to use it

Two easy steps are needed:

  1. Install any Tree instances you want in the onCreate of your application class.
  2. Call Timber's static methods everywhere throughout your app.

How to Install it

You can install it from the maven central:

repositories {
  mavenCentral()
}

Via the following implementation statement:

dependencies {
  implementation 'com.jakewharton.timber:timber:5.0.1'
}

Example 1: Simple examples in Kotlin and Java

Here are some simple samples of how to use it:

Step 1: Install the library

Install the library as has been discussed.

Step 2: Design Layouts

Here is a simple layout we use:

demo_activity.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:padding="40dp">
  <Button
      android:id="@+id/hello"
      android:layout_width="match_parent"
      android:layout_height="wrap_content"
      android:layout_marginBottom="10dp"
      android:text="@string/hello"
      />
  <Button
      android:id="@+id/hi"
      android:layout_width="match_parent"
      android:layout_height="wrap_content"
      android:layout_marginBottom="10dp"
      android:text="@string/hi"
      />
  <Button
      android:id="@+id/hey"
      android:layout_width="match_parent"
      android:layout_height="wrap_content"
      android:text="@string/hey"
      />
</LinearLayout>

Step 3: Initialize Timber

Initialize Timber in the App class:

import static timber.log.Timber.DebugTree;

import android.app.Application;
import android.util.Log;

import androidx.annotation.NonNull;

import timber.log.Timber;

public class ExampleApp extends Application {
  @Override public void onCreate() {
    super.onCreate();

    if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
      Timber.plant(new DebugTree());
    } else {
      Timber.plant(new CrashReportingTree());
    }
  }

  /** A tree which logs important information for crash reporting. */
  private static class CrashReportingTree extends Timber.Tree {
    @Override protected void log(int priority, String tag, @NonNull String message, Throwable t) {
      if (priority == Log.VERBOSE || priority == Log.DEBUG) {
        return;
      }

      FakeCrashLibrary.log(priority, tag, message);

      if (t != null) {
        if (priority == Log.ERROR) {
          FakeCrashLibrary.logError(t);
        } else if (priority == Log.WARN) {
          FakeCrashLibrary.logWarning(t);
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Step 2: Create Lint Activity

Here's a sample LintActivity showing how to use or not use Timber:

KotlinLintActivity

package com.example.timber.ui

import android.annotation.SuppressLint
import android.app.Activity
import android.os.Bundle
import android.util.Log
import timber.log.Timber
import java.lang.Exception
import java.lang.String.format

@SuppressLint("Registered")
class KotlinLintActivity : Activity() {
  /**
   * Below are some examples of how NOT to use Timber.
   *
   * To see how a particular lint issue behaves, comment/remove its corresponding id from the set
   * of SuppressLint ids below.
   */
  @SuppressLint(
    "LogNotTimber",
    "StringFormatInTimber",
    "ThrowableNotAtBeginning",
    "BinaryOperationInTimber",
    "TimberArgCount",
    "TimberArgTypes",
    "TimberTagLength",
    "TimberExceptionLogging"
  )
  @Suppress("RemoveRedundantQualifierName")
  override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)

    // LogNotTimber
    Log.d("TAG", "msg")
    Log.d("TAG", "msg", Exception())
    android.util.Log.d("TAG", "msg")
    android.util.Log.d("TAG", "msg", Exception())

    // StringFormatInTimber
    Timber.w(String.format("%s", getString()))
    Timber.w(format("%s", getString()))

    // ThrowableNotAtBeginning
    Timber.d("%s", Exception())

    // BinaryOperationInTimber
    val foo = "foo"
    val bar = "bar"
    Timber.d("foo" + "bar")
    Timber.d("foo$bar")
    Timber.d("${foo}bar")
    Timber.d("$foo$bar")

    // TimberArgCount
    Timber.d("%s %s", "arg0")
    Timber.d("%s", "arg0", "arg1")
    Timber.tag("tag").d("%s %s", "arg0")
    Timber.tag("tag").d("%s", "arg0", "arg1")

    // TimberArgTypes
    Timber.d("%d", "arg0")
    Timber.tag("tag").d("%d", "arg0")

    // TimberTagLength
    Timber.tag("abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwx")
    Timber.tag("abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvw" + "x")

    // TimberExceptionLogging
    Timber.d(Exception(), Exception().message)
    Timber.d(Exception(), "")
    Timber.d(Exception(), null)
    Timber.d(Exception().message)
  }

  private fun getString() = "foo"
}

Step 4: Create DemoActivity

DemoActivity

import android.app.Activity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import android.widget.Toast;

import com.example.timber.databinding.DemoActivityBinding;

import timber.log.Timber;

public class DemoActivity extends Activity implements View.OnClickListener {
  @Override protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    DemoActivityBinding binding = DemoActivityBinding.inflate(getLayoutInflater());
    setContentView(binding.getRoot());

    Timber.tag("LifeCycles");
    Timber.d("Activity Created");

    binding.hello.setOnClickListener(this);
    binding.hey.setOnClickListener(this);
    binding.hi.setOnClickListener(this);
  }

  @Override public void onClick(View v) {
    Button button = (Button) v;
    Timber.i("A button with ID %s was clicked to say '%s'.", button.getId(), button.getText());
    Toast.makeText(this, "Check logcat for a greeting!", LENGTH_SHORT).show();
  }
}

Run

Download the code below.

Reference

Here are the reference links:

Number Link
1. Download Example
2. Follow code author
3. Code: Apache 2.0 License

Example 2: Kotlin Android Timber Example

Here is the second example.

Step 1: Create Project

Start by creating an empty Android Studio project.

Step 2: Dependencies

Install Timber as shown:

    implementation "com.jakewharton.timber:timber:$timberVersion"

Step 3: Design Layout

Design a simple MainActivity layout:

activity_main.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context="com.developers.timberexample.MainActivity">

    <TextView
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Hello World!"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintLeft_toLeftOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintRight_toRightOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />

</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

Step 4: Initialize Timber

Initialize Timber in the App class:

InitApp.kt

import android.app.Application
import timber.log.Timber

class InitApp : Application() {

    override fun onCreate() {
        super.onCreate()
        if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) {
            //Debug Mode
            Timber.plant(Timber.DebugTree())
        } else {
            //Release Mode
            //Init crashlytics here
            Timber.plant(ReleaseTree())
        }
    }
}

Step 5: Log

Log messages:

ReleaseTree.kt

import android.util.Log
import timber.log.Timber

class ReleaseTree : Timber.Tree() {

    override fun log(priority: Int, tag: String?, message: String, t: Throwable?) {
        if (priority == Log.ERROR && t != null) {
            //Crashlytics reporting here
        }
    }

}

MainActivity.kt

Log a Debug message using :

 Timber.d("Timber")

or Warning message using:

        Timber.w("Logger")

import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity
import android.os.Bundle
import timber.log.Timber

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)
        Timber.d("Timber")
        Timber.w("Logger")
    }
}

Run

Copy the code or download it in the link below, build and run.

Reference

Here are the reference links:

Number Link
1. Download Example
2. Follow code author
3. Code: Apache 2.0 License