User Identification

User identification allows you to associate logs with specific users, making it easier to track user actions, debug user-specific issues, and maintain audit trails.

Basic Usage

Use Log.Identify() to associate logs with a specific user:

// Identify user
Log.Identify(new AuthUser 
{ 
    Id = "12345", 
    Email = "user@example.com" 
});

// All subsequent logs will be associated with this user
Log.Info("User performed action");
Log.Error("User encountered error", errorContext, ex);

// Logout to make subsequent logs anonymous
Log.Logout();

AuthUser Model

The AuthUser class contains user identification information:

namespace Bytehide.Logger.Common.Models.Users;

public class AuthUser
{
    public string Id { get; set; }
    public string Email { get; set; }
    public string Token { get; set; }
}

User Identification Methods

Identify User

// Basic user identification
Log.Identify(new AuthUser 
{ 
    Id = "user_12345", 
    Email = "john.doe@company.com" 
});

// All subsequent logs will be associated with this user
Log.Info("User logged in successfully");
Log.Debug("User accessing dashboard");

Update Previous Logs

// Associate previous anonymous logs with the user
Log.Identify(new AuthUser 
{ 
    Id = "user_12345", 
    Email = "john.doe@company.com" 
}, updatePreviousLogs: true);

// This will update anonymous logs sent before identification

User Logout

// Make subsequent logs anonymous
Log.Logout();

// All logs after logout will be anonymous
Log.Info("Anonymous action performed");

Integration Example

ASP.NET Core Login/Logout

[ApiController]
public class AuthController : ControllerBase
{
    [HttpPost("login")]
    public async Task<IActionResult> Login(LoginRequest request)
    {
        var user = await _authService.AuthenticateAsync(request.Email, request.Password);
        
        // Identify user in logs
        Log.Identify(new AuthUser 
        { 
            Id = user.Id, 
            Email = user.Email,
            Token = user.AuthToken 
        });
        
        Log.Info("User login successful");
        return Ok(new { Token = user.AuthToken });
    }

    [HttpPost("logout")]
    public IActionResult Logout()
    {
        Log.Logout();
        return Ok();
    }
}

updatePreviousLogs Parameter

When set to true, associates previous anonymous logs with the user:

// Anonymous logs
Log.Info("Application started");
Log.Info("Loading configuration");

// Identify user and update previous logs
Log.Identify(new AuthUser 
{ 
    Id = "user_123", 
    Email = "john@example.com" 
}, updatePreviousLogs: true);

// Previous logs are now associated with user_123

Best Practices

Next Steps

• Correlation IDs - Track requests across services
• Global Properties - Add consistent context to all logs
• Data Masking - Protect sensitive user information