When will you use this?

Use tests when code handles money, login, or anything you cannot afford to break silently.

• xUnit tests catch bugs before deploy — especially payment and auth logic.
• Integration tests spin up your API in memory and call endpoints like a real client.

Real-world: ShopNest store backend

The Retail team building ShopNest store backend uses Structured Logging to search logs by OrderId when customer complains. shoppers and admins never see the C# code — they just get a fast, reliable cart, orders, and inventory API.

Production-style code

[Fact]
public void Structured_Logging_Should_Work()
{
    Assert.True(true); // replace with real test
}

What happens in production: In ShopNest store backend, getting Structured Logging right means shoppers and admins trust the cart, orders, and inventory API every day.

Lesson example (start here)

Copy this smaller example first. Once it works, compare it with the real-world code above.

[Fact]
public void Structured_Logging_Should_Work()
{
    Assert.True(true); // replace with real test
}

Line-by-line walkthrough

How it works (big picture)

• Study the example line by line.
• Each part connects to Structured Logging.
• Edit one line, save, run dotnet run, and see what changes.

Do this on your computer

1. Add one xUnit test for a service method.
2. Run dotnet test.
3. Break the code on purpose and see the test fail.
4. Read the real-world section and name which part of the app uses this topic.
5. Run the example locally with dotnet run and confirm the same behavior.
6. Change one value in the example (route, text, or connection string) and predict what will happen before you save.

Experiments — try changing this

• Change a string or route in the example and save — watch the browser or Swagger response update.
• Break the code on purpose (remove a semicolon), read the error message, then fix it.
• Use dotnet watch run while editing Structured Logging — the app restarts on save.

Remember

You learned what Structured Logging is and when to use it in ShopNest. Practice by changing the example yourself. Use the Next link when you can explain it in your own words.

Common questions