Tutorials ASP.NET Core Web API Tutorial
How to Implement Logging using nLog in ASP.NET Core Web API — Complete Guide
How to Implement Logging using nLog in ASP.NET Core Web API — Complete Guide: free step-by-step lesson with examples, common mistakes, and interview tips — part of ASP.NET Core Web API Tutorial on Toolliyo Academy.
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ASP.NET Core Web API Tutorial · Lesson 107 of 175
How to Implement Logging using nLog in ASP.NET Core Web API
Beginner ✓ → Intermediate ✓ → Advanced → Professional
Advanced · 3 — Security & patterns · ~10 min · Module 9: Logging
What is this?
nLog is a flexible logging library with file, database, and email targets — alternative to Serilog.
Why should you care?
Many enterprise codebases still use nLog. Knowing both Serilog and nLog helps you join existing teams.
See it live — copy this example
Create a Web API (dotnet new webapi), paste the example, run dotnet run, test in Swagger.
// nlog.config + Program.cs
builder.Logging.ClearProviders();
builder.Host.UseNLog();
Run Example »
This lesson uses terminal or setup steps. Run commands on your computer — the live editor appears on coding lessons.
What happened?
- Follow the practice steps below on ShopNest.API — typing code yourself is the fastest way to learn.
Try it yourself
- Install NLog.Web.AspNetCore.
- Add nlog.config with file target.
- Inject ILogger and log test message.
- Change a route URL or DTO property and save — test again in Swagger or curl.
- Return the wrong status code on purpose (404 instead of 200) and see what the client shows.