log4net vs. Nlog

Question

Anyone have experience for both? How do they stack up against each other?

We are planning on using one of them for logging in an enterprise application.

References:

log4net

nlog

EDIT: We have no existing dependencies to either nlog or log4net.

Answer 1

I was recently tasked to "prototype up some loggin'" for an upcoming project. I didn't have any logging framework experience. I researched, ran through tutorials, made toy apps, etc. on Log4Net, NLog, and Enterprise Library for a few days. Came back 3-4 weeks later and put them together into a cohesive demo. Hopefully some of this is useful to you.

My recommendation for our project is this:

1. Use a logging facade (e.g. Common.Logging, SimpleLoggingFacade) to avoid direct dependencies.
2. If we end up using Enterprise Library for other facilities, then use it for Logging, too.
3. If we end up using something with a dependency on Log4Net, use Log4Net.
4. If none of the above, use NLog. Which I'd prefer.

That's based on these findings (opinions!):

• All 3 frameworks are capable and can do some sophisticated things. We want a quality solution, but frankly don't need ultra high performance or 60 types of event sinks.
• All 3 have very similar basic concepts.
• Each has its own cool tricks, like really advanced routing, or dynamic log filenames, file truncating, etc.
• All 3 are pretty well documented in their own way.
• For a complete newb like me, they were all a little awkward initially. No drastic differences here for the basics. I got over it.
• When revisiting things a few weeks later, NLog was clearly the easiest to resume. I needed very little brush up on it. With Log4Net, I had to revisit a few online examples to get going. With EntLib, I gave up and did the tutorials all over again from scratch - I was totally lost.
• I couldn't figure out how to get EntLib to do some things like log to the database. It might be easy, but it was beyond my time limit.
• Log4Net and NLog have a small in-code footprint. EntLib is spammy, but I'd use a facade over it anyway.
• I accidentally mis-configured EntLib and it told me at run time. Log4Net didn't. I didn't have an accidental mis-config with NLog.
• EntLib comes with a nice looking app.config editor, which you 100% need. NLog has a config file schema so you get "intellisense". Log4Net comes with nada.

So obviously I like NLog so far. Not enough to use it in spite of having another solution available, though.

Answer 2

A key consideration that hasn't been much discussed is support and updates.

Log4Net hasn't been updated since version 1.2.10 was published April 19, 2006.

In contrast, NLog has been actively supported since 2006 will soon release NLog 2.0 supporting many platforms that didn't exist when log4net was last updated such as:

• NET Framework 2.0 SP1 and above, 3.5 & 4.0 (Client and Extended profiles)
• Silverlight 2.0, 3.0, 4.0
• .NET Compact Framework 2.0, 3.5
• Mono 2.x profile