I'm currently developing a personal SaaS project that hasn't launched yet, and I'm at the point where I need to set up logging. I'm weighing my options between self-hosting a logging stack like ELK or EFK, or using a cloud-based logging service. I've noticed that New Relic offers a free tier with a 100GB per month ingest limit, which looks quite appealing. I'm also open to checking out other alternatives, as I haven't done extensive research in this area. What do you all think is the better route, and why?
4 Answers
For a small personal project, I'd recommend going with a cloud solution. Setting up and running a full observability stack is quite an undertaking, especially if it's not something you're used to managing.
Why not consider Loki? It's a lot simpler than the stacks you've mentioned and can be self-hosted for free. It could be a good option if you're concerned about cloud reliance.
Remember that logging can be intricate on its own. If you decide to build your own logging system, be prepared to handle tasks like managing disk space, indexing, and ensuring that data ingestion is functioning smoothly. Plus, you'll need to create search patterns to break down your log entries properly.
You might want to check out Grafana Cloud's simple plan. It's user-friendly and could save you a lot of hassle compared to setting up something from scratch.
I've heard of Loki but wasn't sure about it. A lot of people advise going for cloud services because of the maintenance burden. Is Loki really that straightforward?