Workflows orchestrate operations on Pantheon, whether pushing a commit or setting up a new Multidev environment. Each workflow contains a sequence of tasks and a lengthy log. These logs contain crucial information for diagnosing issues, but pinpointing specific errors can often feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. That’s where Pantheon’s new Workflow Logs feature comes in.
Every automated and manual action creates a trail of logs within the intricate web of website operations. Although these logs are vital for troubleshooting, identifying the exact issue can be daunting. Sometimes, you must copy sections of a log file and spend time removing unformatted special characters before proper diagnosis. Workflow Logs simplify this process by highlighting errors at a high level, bringing critical information directly to you, and saving you time and frustration.
For any team managing a portfolio of sites on Pantheon, Workflow Logs will greatly enhance day-to-day operations and streamline development processes, especially for sites utilizing Integrated Composer and Quicksilver.
Integrated Composer
Previously, teams could utilize the Terminus plugin for Integrated Composer to access comprehensive logs or refer to the commit log, which provided only logs associated with a commit. With Workflow Logs, accessing these workflows is more accessible, providing complete and detailed logs in a few clicks.
Quicksilver
Teams leveraging Quicksilver for custom automation (like notifying a Slack channel with every deployment of code to a live environment) in their operations can encounter challenges in confirming the success of their workflows, necessitating workarounds for retrieving related logs. Previously, this data was available only through our command line interface, Terminus. With Workflow Logs, all Quicksilver-related tasks are now viewable in a centralized location, simplifying the process and ensuring you can easily confirm their completion.
Workflow Logs’ Benefits
- Improved Collaboration: Workflow logs enhance team communication by providing a unified view of all activities on a site, making it easier to stay aligned and informed.
- Enhanced Troubleshooting: The logs offer detailed yet succinct insights into each workflow step, significantly improving debugging and reducing the time required to resolve issues.
- Efficient and Proactive Management: Workflow Logs display only the most relevant workflows, with real-time reporting on completion status. This proactive alerting supports early detection of potential issues, reducing errors and minimizing downtime.
How to Access and Use Workflow Logs
Accessing Workflow Logs is straightforward. Within your workspace dashboard, select a site and locate the Workflow Logs tab adjacent to the Support tab. The interface features a color-coded status indicator for each workflow, detailed with crucial information such as the environment, start and end times, and the name of the team member who initiated the workflow. Additionally, the logs can be filtered and downloaded for archival purposes.
Ongoing Improvements and User Feedback
Pantheon is dedicated to refining the Workflow Logs experience by updating existing troubleshooting and adding additional workflow categories. Please submit feedback and suggestions through Pantheon’s community Slack.
