> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cockroachlabs.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# cockroach debug merge-logs

export const InternalLink = ({version, path = "", children, ...props}) => {
  let detectedVersion = version || "stable";
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    const match = window.location.pathname.match(/\/docs\/([^/]+)/);
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  return <a href={`/docs/${detectedVersion}/${normalizedPath}`} {...props}>
      {children}
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The `cockroach debug merge-logs` <InternalLink path="cockroach-commands">command</InternalLink> merges log files from multiple nodes into a single time-ordered stream of messages with an added per-message prefix to indicate the corresponding node. You can use it in conjunction with logs collected using the <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-zip">`debug zip`</InternalLink> command to aid in debugging.

<Danger>
  The file produced by `cockroach debug zip` can contain highly <InternalLink path="configure-logs#redact-logs">sensitive, identifiable information</InternalLink>, such as usernames, hashed passwords, and possibly your table's data. You can use the [`--redact`](#example) flag to redact the sensitive data out of log files and crash reports before sharing them with Cockroach Labs.
</Danger>

## Subcommands

While the `cockroach debug` command has a few subcommands, users are expected to use only the <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-zip">`zip`</InternalLink>, <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-encryption-active-key">`encryption-active-key`</InternalLink>, <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-merge-logs">`merge-logs`</InternalLink>, <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-list-files">`list-files`</InternalLink>, <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-tsdump">`tsdump`</InternalLink>, and <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-ballast">`ballast`</InternalLink> subcommands.

We recommend using the <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-encryption-decrypt">`encryption-decrypt`</InternalLink> and <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-job-trace">`job-trace`</InternalLink> subcommands only when directed by the <InternalLink path="support-resources">Cockroach Labs support team</InternalLink>.

The other `debug` subcommands are useful only to Cockroach Labs. Output of `debug` commands may contain sensitive or secret information.

## Synopsis

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
$ cockroach debug merge-logs [log file directory] [flags]
```

## Flags

The `debug merge-logs` subcommand supports the following flags:

| Flag       | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| ---------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `--format` | **Required** The <InternalLink path="log-formats">format of the logs</InternalLink> in the log file directory. The logs in a `.zip` generated using <InternalLink path="cockroach-debug-zip">`cockroach debug zip`</InternalLink> are of type <InternalLink path="log-formats#format-crdb-v1">`crdb-v1`</InternalLink>. |
| `--filter` | Limit the results to the specified regular expression                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| `--from`   | Start time for the time range filter.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| `--to`     | End time for the time range filter.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| `--redact` | Redact <InternalLink path="configure-logs#redact-logs">sensitive data</InternalLink> from the log files.                                                                                                                                                                                                                |

## Example

Generate a debug zip file:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
cockroach debug zip ./cockroach-data/logs/debug.zip --insecure
```

Unzip the file:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
unzip ./cockroach-data/logs/debug.zip
```

Merge the logs in the debug folder:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
cockroach debug merge-logs debug/nodes/*/logs/* --format=crdb-v1
```

Alternatively, filter the merged logs for a specified time range:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
cockroach debug merge-logs debug/nodes/*/logs/* --format=crdb-v1 --from="231031 19:19:50.917185" --to="231031 19:19:57.189263"
```

You can also filter the merged logs for a regular expression:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
cockroach debug merge-logs debug/nodes/*/logs/* --format=crdb-v1 --filter="ALL SECURITY CONTROLS HAVE BEEN DISABLED"
```

You can redact sensitive information from the merged logs:

```shell theme={"theme":{"light":"catppuccin-mocha","dark":"catppuccin-mocha"}}
cockroach debug merge-logs debug/nodes/*/logs/* --format=crdb-v1 --redact
```

## Considerations

As of v23.2, logs can be configured to use a <InternalLink path="configure-logs#set-timezone">timezone with formats `crdb-v1` or `crdb-v2`</InternalLink>. This is a <InternalLink version="releases" path="v23.2">backward-incompatible change</InternalLink>. `cockroach debug merge-logs` requires v23.2 or later if run against logs with the timezone configured. With versions prior to v23.2, `cockroach debug merge-logs` will return an error if run against logs with the timezone configured.

## See also

* <InternalLink path="support-resources">Support Resources</InternalLink>
* <InternalLink path="cockroach-commands">`cockroach` Commands Overview</InternalLink>
* <InternalLink path="troubleshooting-overview">Troubleshooting Overview</InternalLink>