Introduced with Mac OS X, logs became a good way to diagnose a Mac’s problems, using Console. Then in 2016 it all changed, and not for the benefit of administrators or users.
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Tuning your Mac for performance can be a good investment of time. Beware of general benchmarks, though, and develop your own objective measurements. Then identify the rate-limiting step methodically, so you can address that.
macOS logs may only last a few days, or even hours, into the past. Here’s a quick and simple way of browsing the log from weeks, months or even years ago.
Equipping LogUI with controls to get log extracts from arbitrary periods in the past reveals two shortcomings: high memory use, and failure to release that.
Displaying log entries using semantic colour seemed most appropriate using AttributedString, but performs very poorly. The solution is a SwiftUI List view.
Moving away from using the log command tool to obtain log extracts for browsing requires using OSLog. Its API explored and implemented in a demo app.
Digging for buried treasure in the Unified log isn’t easy, but has a fine track history of bringing plenty of silver and gold. Here it’s about batteries.
A strategy for diagnosing problems using the log. How to limit the number of entries shown using appropriate periods and predicates, and more.
How to obtain and read entries in the Unified log made by APFS. Their structure, and a guide to their identification and occurrence.
There are 3 different ways to access the log, and its entries will be different depending on which way you use. This explains the differences and methods.
The Eclectic Light Company 