---
title = "Debug Realtime with Logger and Log Levels"
date_created = "2025-11-28T00:00:00+00:00"
topics = [ "realtime" ]
keywords = [ "debug", "logger", "log_level", "troubleshooting", "diagnostics" ]
---

## What are logger and log_level parameters?

The Realtime client provides built-in logging to help you debug connection issues, track messages, and understand what's happening with your real-time connections. Two parameters control logging:

- **`logger`**: A custom function to handle log messages
- **`logLevel`**: Controls which messages the server logs (`info`, `warn`, or `error`)

By default, logging is disabled. When enabled, you can see:

- Messages sent and received
- Connection events (connect, disconnect, errors)
- Heartbeat status
- Channel subscriptions
- Worker events

## How to enable logging in your Realtime client

### Basic logging to console

```tsx
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js'

const supabase = createClient(SUPABASE_URL, SUPABASE_KEY, {
  realtime: {
    logger: (kind, msg, data) => {
      console.log(`${kind}: ${msg}`, data)
    },
  },
})
```

### With log levels for server-side filtering

```tsx
const supabase = createClient(SUPABASE_URL, SUPABASE_KEY, {
  realtime: {
    logLevel: 'info', // 'info' | 'warn' | 'error'
    logger: (kind, msg, data) => {
      console.log(`[${kind}] ${msg}`, data)
    },
  },
})
```

## Understanding log messages

The logger receives three parameters: `kind`, `msg`, and `data`.

**Log kinds you'll see:**

**`push`** - Messages sent to the server

```
push: realtime:chat heartbeat (42) {}
push: realtime:chat phx_join (1) { config: {...} }
```

**`receive`** - Messages received from server

```
receive: ok realtime:chat phx_reply (1) { response: {...} }
receive: realtime:chat broadcast { event: 'message', payload: {...} }
```

**`transport`** - Connection events

```
transport: connected to wss://project.supabase.co/realtime/v1
transport: heartbeat timeout. Attempting to re-establish connection
transport: close CloseEvent {...}
transport: leaving duplicate topic "realtime:chat"
```

**`error`** - Error events

```
error: error in heartbeat callback Error: ...
error: error waiting for auth on connect Error: ...
```

**`worker`** - Web Worker events

```
worker: starting default worker
worker: starting worker for from /worker.js
worker: worker error message
```

**Common debugging scenarios**

**Debug why channel won't subscribe:**

```tsx
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js'

const supabase = createClient(SUPABASE_URL, SUPABASE_KEY, {
  realtime: {
    logger: (kind, msg, data) => {
      console.log(`[${kind}] ${msg}`, data)
    },
  },
})

const channel = supabase
  .channel('debug-channel')
  .on('broadcast', { event: 'test' }, (payload) => {
    console.log('Received:', payload)
  })
  .subscribe((status, err) => {
    console.log('Subscribe status:', status, err)
  })

// Check logs for:
// push: realtime:debug-channel phx_join - subscription attempt
// receive: ok realtime:debug-channel phx_reply - successful subscription
// Or error messages if subscription failed
```

## Debug message delivery issues

```tsx
const supabase = createClient(SUPABASE_URL, SUPABASE_KEY, {
  realtime: {
    logger: (kind, msg, data) => {
      if (kind === 'push' || kind === 'receive') {
        console.log(`[${kind}] ${msg}`, data)
      }
    },
  },
})

const channel = supabase.channel('chat', { config: { broadcast: { self: true } } })

channel.on('broadcast', { event: 'message' }, (payload) => {
  console.log('Message received:', payload)
})
// Send message after subscribing
channel.subscribe((status, err) => {
  if (status == 'SUBSCRIBED') {
    channel.send({
      type: 'broadcast',
      event: 'message',
      payload: { text: 'Hello' },
    })
  } else {
    console.error({ status, err })
  }
})

// Check logs:
// push: realtime:chat broadcast - message sent
// receive: realtime:chat broadcast - message received (if self: true)
```