---
title: GitHub Codespaces logs
intro: 'Overview of the logs used by {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %}.'
versions:
fpt: '*'
ghec: '*'
type: reference
topics:
- Codespaces
- Logging
shortTitle: Codespaces logs
redirect_from:
- /codespaces/troubleshooting/codespaces-logs
---
{% jetbrains %}
{% data reusables.codespaces.codespaces-jetbrains-beta-note %}
{% endjetbrains %}
Information on {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} is output to various logs:
{% webui %}
- Codespace logs
- Creation logs
- Browser console logs (for the {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} web client)
Extension logs are available if you are using {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %}. Click the "{% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}" tab above for details.
{% endwebui %}
{% vscode %}
- Codespace logs
- Creation logs
- Extension logs (for the {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} desktop application)
Browser logs are available if you are using {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} in your browser. Click the "Web browser" tab above for details.
{% endvscode %}
{% cli %}
- Codespace logs
- Creation logs
Other logs are available if you are using {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} or in your web browser. Click the tabs above for details.
{% endcli %}
{% jetbrains %}
- Creation logs
Other logs are available if you are using {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} or in your web browser. Click the tabs above for details.
{% endjetbrains %}
{% webui %}
{% data reusables.codespaces.codespace-logs %}
1. If you are using {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} in the browser, ensure that you are connected to the codespace you want to debug.
1. Open the {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_command_palette_shortname %} (Shift+Command+P (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux)) and type **Export logs**. Select **Codespaces: Export Logs** from the list to download the logs.
1. Define where to save the zip archive of logs then click **Save** (desktop) or click **OK** (web).
1. If you are using {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} in the browser, right-click on the zip archive of logs from the Explorer view and select **Download…** to download them to your local machine.
{% endwebui %}
{% vscode %}
{% data reusables.codespaces.codespace-logs %}
1. Open the {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_command_palette_shortname %} (Shift+Command+P (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux)) and type **Export logs**. Select **Codespaces: Export Logs** from the list to download the logs.
1. Define where to save the zip archive of logs then click **Save** (desktop) or click **OK** (web).
{% endvscode %}
{% cli %}
{% data reusables.codespaces.codespace-logs %}
Currently you can't use {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} to access these logs. To access them, open your codespace in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} or in a browser.
{% endcli %}
## Creation logs
These logs contain information about the container, dev container, and their configuration. They are useful for debugging configuration and setup problems.
{% webui %}
1. Connect to the codespace you want to debug.
2. Open the {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_command_palette_shortname %} (Shift+Command+P (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux)) and type **Creation logs**. Select **Codespaces: View Creation Log** from the list to open the `creation.log` file.
If you want to share the log with support, you can copy the text from the creation log into a text editor and save the file locally.
{% endwebui %}
{% vscode %}
Open the {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_command_palette_shortname %} (Shift+Command+P (Mac) / Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux)) and type **Creation logs**. Select **Codespaces: View Creation Log** from the list to open the `creation.log` file.
If you want to share the log with support, you can copy the text from the creation log into a text editor and save the file locally.
{% endvscode %}
{% cli %}
{% data reusables.cli.cli-learn-more %}
To see the creation log use the `gh codespace logs` subcommand. After entering the command choose from the list of codespaces that's displayed.
```shell
gh codespace logs
```
For more information about this command, see [the {% data variables.product.prodname_cli %} manual](https://cli.github.com/manual/gh_codespace_logs).
If you want to share the log with support, you can save the output to a file:
```shell
gh codespace logs -c > /path/to/logs.txt
```
{% endcli %}
{% vscode %}
## Extension logs
These logs are available for {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} desktop users only. They are useful if it seems like the {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} extension or {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %} editor are having issues that prevent creation or connection.
1. In {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %}, open the Command Palette.
1. Type **Logs** and select **Developer: Open Extension Logs Folder** from the list to open the extension log folder in your system's file explorer.
From this view, you can access logs generated by the various extensions that you use in {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode_shortname %}. You will see logs for {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %}, {% data variables.product.prodname_dotcom %} Authentication, and Git, in addition to any other extensions you have enabled.
{% endvscode %}
{% webui %}
## Browser console logs
These logs are useful only if you want to debug problems with using {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} in the browser. They are useful for debugging problems creating and connecting to {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %}.
1. In the browser window for the codespace you want to debug, open the developer tools window.
1. Display the "Console" tab and click **errors** in the left sidebar to show only the errors.
1. In the log area on the right, right-click and select **Save as** to save a copy of the errors to your local machine.
{% endwebui %}
{% jetbrains %}
{% data reusables.codespaces.jetbrains-open-codespace-plugin %}
1. In the {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} tool window, click the log icon.
## JetBrains logs
You can download logs for the remote JetBrains IDE and the local client application by going to the **Help** menu in the JetBrains client application and clicking **Collect Host and Client Logs**.
{% endjetbrains %}
## Further reading
- "[Reviewing your organization's audit logs for {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %}](/codespaces/managing-codespaces-for-your-organization/reviewing-your-organizations-audit-logs-for-github-codespaces)"
- "[Reviewing your security logs for {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %}](/codespaces/managing-your-codespaces/reviewing-your-security-logs-for-github-codespaces)"