# NServiceBus.Extensions.Logging Usage


This sample shows how to configure an NServiceBus endpoint to use NLog through the `Microsoft.Extensions.Logging` abstractions.

Both Microsoft.Extensions.Logging and NServiceBus.Logging are logging abstractions and both must be configured.

The following logging chain is created:

- NServiceBus.Logging
  - Microsoft.Extensions.Logging
    - NLog.Extensions.Logging
      - NLog
        - Console output

> [!NOTE]
> Starting with NServiceBus 10.2, endpoints hosted with the [.NET Generic Host](/nservicebus/hosting/core-hosting.md) using `AddNServiceBusEndpoint` automatically integrate with `Microsoft.Extensions.Logging` and the `NServiceBus.Extensions.Logging` bridge package is no longer required. This sample demonstrates the modern approach.


### Configure NLog

NLog in this example is configured in code:

<!-- snippet: NLogConfiguration -->

```cs
var config = new LoggingConfiguration();

var consoleTarget = new ColoredConsoleTarget
{
    Layout = "${level}|${logger}|${message}${onexception:${newline}${exception:format=tostring}}"
};
config.AddTarget("console", consoleTarget);
config.LoggingRules.Add(new LoggingRule("*", NLog.LogLevel.Debug, consoleTarget));

NLog.LogManager.Configuration = config;
```

<!-- endsnippet -->

> [!NOTE]
> There is no preference on how NLog is configured. Based on the NLog documentation, the most used method is with an [NLog configuration file](https://github.com/nlog/nlog/wiki/Configuration-file#configuration).

> [!WARNING]
> When using self-hosted endpoints, it is important that the NLog and Microsoft.Extensions.Logging abstractions are initialized before `Endpoint.Start` is invoked. When hosting with the .NET Generic Host, logging providers are registered on the host builder and the initialization is handled automatically by the host lifecycle.

### Configure logging abstractions

The following snippet shows how to register NLog as a logging provider. NLog has its own provider extensions for Microsoft.Extensions.Logging and needs an `NLogLoggerFactory` provider that implements an `Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.ILoggerFactory` instance so that `Microsoft.Extensions.Logging` can use NLog.

<!-- snippet: MicrosoftExtensionsLoggingNLog -->

```cs
builder.Logging.AddNLog(config);
```

<!-- endsnippet -->

Endpoints can be created or started only after the logging initialization has completed.