logtail: add stateless generic UploadLogs (#20005)

Add UploadLogs, a stateless alternative to NewLogger for callers that want to push a batch of log entries without the background uploader, ring buffer, stderr echoing, or network-up gating that a Logger provides. Entries are encoded, batched up to the server's maximum upload size, and POSTed synchronously; unlike Logger it does not retry. The Logger construction is split into a new unexported newLogger so the connection/encode/upload machinery is shared without starting the background goroutine. Log entries are modeled as a generic LogEntry[T] whose Value is inlined (via go-json-experiment) alongside the reserved "logtail" metadata member. T may be a struct (or pointer), a map with a string key, or a jsontext.Value; use jsontext.Value to mix differently-shaped payloads in a single upload. UploadLogs fills in client_time/proc_id/proc_seq from the Config where the caller leaves them zero. Updates tailscale/corp#40908 Change-Id: Idbf23cd0eb8233082fbdb9abed0f6f153b9225ba Signed-off-by: James Scott <jim@tailscale.com>
2026-06-23 23:41:41 -04:00 · 2026-06-15 13:27:49 -07:00
parent eddd019ee4
commit 94fbb03352
3 changed files with 421 additions and 27 deletions
--- a/logtail/logtail.go
+++ b/logtail/logtail.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 	"expvar"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"iter"
 	"log"
 	mrand "math/rand/v2"
 	"net/http"
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@
 	"time"

 	"github.com/creachadair/msync/trigger"
+	jsonv2 "github.com/go-json-experiment/json"
 	"github.com/go-json-experiment/json/jsontext"
 	"tailscale.com/envknob"
 	"tailscale.com/metrics"
@@ -57,7 +59,10 @@
 // but not too large to be a notable waste of memory if retained forever.
 const bufferSize = 4 << 10

-func NewLogger(cfg Config, logf tslogger.Logf) *Logger {
+// newLogger constructs a *Logger from cfg, applying defaults, but does not start
+// the background uploading goroutine. It is shared by [NewLogger] and the
+// stateless [UploadLogs].
+func newLogger(cfg Config) *Logger {
 	if cfg.BaseURL == "" {
 		cfg.BaseURL = "https://" + DefaultHost
 	}
@@ -134,6 +139,14 @@ func NewLogger(cfg Config, logf tslogger.Logf) *Logger {
 	logger.compressLogs = cfg.CompressLogs
 	logger.disabled.Store(cfg.Disabled)

+	return logger
+}
+
+// NewLogger returns a new Logger that splits logs as configured between local
+// logging facilities and uploading to a log server in the background.
+func NewLogger(cfg Config, logf tslogger.Logf) *Logger {
+	logger := newLogger(cfg)
+
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	logger.uploadCancel = cancel

@@ -144,6 +157,139 @@ func NewLogger(cfg Config, logf tslogger.Logf) *Logger {
 	return logger
 }

+// Logtail is the reserved "logtail" metadata member of a [LogEntry].
+//
+// Zero-valued fields are omitted when an entry is uploaded. [UploadLogs] fills
+// in any fields the caller leaves zero from its [Config] (e.g. ClientTime and
+// ProcID), so most callers can leave this empty.
+type Logtail struct {
+	// ClientTime is the time the entry was generated. If zero, [UploadLogs]
+	// fills it with the current time unless Config.SkipClientTime is set.
+	ClientTime time.Time `json:"client_time,omitzero"`
+	// ProcID is an ephemeral process identifier; see Config.IncludeProcID.
+	ProcID uint32 `json:"proc_id,omitzero"`
+	// ProcSeq is an ephemeral per-process sequence number; see
+	// Config.IncludeProcSequence.
+	ProcSeq uint64 `json:"proc_seq,omitzero"`
+}
+
+// LogEntry is a single log entry to be uploaded via [UploadLogs].
+//
+// It marshals to a JSON object whose reserved "logtail" member carries the
+// metadata in Logtail and whose remaining members are taken from Value, which
+// is inlined at the top level alongside "logtail".
+//
+// Value must marshal to a JSON object: T must be a Go struct (or pointer to
+// one), a Go map with a string key, or a [jsontext.Value] holding an object
+// (for example jsontext.Value(`{"text":"hello"}`)). This is enforced when the
+// entry is uploaded, not at compile time. Use T = [jsontext.Value] to mix
+// differently-shaped payloads in a single upload.
+type LogEntry[T any] struct {
+	Logtail Logtail `json:"logtail,omitzero"`
+	Value   T       `json:",inline"`
+}
+
+// UploadLogs uploads entries to the log server described by conf and returns
+// once they have all been sent (or an upload fails). It returns the number of
+// entries that were successfully uploaded.
+//
+// It is a stateless alternative to [NewLogger] for callers that just want to
+// push a batch of log entries without the background uploader, ring buffer,
+// stderr echoing, or network-up gating that a [Logger] provides. Each entry is
+// marshaled to JSON, its [Logtail] metadata is filled in from conf where the
+// caller left it zero (honoring conf.SkipClientTime, conf.IncludeProcID, and
+// conf.IncludeProcSequence), and entries are batched up to the server's maximum
+// upload size and POSTed synchronously (compressed when conf.CompressLogs is
+// set).
+//
+// Unlike [Logger], UploadLogs does not retry: if a batch fails to upload it
+// returns the count of entries sent in prior batches and the error immediately,
+// and any remaining entries are not sent. The conf.Stderr and conf.Bus fields
+// are ignored.
+func UploadLogs[T any](ctx context.Context, conf Config, entries iter.Seq[LogEntry[T]]) (int, error) {
+	conf.Stderr = io.Discard // pure uploader: never echo to stderr
+	conf.Bus = nil           // no netmon/eventbus subscription for a one-shot
+	lg := newLogger(conf)
+
+	maxLen := cmp.Or(lg.maxUploadSize, maxSize)
+	if lg.lowMem {
+		maxLen /= lowMemRatio
+	}
+
+	// body accumulates a JSON array of encoded entries: "[e1,e2,...]".
+	// The framing mirrors Logger.drainPending.
+	body := make([]byte, 0, bufferSize) // reused across batches
+	body = append(body, '[')
+
+	// sent counts entries confirmed uploaded; pending counts entries
+	// accumulated in body but not yet uploaded. A successful sendBatch moves
+	// pending into sent.
+	var sent, pending int
+	sendBatch := func() error {
+		if len(body) <= len("[") {
+			return nil
+		}
+		out := bytes.TrimRight(body, ",")
+		out = append(out, ']')
+		origlen := -1 // sentinel value: uncompressed
+		// Don't attempt to compress tiny bodies; not worth the CPU cycles.
+		if lg.compressLogs && len(out) > 256 {
+			zbody := zstdframe.AppendEncode(nil, out,
+				zstdframe.FastestCompression, zstdframe.LowMemory(true))
+			// Only send it compressed if the bandwidth savings are sufficient.
+			if len(out)-len(zbody) > 64 {
+				origlen = len(out)
+				out = zbody
+			}
+		}
+		// upload is synchronous, so it is safe to reuse body's backing array
+		// for the next batch once upload returns.
+		if _, err := lg.upload(ctx, out, origlen); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		body = body[:len("[")]
+		sent += pending
+		pending = 0
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	var procSeq uint64
+	for e := range entries {
+		if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+			return sent, err
+		}
+
+		// Fill in metadata from conf, preserving any caller-set values.
+		if e.Logtail.ClientTime.IsZero() && !lg.skipClientTime {
+			e.Logtail.ClientTime = lg.clock.Now().UTC()
+		}
+		if e.Logtail.ProcID == 0 {
+			e.Logtail.ProcID = lg.procID
+		}
+		procSeq++
+		if lg.includeProcSequence {
+			e.Logtail.ProcSeq = procSeq
+		}
+
+		enc, err := jsonv2.Marshal(e)
+		if err != nil {
+			return sent, fmt.Errorf("logtail: encoding entry %d: %w", procSeq, err)
+		}
+
+		// Flush the current batch before adding an entry that would overflow it.
+		if len(body) > len("[") && len(body)+len(enc) > maxLen {
+			if err := sendBatch(); err != nil {
+				return sent, err
+			}
+		}
+		body = append(body, enc...)
+		body = append(body, ',')
+		pending++
+	}
+	err := sendBatch()
+	return sent, err
+}
+
 // Logger writes logs, splitting them as configured between local
 // logging facilities and uploading to a log server.
 type Logger struct {
--- a/logtail/logtail_omit.go
+++ b/logtail/logtail_omit.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@

 import (
 	"context"
+	"iter"
+	"time"

 	tslogger "tailscale.com/types/logger"
 	"tailscale.com/types/logid"
@@ -18,6 +20,21 @@ type Logger struct{

 type Buffer any

+type Logtail struct {
+	ClientTime time.Time `json:"client_time,omitzero"`
+	ProcID     uint32    `json:"proc_id,omitzero"`
+	ProcSeq    uint64    `json:"proc_seq,omitzero"`
+}
+
+type LogEntry[T any] struct {
+	Logtail Logtail `json:"logtail,omitzero"`
+	Value   T       `json:",inline"`
+}
+
+func UploadLogs[T any](ctx context.Context, conf Config, entries iter.Seq[LogEntry[T]]) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func Disable() {}

 func (*Logger) SetEnabled(enabled bool) {}
--- a/logtail/logtail_test.go
+++ b/logtail/logtail_test.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
@@ -70,34 +71,12 @@ type LogtailTestServer struct {
 func newTestLogtailServer(t *testing.T) (*LogtailTestServer, *Logger) {
 	// Enable the logtail started message
 	envknob.Setenv("TS_DEBUG_LOGTAIL", "1")
-	ts := &LogtailTestServer{
-		// max channel backlog = 1 "started" + #logLines x "log line" + 1 "closed"
-		uploaded: make(chan []byte, 2+logLines),
-	}

-	handler := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		body, err := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Error("failed to read HTTP request")
-		}
-		ts.uploaded <- body
-	})
+	conf, uploaded := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+	conf.Bus = eventbustest.NewBus(t)
+	ts := &LogtailTestServer{uploaded: uploaded}

-	ln := memnet.Listen("logtail-test:0")
-	httpsrv := &http.Server{Handler: handler}
-	go httpsrv.Serve(ln)
-	t.Cleanup(func() {
-		httpsrv.Close()
-		ln.Close()
-	})
-
-	logger := NewLogger(Config{
-		BaseURL: "http://" + ln.Addr().String(),
-		Bus:     eventbustest.NewBus(t),
-		HTTPC: &http.Client{
-			Transport: &http.Transport{DialContext: ln.Dial},
-		},
-	}, t.Logf)
+	logger := NewLogger(conf, t.Logf)

 	// There is always an initial "logtail started" message.
 	body := <-ts.uploaded
@@ -264,6 +243,258 @@ func unmarshalOne(t *testing.T, body []byte) map[string]any {
 	return entries[0]
 }

+// newCaptureServer wires up an in-memory HTTP server (via memnet) that sends
+// each uploaded request body to the returned channel and responds with
+// respStatus (0 means 200 OK), returning a Config whose HTTPC dials it.
+func newCaptureServer(t *testing.T, respStatus int) (Config, chan []byte) {
+	t.Helper()
+	// max channel backlog = 1 "started" + #logLines x "log line" + 1 "closed"
+	uploaded := make(chan []byte, 2+logLines)
+	handler := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		body, err := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("failed to read HTTP request: %v", err)
+		}
+		uploaded <- body
+		if respStatus != 0 {
+			w.WriteHeader(respStatus)
+		}
+	})
+
+	ln := memnet.Listen("logtail-test:0")
+	httpsrv := &http.Server{Handler: handler}
+	go httpsrv.Serve(ln)
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		httpsrv.Close()
+		ln.Close()
+	})
+
+	conf := Config{
+		BaseURL: "http://" + ln.Addr().String(),
+		HTTPC:   &http.Client{Transport: &http.Transport{DialContext: ln.Dial}},
+	}
+	return conf, uploaded
+}
+
+func TestUploadLogs(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("InlinesValueAlongsideLogtail", func(t *testing.T) {
+		conf, got := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		entries := []LogEntry[jsontext.Value]{
+			{Value: jsontext.Value(`{"text":"first line"}`)},
+			{Value: jsontext.Value(`{"text":"second line","extra":42}`)},
+		}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if n != len(entries) {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want %d", n, len(entries))
+		}
+
+		var all []map[string]any
+		body := <-got
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(body, &all); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("unmarshal %q: %v", body, err)
+		}
+		if len(all) != 2 {
+			t.Fatalf("got %d entries, want 2", len(all))
+		}
+		if got, want := all[0]["text"], "first line"; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("entry 0 text = %v; want %q", got, want)
+		}
+		if got, want := all[1]["text"], "second line"; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("entry 1 text = %v; want %q", got, want)
+		}
+		if got, want := all[1]["extra"], float64(42); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("entry 1 extra = %v; want %v", got, want)
+		}
+		for i, e := range all {
+			lt, ok := e["logtail"].(map[string]any)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Errorf("entry %d missing logtail metadata", i)
+				continue
+			}
+			if _, ok := lt["client_time"]; !ok {
+				t.Errorf("entry %d missing client_time", i)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("TypedStructPayload", func(t *testing.T) {
+		conf, got := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		type record struct {
+			Text  string `json:"text"`
+			Count int    `json:"count"`
+		}
+		entries := []LogEntry[record]{
+			{Value: record{Text: "hi", Count: 3}},
+		}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if n != len(entries) {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want %d", n, len(entries))
+		}
+		e := unmarshalOne(t, <-got)
+		if got, want := e["text"], "hi"; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("text = %v; want %q", got, want)
+		}
+		if got, want := e["count"], float64(3); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("count = %v; want %v", got, want)
+		}
+		if _, ok := e["logtail"].(map[string]any); !ok {
+			t.Errorf("missing logtail metadata")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("MapPayload", func(t *testing.T) {
+		conf, got := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		entries := []LogEntry[map[string]any]{
+			{Value: map[string]any{"text": "m", "n": 5}},
+		}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if n != len(entries) {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want %d", n, len(entries))
+		}
+		e := unmarshalOne(t, <-got)
+		if got, want := e["text"], "m"; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("text = %v; want %q", got, want)
+		}
+		if got, want := e["n"], float64(5); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("n = %v; want %v", got, want)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("MapWithNamedStringKey", func(t *testing.T) {
+		type label string // ~string key
+		conf, got := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		entries := []LogEntry[map[label]int]{
+			{Value: map[label]int{"a": 1, "b": 2}},
+		}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if n != len(entries) {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want %d", n, len(entries))
+		}
+		e := unmarshalOne(t, <-got)
+		if got, want := e["a"], float64(1); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("a = %v; want %v", got, want)
+		}
+		if got, want := e["b"], float64(2); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("b = %v; want %v", got, want)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("PointerToStructPayload", func(t *testing.T) {
+		type record struct {
+			Text string `json:"text"`
+		}
+		conf, got := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		entries := []LogEntry[*record]{
+			{Value: &record{Text: "ptr"}},
+		}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if n != len(entries) {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want %d", n, len(entries))
+		}
+		e := unmarshalOne(t, <-got)
+		if got, want := e["text"], "ptr"; got != want {
+			t.Errorf("text = %v; want %q", got, want)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("NilPointerPayloadOmitsInlinedValue", func(t *testing.T) {
+		type record struct {
+			Text string `json:"text"`
+		}
+		conf, got := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		entries := []LogEntry[*record]{
+			{Value: nil},
+		}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if n != len(entries) {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want %d", n, len(entries))
+		}
+		e := unmarshalOne(t, <-got)
+		if _, ok := e["text"]; ok {
+			t.Errorf("expected no inlined members for nil pointer payload, got %v", e)
+		}
+		if _, ok := e["logtail"].(map[string]any); !ok {
+			t.Errorf("missing logtail metadata")
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("RejectsNon-objectPayload", func(t *testing.T) {
+		conf, _ := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		entries := []LogEntry[int]{{Value: 5}}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected an error marshaling a non-object inline payload")
+		} else if n != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want 0", n)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("PreservesCaller-setLogtailFields", func(t *testing.T) {
+		conf, got := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		entries := []LogEntry[jsontext.Value]{
+			{Logtail: Logtail{ProcID: 1234}, Value: jsontext.Value(`{"text":"x"}`)},
+		}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if n != len(entries) {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want %d", n, len(entries))
+		}
+		e := unmarshalOne(t, <-got)
+		lt := e["logtail"].(map[string]any)
+		if got, want := lt["proc_id"], float64(1234); got != want {
+			t.Errorf("proc_id = %v; want %v", got, want)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("UploadErrorOnNon-200", func(t *testing.T) {
+		conf, _ := newCaptureServer(t, http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		entries := []LogEntry[jsontext.Value]{{Value: jsontext.Value(`{"text":"x"}`)}}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected an error when the server responds non-200")
+		} else if n != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want 0", n)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("IncludesIncrementingProc_seq", func(t *testing.T) {
+		conf, got := newCaptureServer(t, 0)
+		conf.IncludeProcSequence = true
+		entries := []LogEntry[jsontext.Value]{
+			{Value: jsontext.Value(`{"text":"one"}`)},
+			{Value: jsontext.Value(`{"text":"two"}`)},
+			{Value: jsontext.Value(`{"text":"three"}`)},
+		}
+		if n, err := UploadLogs(context.Background(), conf, slices.Values(entries)); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		} else if n != len(entries) {
+			t.Errorf("uploaded %d entries, want %d", n, len(entries))
+		}
+
+		var all []map[string]any
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(<-got, &all); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if len(all) != 3 {
+			t.Fatalf("got %d entries, want 3", len(all))
+		}
+		for i, e := range all {
+			lt := e["logtail"].(map[string]any)
+			seq, ok := lt["proc_seq"].(float64)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Fatalf("entry %d missing proc_seq", i)
+			}
+			if int(seq) != i+1 {
+				t.Errorf("entry %d proc_seq = %v; want %d", i, seq, i+1)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 type simpleMemBuf struct {
 	Buffer
 	buf bytes.Buffer