How to Configure logrotate on Ubuntu Server 26.04

Configuring logrotate on Ubuntu Server 26.04 allows administrators to control how log files are rotated, compressed, retained, and deleted. This prevents large log files from filling disk space and affecting server stability.

On a Linux VPS server, custom logrotate rules are useful for websites, applications, scripts, and services that write logs outside the default system locations.

Step 1: Connect to the Ubuntu Server

Access the server using SSH:

ssh root@your_server_ip

Step 2: Confirm logrotate Is Installed

Check the installed version:

logrotate --version

If logrotate is not installed, install it first:

apt update
apt install logrotate -y

Step 3: Understand logrotate Configuration Paths

The global configuration file is:

/etc/logrotate.conf

Service-specific configuration files are usually stored in:

/etc/logrotate.d/

For custom applications, it is better to create a separate file inside /etc/logrotate.d/ instead of editing the main configuration file directly.

Step 4: Create a Sample Log File

Create a directory for a custom application log:

mkdir -p /var/log/myapp

Create a sample log file:

touch /var/log/myapp/app.log

Add test content:

echo "Test log entry" >> /var/log/myapp/app.log

Step 5: Create a Custom logrotate Rule

Create a new logrotate configuration file:

nano /etc/logrotate.d/myapp

Add the following configuration:

/var/log/myapp/app.log {
    daily
    rotate 7
    compress
    missingok
    notifempty
    create 0640 root adm
}

This rule rotates the log daily, keeps seven old log files, compresses rotated logs, and skips empty or missing log files.

Step 6: Save the Configuration

Save and exit Nano:

CTRL + X
Y
ENTER

Step 7: Test the Configuration in Debug Mode

Run logrotate in debug mode:

logrotate -d /etc/logrotate.d/myapp

This checks the rule and shows what logrotate would do without actually rotating the log file.

Step 8: Force log Rotation for Testing

Force logrotate to run the custom rule:

logrotate -f /etc/logrotate.d/myapp

Check the log directory:

ls -lah /var/log/myapp/

You should see the rotated log file and a new active log file.

Step 9: Configure Size-Based Rotation

For applications that generate logs quickly, rotate logs based on file size:

/var/log/myapp/app.log {
    size 100M
    rotate 5
    compress
    missingok
    notifempty
    create 0640 root adm
}

This rotates the log file when it reaches 100 MB and keeps five old compressed logs.

Step 10: Use postrotate for Services

Some services must be reloaded after log rotation so they continue writing to the correct log file.

Example configuration:

/var/log/myapp/app.log {
    daily
    rotate 7
    compress
    missingok
    notifempty
    create 0640 root adm
    postrotate
        systemctl reload myapp.service >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
    endscript
}

Replace myapp.service with the real service name.

Step 11: Check logrotate Timer

Verify that logrotate runs automatically:

systemctl status logrotate.timer

Check the next scheduled run:

systemctl list-timers | grep logrotate

Step 12: Common logrotate Options

Useful options include:

• daily rotates logs every day
• weekly rotates logs every week
• monthly rotates logs every month
• rotate 7 keeps seven old log files
• compress compresses rotated logs
• missingok ignores missing log files
• notifempty skips empty log files
• create creates a new log file after rotation

Configuring logrotate on Ubuntu Server 26.04 helps keep log files organized, reduces disk usage, and prevents logs from growing until they affect VPS performance or service stability.