---
title: goose Logging System
sidebar_label: Logging System
sidebar_position: 65
---


goose uses a unified storage system for conversations and interactions. All conversations and interactions (both CLI and Desktop) are stored **locally** in the following locations:

| **Type**            | **Unix-like (macOS, Linux)**              | **Windows**                              |
|---------------------|----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| **Command History** | `~/.config/goose/history.txt`          | `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\data\history.txt`    |
| **Session Records** | `~/.local/share/goose/sessions/sessions.db` | `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\data\sessions\sessions.db` |
| **System Logs**     | `~/.local/state/goose/logs/`           | `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\data\logs\`          |

:::info Privacy
goose is a local application and all log files are stored locally. These logs are never sent to external servers or third parties, ensuring that all data remains private and under your control.
:::

## Command History

goose stores command history persistently across chat sessions, allowing goose to recall previous commands.

Command history logs are stored in:

* Unix-like: ` ~/.config/goose/history.txt`
* Windows: `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\data\history.txt`

## Session Records

goose maintains session records that track the conversation history and interactions for each session. 
Sessions are stored in an SQLite database at:
- **Unix-like**: `~/.local/share/goose/sessions/sessions.db`
- **Windows**: `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\data\sessions\sessions.db`

:::info Session Storage Migration
Prior to version 1.10.0, goose stored session records in individual `.jsonl` files under  `~/.local/share/goose/sessions/`.
When you upgrade to v1.10.0 or later, your existing sessions are automatically imported into the database. Legacy `.jsonl` files remain on disk but are no longer managed by goose.
:::

This database contains all saved session data including:
- Session metadata (ID, name, working directory, timestamps)
- Conversation messages (user commands, assistant responses, role information)
- Tool calls and results (IDs, arguments, responses, success/failure status)
- Token usage statistics
- Extension data and configuration

Session IDs are named using `YYYYMMDD_<COUNT>` format, for example: `20250310_2`. goose CLI outputs the session ID at the start of each session. To get session IDs, use [`goose session list` command](/docs/guides/goose-cli-commands#session-list-options) to see all available sessions.

Also see [Session Management](/docs/guides/sessions/session-management) for details about searching sessions.

## System Logs

goose stores logs for its various components. CLI and server logs are automatically organized into date-based directories and cleaned up after two weeks to prevent excessive disk usage.

When [prompt injection detection](/docs/guides/security/prompt-injection-detection) is enabled, CLI and server logs also include:
* Security findings with unique IDs (format: `SEC-{uuid}`)
* User decisions (allow/deny) associated with finding IDs

:::info
Extensions may optionally log to subdirectories under `~/.local/state/goose/logs/`. The specific subdirectory structure is determined by each extension's implementation.
:::

### Desktop Application Log

The desktop application maintains its own logs:
* macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Goose/logs/main.log`
* Windows: `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\logs\main.log`

The desktop application follows platform conventions for its own operational logs and state data, but uses the standard goose [session records](#session-records) for actual conversations and interactions. This means your conversation history is consistent regardless of which interface you use to interact with goose.

### CLI Logs 

CLI logs are stored in:
* Unix-like: `~/.local/state/goose/logs/cli/`
* Windows: `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\data\logs\cli\`

Logs are organized into date-based subdirectories (e.g., `cli/2025-11-13/`) and subdirectories older than two weeks are automatically deleted.

CLI session logs contain:
* Tool invocations and responses
* Command execution details
* Session identifiers
* Timestamps

CLI logs also capture extension-related activity, including:
* Tool initialization
* Tool capabilities and schemas
* Extension-specific operations
* Command execution results
* Error messages and debugging information
* Extension configuration states
* Extension-specific protocol information

### Server Logs

Server logs are stored in:
* Unix-like: `~/.local/state/goose/logs/server/`
* Windows: `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\data\logs\server\`

Logs are organized into date-based subdirectories (e.g., `server/2025-11-13/`) and subdirectories older than two weeks are automatically deleted.

The Server logs contain information about the goose daemon (`goosed`), which is a local server process that runs on your computer. This server component manages communication between the CLI, extensions, and LLMs. 

Server logs include:
* Server initialization details
* JSON-RPC communication logs
* Server capabilities
* Protocol version information
* Client-server interactions
* Extension loading and initialization
* Tool definitions and schemas
* Extension instructions and capabilities
* Debug-level transport information
* System capabilities and configurations
* Operating system information
* Working directory information
* Transport layer communication details
* Message parsing and handling information
* Request/response cycles
* Error states and handling
* Extension initialization sequences

### LLM Request Logs

LLM request logs capture the raw request and response data sent to language model providers:
* Unix-like: `~/.local/state/goose/logs/llm_request.*.jsonl`
* Windows: `%APPDATA%\Block\goose\data\logs\llm_request.*.jsonl`

These logs use a numbered rotation system that keeps the 10 most recent completed requests (`llm_request.0.jsonl` through `llm_request.9.jsonl`). Each log contains the model configuration, input payload, response data, and token usage information.