How to use the Apache Access Log Analyzer
- 1. Load the logOpen an access.log file or paste lines. A sample log is filled in to start.
- 2. AnalyseThe tool reads each line in the common or combined log format.
- 3. Act on itFix broken links, look into 5xx errors, and download top paths as CSV.
Reading the sample log
The ten sample lines produce 10 requests from 6 unique IPs. Three requests got 404 Not Found: an old page a real visitor followed, and /wp-login.php and /.env requested by a script with a python-requests user agent. The tool flags those last two as likely vulnerability scans, because bots constantly probe for WordPress logins and leaked environment files. One request to /api/courses returned 500, which counts as a server error, and a Googlebot visit to the sitemap counts towards the bot total.
The busiest hours line uses the hour from each timestamp, so you can see when traffic peaks. The CSV download lists every path with its hit count, sorted from most to least requested.
Log format and limits
The parser expects the common or combined format used by default in Apache and Nginx: IP, identity, user, [time], "request", status, bytes, and in the combined format, referrer and user agent. Lines that do not match are skipped and counted. Custom formats with extra fields at the start will not match.
- Files up to 20 MB are read in your browser with FileReader. For bigger logs, take a slice with
tail -n 200000 access.log. - User agents can be faked, so the bot count is a guide, not proof.
- Behind a load balancer or CDN, the first IP may be the proxy unless you log X-Forwarded-For.
Look up the ports and services you see in the port numbers reference, and pull IPs and URLs out of other text with the IOC extractor.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the access log on my server?
Usually /var/log/apache2/access.log on Debian and Ubuntu, /var/log/httpd/access_log on RHEL-based systems, and /var/log/nginx/access.log for Nginx.
Is my log uploaded?
No. The file is read and analysed by JavaScript in this page. Nothing is sent to Uncodemy or anyone else.
Is the Apache Access Log Analyzer free?
Yes, the Apache Access Log Analyzer is free. The first time you analyse your first log, you are asked for your name and WhatsApp number once. After that, this and every other Uncodemy tool opens straight away without the form.