SystemRequires admin/root
Journal Logs
systemd-journald stores persistent binary journal files under /var/log/journal, rotating them into active and archived segments with compressed entries and indexed metadata for fast querying. These logs accumulate from kernel messages, services, crashes, and boot sessions, and old journal segments can grow large, contain fragmented free space, or preserve corrupted entries after unclean shutdowns. Kudu removes old persistent journal data in /var/log/journal while leaving current system configuration, user accounts, passwords, and application data untouched.
Why clean Journal Logs?
- Archived journal segments can consume several gigabytes after verbose service logging, and users notice low free disk space, failed package updates, or errors writing new files
- Corrupted journal files after a crash or sudden power loss can make journalctl report invalid objects or stop reading part of the log history
- Excessive retained boot logs slow down broad journalctl queries, so searching all boots feels sluggish and recent diagnostics are buried under old noise
- Large persistent journals on small root partitions can trigger emergency low-space conditions, with symptoms like services failing to start and temp files not being created
- Binary journal files can keep internal free space and fragmented data after rotations, so disk usage stays high even when old entries are logically expired
- Repeated high-volume logs from a misbehaving unit can flood /var/log/journal, and users see the same errors endlessly repeated while storage keeps growing
- Old journal data from previous boots and outdated hardware states can complicate troubleshooting, making current failures harder to isolate because journalctl surfaces stale events first
What gets cleaned
Cache paths Kudu targets
Linux
/var/log/journal |
Frequently asked
Common questions about Journal Logs
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