Deploy log improvements: clearer errors and tips for repos dropping `master`

Features Updates
1

We’ve recently shipped some changes to make deploy logs more helpful.

Clearer errors

First, we’ve updated how errors are displayed in the logs, adding clearer formatting and providing additional debugging information. For example, here’s a screenshot of a failed deploy before the change:

The build failure line is one of many identically formatted log lines. The error message is short and provides little context.
The build failure line is one of many identically formatted log lines. The error message is short and provides little context.832×635 85.1 KB

Can you spot the failure message? :wink:

Here’s an example with the new improvements:

The error message is set apart from other log lines, preceded by a heading indication the type of error, and followed by the resolved config information for debugging.
The error message is set apart from other log lines, preceded by a heading indication the type of error, and followed by the resolved config information for debugging.1143×756 70.3 KB

The extra spaces and colors make the error easier for visual users to find. The new heading indicates the type of error, and debugging information helps with troubleshooting.

Tips for sites with no master

Many Git repository maintainers are now moving away from the use of master as the name for a repo’s primary branch. This is great! But it’s also causing the occasional build failure when folks forget to update the production branch in their Netlify site settings.

To help ease the transition, we now detect these sorts of failures and add a relevant tip to the deploy logs.

Log line reads: Did you change the name of your production branch? Don't forget to update your settings. A docs link follows.
Log line reads: Did you change the name of your production branch? Don't forget to update your settings. A docs link follows.1413×84 13 KB

It’s the little things, you know? Hopefully these improvements will help you get your failed builds up and running again in no time.

4 Likes