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check-log-retention

Checks whether system logs persist across reboots and are rotated on Linux and macOS.

2|Updated Jun 14, 2026
Search Tags:#observability#linux#journald#system audit#log retention#logrotate#macos unified log
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/odysseyalive/claude-watchman --skill check-log-retention-odysseyalive
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: check-log-retention
Source: https://github.com/odysseyalive/claude-watchman/tree/main/skills/grammar/check-log-retention
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/odysseyalive/claude-watchman --skill check-log-retention-odysseyalive

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Logs that vanish on reboot or grow without rotation destroy the forensic trail needed to diagnose crashes and security incidents. This Skill verifies that log storage is persistent, size-bounded, and rotated before a failure makes the missing data obvious. ## Core Features & Use Cases - journald persistence audit: Reads /etc/systemd/journald.conf and checks for /var/log/journal to detect volatile storage on Linux. - macOS Unified Log checks: Verifies /var/db/diagnostics exists, measures its size, inspects ASL legacy syslog config, and detects Full Disk Access permission failures. - Rotation and size-limit detection: Confirms logrotate is installed with active configuration and flags unbounded journal growth. - Use Case: On a fresh Arch workstation install, run this check to discover that journald defaults to volatile storage, then journal the finding so fix-redflag can remediate it before the next crash wipes the evidence. ## Quick Start Ask the AI to run the check-log-retention audit and report whether logs survive reboots and are rotated on this machine.

Frequently Asked Questions about check-log-retention

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I check if systemd journal logs persist across reboots?▼

Check the Storage= setting in /etc/systemd/journald.conf and whether /var/log/journal exists. If Storage is volatile or unset and the directory is missing, logs are lost on reboot; set Storage=persistent and create /var/log/journal to fix it.

How to verify logrotate is configured on Linux?▼

Confirm the logrotate package is installed and that /etc/logrotate.conf plus a non-empty /etc/logrotate.d/ directory exist. Missing rotation for active log files is flagged as a finding with a safe-tier remediation.

Does macOS keep system logs after a reboot?▼

Yes, the macOS Unified Log is persistent by default and stored in /var/db/diagnostics. The check confirms the directory exists and is non-empty, and verifies that log show works, which requires Full Disk Access for the terminal.

Why does log show return a permission error on macOS?▼

The log show command requires Full Disk Access granted to your terminal application. Grant it in System Settings > Privacy & Security; without it the Unified Log cannot be read and the check journals a medium-severity finding.

Can this check modify my logging configuration?▼

No, the check is strictly read-only and never edits journald.conf, logrotate, or ASL settings. All remediation is deferred to the separate fix-redflag skill, and every finding is recorded in the SQLite journal instead.

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