# Log to CloudWatch

<!-- meta: type=aws-log-cloudwatch; location=Cloud › AWS; category=Step (action); platforms=Joomla and WordPress (where applicable) -->

## Overview

Log to CloudWatch is a **Step (action)** in **Cloud › AWS**. Writes one log event to Amazon CloudWatch Logs.

When the flow reaches this step, JOrchestrator executes **Log to CloudWatch** against your linked site or an external integration, using the field values you set on **General** and **Design**. Downstream steps can read the output payload fields defined for this node.

## Why use this node

Log to CloudWatch is a **action step** in the **Cloud › AWS** group. Action steps run in the middle or end of a flow. They perform work on your CMS, call external services, or transform data for the next step.

Typical reasons teams add **Log to CloudWatch** to a flow:

- Automate "Log to CloudWatch" as part of a larger Joomla or WordPress workflow
- Replace manual aws work with a repeatable, logged flow step
- Chain with triggers, logic, and messaging nodes on the same canvas

## Example workflows

Common patterns on the canvas:

1. **Trigger or Webhook** → upstream steps → **Log to CloudWatch** → **Send Email** or CMS update
2. **Scheduled trigger** → **Log to CloudWatch** → **Debug** (while testing) → production action

## How to set it up

Log group must exist; stream is created if missing. Credentials from Node Configuration → AWS.

## Good to know

Useful for audit trails from flows without storing logs in Joomla.

## Properties panel

The designer shows these tabs for this node:

| Tab | Purpose |
|-----|---------|
| **Info** | Plain-language description and output payload fields for downstream steps |
| **General** | Canvas label and read-only node ID |
| **AI** | Optional assistant to help draft settings from plain language |
| **Design** | Node-specific configuration fields |

### System (automatic — not edited by the user)

These fields are managed by the designer or runtime — you do not type into them directly:

| Property key | Label | Type | Required | Visible when | Notes |
|--------------|-------|------|----------|--------------|-------|
| `_nodeId` | Node ID | `node-id` | No | — | — |
| `_payloadFields` | Available Fields | `payload-panel` | No | — | — |

### User-configured — General tab

| Property key | Label | Type | Required | Visible when | Notes |
|--------------|-------|------|----------|--------------|-------|
| `label` | Label | `text` | No | — | Node label |

### User-configured — Design tab

| Property key | Label | Type | Required | Visible when | Notes |
|--------------|-------|------|----------|--------------|-------|
| `logGroupName` | Log group | `payload-text` | **Yes** | — | jorchestrator-flows Name of an existing CloudWatch log group (plain name — no leading / required). |
| `logStreamName` | Log stream | `payload-text` | No | — | flow-run-{{webhook.id}} |
| `message` | Log message | `textarea` | **Yes** | — | Message or {{node_id.body}} |

### CMS site configuration (not on this node's properties panel)

Credentials, API keys, mailers, SMTP, and integration defaults are configured in the CMS plugin under **Node Configuration**, not per step on this node. Link the flow to a domain before testing CMS-backed fields.

## Output payload fields

After this step runs, later nodes can reference these fields using placeholders such as
`{{log_to_cloudwatch.success}}`.

| Field key | Type | Description |
|-----------|------|-------------|
| `success` | boolean | Whether the operation completed successfully. |
| `logGroupName` | string | CloudWatch log group name (plain name, e.g. my-app-logs — no leading /). |
| `logStreamName` | string | CloudWatch log stream name. |
| `nextSequenceToken` | string | Token for the next CloudWatch log batch. |
| `message` | string | Human-readable status, error, or result summary. |

## Validation rules

- **Log group** (`logGroupName`) must be filled before the flow can be saved.
- **Log message** (`message`) must be filled before the flow can be saved.

## Related nodes

Other steps in the same area of the palette:

- **List S3 files** (`aws-list-s3`) — Cloud › AWS
- **MediaConvert** (`aws-media-convert`) — Cloud › AWS
- **Retrieve from S3** (`aws-retrieve-s3`) — Cloud › AWS
- **Upload to S3** (`aws-upload-s3`) — Cloud › AWS