diff --git a/docs/msbuild/obtaining-build-logs-with-msbuild.md b/docs/msbuild/obtaining-build-logs-with-msbuild.md index e99ea38fe51..897a9445c83 100644 --- a/docs/msbuild/obtaining-build-logs-with-msbuild.md +++ b/docs/msbuild/obtaining-build-logs-with-msbuild.md @@ -86,11 +86,21 @@ In the following example, a binary log file is created with the name *binarylogf ```cmd -bl:binarylogfilename.binlog ``` - You can use the [Structured log viewer](https://msbuildlog.com/) to view binary logs in a way that makes it much easier to see what is going on. For more information, see [Command-line reference](../msbuild/msbuild-command-line-reference.md). +The binary log includes the following information from a build: +- Logged messages with the `diagnostic` verbosity level +- The full contents of files imported by each project +- Properties, their final value, and any property reassignments +- Items, their metadata, and any item updates or removals +- Task inputs and outputs + +> [!NOTE] +> Since the binary logger includes a substantial amount of information from the build, large builds can experience measurable overhead when it is enabled. +> If you have a large, complex build, consider enabling the binary logger only when necessary to avoid longer overall build times. + ## Use a custom logger You can write your own logger by authoring a managed type that implements the interface. You might use a custom logger, for instance, to send build errors in email, log them to a database, or log them to an XML file. For more information, see [Build loggers](../msbuild/build-loggers.md).