We are starting 2020 with a bang! Today we are excited to release version 4 of WP Activity Log. This update is by far the biggest one we have done since we launched this plugin.
Version 4 features the all new WordPress activity logs. Now it is much easier to parse through the logs and get a glimpse of what is happening on your WordPress website. This post explains what is new and improved in this update of the most comprehensive WordPress activity logs plugin.
Easier to read yet more detailed WordPress activity logs
This section highlights all the user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) changes we added in version 4 to make the logs easier to read, and to also provide you with a better insight of all that is happening on your WordPress.
New metadata in the activity logs
We have added two new metadata types to the WordPress activity logs: event type and object.
The event type describes the type of activity an activity log event is about. For example when a user logs in to the website, the event type is login. If a user installs a plugin, the event type will be install.
In the object metadata the plugin will report the object the activity log event is about. For example if a user logs in or changes the password, the object will be user. In case of a plugin install, the object will be plugin.
Refer to the WordPress activity log metadata for more detailed information about all the metadata you can find in the WordPress activity logs.
NOTE: upon upgrading to v4 the plugin will not add the event type and object to the older events. Use our activity log data updater plugin to add them.
Improved log message format
Data in point form format is easily scannable, and people can read it in much less time. Therefore we have changed the format of all the log messages to point form so you can get better understand the log in less time.
Now it takes you much less time to parse and understand the activity logs, especially with the addition of the new event type and object metadata types.
More activity log severity levels
In this update we have also introduced new severity levels. In total there are now five different ones:
- Critical
- High
- Medium
- Low
- Informational
Severity levels indicate the impact a particular change can have on the security, functionality and also performance of the website. An example of a critical severity event is when a user installs a new plugin. Refer to the WordPress activity log severity levels for a detailed explanation about every severity level used in the activity logs.
Improved activity logs granularity (and search filters)
With the introduction of the new event type and object metadata types the activity logs are now more granular.
These metadata types can be used in email and SMS notifications. For example you can use the user object in a notification trigger instead of all the user profile changes event IDs to be alerted whenever there is a change in a user profile.
We have also added the new metadata types as search filters. This means that you can filter your activity log search results using either the event type or the object, or both.
Other notable updates in v4
Like with every other update, we have also included a number of other updates that are worth mentioning, such as:
- A new ergonomic search and filters UI,
- Added several new reference links in the plugin’s help text,
- Updated the Freemius SDK to version 2.3.2,
For a complete list of what is new, improved and fixed in this exciting update refer to the WP Activity Log changelog.
Update now!
That’s version 4 for you. This is a very important update that makes the activity logs more comprehensive, yet easier to read. This update also paves the way for several other upcoming updates. So it is very important that you install this update.
As always, we are open for user feedback. Please use our contact form to get in touch with us should you have any feedback, questions or need help with your plugin install.