# Browse the request log

> Browse every request ApiTraffic captured: the All, Inbound, Outbound, Errors and Captures views, what each row shows, time ranges and paging.

Source: https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/request-log

The request log lists every request ApiTraffic captured for a bucket, newest first. Use it to see exactly what was sent and returned, to spot failing or slow calls, and to start any investigation from a real request.

## Request log views

The left navigation has five views of the same log. Each one is the log with a fixed filter already applied; any search you add is combined with it.

| View | Navigation | Shows | Built-in filter |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| All traffic | **Observe** → **All Traffic** | Every request, in both directions | `capture == false` |
| Inbound | **Observe** → **Inbound Traffic** | Requests your API received | `capture == false AND direction == in` |
| Outbound | **Observe** → **Outbound Traffic** | Calls your application made to other APIs | `capture == false AND direction == out` |
| Errors | **Observe** → **Errors** | Requests answered with a status code of 400 or higher | `capture == false AND status_code >= 400` |
| Captures | **Workspace** → **Captures** | Requests sent to the bucket's capture URL | `capture == true` |

Outbound requests appear only when your SDK records outbound calls. See [Outbound requests](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/outbound-requests).

*All Traffic for the sample bucket.*

![Request log with the status code chart above rows showing host, direction, status, duration and size](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/images/traffic/request-log.png)

## What each row shows

Each row has two lines. The colored left edge shows the outcome at a glance: green for 2xx and 3xx, amber for 4xx, red for 5xx, and a separate color for requests the firewall blocked.

**First line**

- The expand button, then the **host** the request was sent to.
- The **direction**: an arrow pointing right for inbound, left for outbound.
- The **status code**, colored by class. A shield replaces it when the firewall blocked the request.
- The **duration** in milliseconds. For long-lived connections such as Server-Sent Events, a **Stream** badge, how long the connection was **open**, and the time to first byte (**TTFB**) when the SDK reports it. Streams are left out of response-time metrics; see [Long-lived connections](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/endpoint-handling#long-lived-connections).
- The actions menu (**⋮**).

**Second line**

- The **method** and **path**, followed by the query string in lighter text.
- A shield icon when the firewall matched the request. Hover it for the decision and rule.
- The request and response **sizes** in bytes.
- How long ago the request was received.

Use the density buttons at the top right of the log to switch between **Comfortable rows** and **Compact rows**. Your choice is remembered in this browser.

## Open a request

Select the expand button at the start of a row to open the request in place, with tabs for the request, the response, timings, the firewall decision, related requests, tags, spans and more. See [Request details](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/request-details).

The actions menu (**⋮**) on each row offers:

| Action | What it does | Availability |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Copy Request** | Generate code that replays the request. | Everyone |
| **Find Similar** | Build a search from this request's facets. | Everyone |
| **Add to Collection** | Save the request into a [collection](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/collections). | Plans with **Collections** |
| **Add to WAF** | Block this path, client IP or user agent, or add a false-positive exclusion. | Owners and admins, plans with the **Web application firewall**, inbound requests only |
| **Share** | Create a public link to the request. | Plans with **Share links** |

These actions are described in [Request details](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/request-details#request-actions). The sample bucket is read-only, so it offers only **Copy Request** and **Find Similar**.

## Time range

The time range picker sits at the top right of the log, next to **Refresh**. It applies to both the list and the status code chart. The default is **Last 24 hours**.

*Relative presets and a custom range.*

![Time range picker with relative presets from the last 30 minutes to Everything, and From and To fields for a custom range](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/images/traffic/request-log-time-range.png)

- **Relative**: **Last 30 minutes**, **Last 60 minutes**, **Last 3 hours**, **Last 6 hours**, **Last 12 hours**, **Last 24 hours**, **Last 2 days**, **Last 7 days**, **Last 14 days**, **Last 30 days**, or **Everything**.
- **Custom**: set **From**, **To** or both, then select **Apply**. Times are in your local time zone. Leave **From** empty to start at the beginning of your data, or **To** empty to run up to now. **From must be before To.**

You can only search as far back as your plan's retention allows, whatever range you choose. With **Everything**, the status code chart covers the last 30 days.

### Zoom in from the chart

The status code chart above the log stacks request counts by status class (2xx, 3xx, 4xx, 5xx) over the selected range, for the same filters as the list. Select a column to narrow the range to that interval, or drag across the chart to select a span. The list reloads for the new range. Select **clear the selected range** under the chart to go back to the preset you started from.

When a filter can't be answered from pre-aggregated metrics, the chart counts the matching requests directly and says **counted from the matching requests**. Use the **Events** switch to overlay deployment and incident markers.

## Load more and refresh

The log loads 50 requests at a time. Scroll to the bottom to load the next 50; the log keeps loading as you scroll until there are no more matches in the range.

The log doesn't update itself while you read it. Select **Refresh** to load the newest requests for the current filters and range. For a view that refreshes on its own, use the [dashboard](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/dashboard#live-updates) with auto-reload on.

If part of the search could not be answered, the log says **Older (archived) requests could not be searched; results may be incomplete.** The rows shown are real, but older matches may be missing.

## Filter the log

Add filters with the filter builder above the chart, or switch to **Advanced** to type a query. For example, `status_code >= 500 AND url_path like "/v1/payments/*"` shows failed payment calls. The full language, with every field and many examples, is in [Search and filter requests](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/search).

Once you have filters applied, two more tabs appear next to **Request Log**:

- **Create View**: save the filters as a [stream view](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/saved-views).
- **Add Exclusion**: stop capturing matching requests. See [Exclusions](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/data/exclusions).

Neither is offered on the read-only sample bucket.

## Captures

A capture is a request sent straight to your bucket's capture URL instead of to an API. ApiTraffic records the request and answers it itself, so nothing is forwarded anywhere. Use captures to inspect payloads you can't easily log, such as webhooks from a third-party service: point the webhook at the capture URL and read what arrives.

Captures have a request but no response, so the Captures view has no status code chart, and an opened capture shows only its **Request** tab.

**Open Captures**

Choose **Workspace** → **Captures** in your own bucket. While the bucket has no captures, the page shows **Waiting to capture...** with your capture domain and a sample `curl` command.

**Send a request to the capture domain**

Change only the host of the request. The capture domain is your bucket id followed by your environment id, under `apitraffic.io`, and the page shows it ready to copy. Any method, path, headers and body are recorded.

```bash
curl --location --request POST 'https://<bucket-and-environment-id>.apitraffic.io/some-path' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{"name" : "Jordan Lee","email" : "jordan@acme.example"}'
```

ApiTraffic answers `200` with the body `Request Captured` and an `Api-Traffic-Request-Sid` header carrying the captured request's id.

**Review the capture**

The request appears in the Captures view. Expand it to see its URL, headers and body.

*An empty Captures view with the bucket's capture domain.*

![Captures page titled Waiting to capture with three steps, the capture domain and a copyable curl command](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/images/traffic/captures-waiting.png)

> **Note:** The sample bucket can't receive captures, so **Captures** is left out of its navigation. Use one of your own buckets.

> **Warning:** Anyone who knows the capture domain can send requests to it. Share the domain only where you need it, and use [redaction rules](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/data/redactions) if the payloads carry secrets.

## Troubleshooting

**The log is empty**

Check the time range and the environment selector first. If a filter is applied, the log says **No requests matched** and shows the query; select **Clear filters**. If the bucket has never received traffic, it shows the setup steps instead.

**I don't see outbound requests**

The SDK records outbound calls only when outbound capture is on. See [Outbound requests](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/outbound-requests).

**New requests aren't appearing**

The log doesn't stream new rows. Select **Refresh** to load requests that arrived since the log was loaded.

**That search could not be run**

The query was rejected, for example because of an unknown field or a missing operator. The message under the filter builder says which condition is wrong. See [Search and filter requests](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/search).

## Related

- [Search and filter requests](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/search):
    Every field, operator and example query.

- [Request details](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/request-details):
    What each tab of an opened request shows.

- [Stream views](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/traffic/saved-views):
    Save a search and share it with your team.

- [Exclusions](https://www.apitraffic.io/docs/data/exclusions):
    Stop capturing traffic you don't need.