How to generate network logs for troubleshooting
If you have ever contacted our Support Team for help with problems on the website, you might have had to provide network logs (.HAR files) for troubleshooting.
In this article we will show you what these files are and how to generate them in a few simple steps:
What is a HAR file?
HAR (HTTP Archive Format) is a file format that stores data over many browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, etc.) between the client and server. When the communication between the sender and the receiver occurs, HAR stores the HTTP response and request headers.
Why use HAR files?
HAR files save the information of all web requests made with the browser tab, and can thus come in handy when troubleshooting website performance issues.
Retrieving network logs on browsers
Let us take a look at how to generate logs on the following popular browsers:
Chrome
- Open the console (F12).
- Click Network.
- Try to reproduce the issue.
- Right-click anywhere within the Name area and select Save all as HAR with content.
- Name and save the .HAR file to your computer.
Firefox
- Click on Firefox's menu, then select More Tools > Web Development Tools to bring up the debugging console. Alternatively use Ctrl+Shift+I.
- Choose the Network tab in the docked panel.
- Try to reproduce the issue. The browser records the performed actions.
- Once done, right-click anywhere on the File column and click Save all as HAR.
- Click the Save icon to save this file to your computer.
Internet Explorer
- Open the console (F12).
- Click Network.
- Try to reproduce the issue.
- Click the Save icon and save as an .HAR or .xml file (either will be sufficient).
Safari
- Open the console (Cmd+Alt+i).
- Open the Network tab.
- Try to reproduce the issue.
- Click the Export icon far-right of the Console’s menu.
- Name and save the .HAR file to your computer.
That’s it! You are now ready to generate logs like a pro.