[Development Guides Home](/guides) >> [Guide to the LiveAPI System](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system) >> [LiveAPI Methods](/guides/guide-to-the-liveapi-system/guide-to-the-liveapi-system-liveapi-methods)

# Guide to the LiveAPI System - The debug_log() Method

The `debug_log()` method writes data to the debugging log file.

* By default, LiveAPI environments log debugging data to the `/home/user/.cpanel/LiveAPI.log.rand` file, where `user` is the cPanel account's username, and `rand` is a random string that cPanel & WHM generates.


## Example

### LiveAPI PHP Class


```php
// Log an error to the LiveAPI error log.
$cpanel->debug_log('1','This is an error message.','false');
```

### LiveAPI Perl Module


```perl
# Log an error to the LiveAPI error log.
$cpliveapi->debug_log('1','This is an error message.','false');
```

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Description | Possible values | Example |
|  --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `level` | *integer* | The debug log level above which the system logs the message string.  For example, if this value is `2` and the `debug_level` value is `1`, the system will log the message. If this value is `2` and the `debug_level` value is `3`, the system will **not** log the message. | A positive integer.  If you set this value to `0`, and set the `stderr` value to `true`, the message will **only** log to `stderr`. | `1` |
| `message` | *string* | The error message to log. | A valid string. | `This is an error message.` |
| `stderr` | *string* | Whether to also write the error message to `STDERR`. | `true` or `1` — Also write the error to `STDERR`.  `false` or `0` — Only write the error to the error log. | `false` |


## Returns

This method returns a Boolean value that indicates success or failure:

* `1` — Success.
* `0` — Failure.