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# Query the systemd Journal?
- URL: https://snubmonkey.com/journalctl-may-be-used-to-query-the-contents-of-the-systemd-journal-as-written-by-systemd-journald-service/
- Published: 2022-12-05T02:18:40.000Z
- Updated: 2025-04-16T22:32:21.000Z
- Author: yannick Coffi
- Tags: how to 🪄, linux 🐧, security 🦾🦿

**`journalctl`** is a utility for querying and displaying logs on systemd, kernel and journal on *journald* written by `systemd-journald.service`.  
  
See our previous post on *Systemd journal*.

##   
**Working with `journalctl` command**

###   
1\. All **logs**

When run without any parameters, the following command will display all the logs in the paginated view.

```
$ sudo journalctl
```

### 2\. To reverse the order 

```
$ sudo journalctl -r

```

This will display the logs in chronological order with the newest entries first.

###   
**3\. To display recorded boots logs**

```
$ sudo journalctl --list-boots

```

This will display all the boots of the system.

###   
**4\. To display at a certain period**  

**`journalctl`** command allows the user to get the record of logs of a certain period.

```
$ sudo journalctl --since "yesterday"

$ sudo journalctl --since "6 hours ago"

$ sudo journalctl --since "2 minutes ago"

```

This will display all logs according to the time period.  

### **5\. To display the kernel logs**

```
$ sudo journalctl -k

```

This will display all the kernel logs.

###   
**6\. To display entries with a specified priority**

```
$ sudo journalctl -p warning

```

It displays all log entries with priority as a warning.

### 7\. Limit the output lines of log

```
$ sudo journalctl -p warning

```

This will display 7 log entries.

###   
**8\. Follow the journal**

`Journalctl` can print log messages to the console as they are added, much like the `tail` command.  

```
$ sudo journalctl -f

```

This will display the journal log in real-time.

  
That's a wrap!!!  
We hope you have found this post as useful and informative as we do.  
Keep on learning and sharing knowledge.