# Output templates

[Output templates](https://github.com/vostok/logging.formatting/blob/master/Vostok.Logging.Formatting/OutputTemplate.cs) are patterns used to render [log events](https://vostok.gitbook.io/logging/concepts/log-events) into text representation, shaping the output of text-based logs.

Their general syntax is identical to that of [message templates](https://vostok.gitbook.io/logging/concepts/syntax/message-templates), but output templates also support a set of [special predefined properties](https://vostok.gitbook.io/logging/concepts/formatting/special-tokens) that do not have to be present in log events.

Ordinary properties from log events can also be included in output templates.

Output templates can also contain uninterpreted text.

### Default template

Default output template `OutputTemplate.Default` looks like this:

```
{Timestamp} {Level} {traceContext:w}{operationContext:w}{sourceContext:w}{Message}{NewLine}{Exception}
```

See the list of [special properties](https://vostok.gitbook.io/logging/concepts/formatting/special-tokens) to understand the bulk of this template's content. 

See the sections about [source context](https://vostok.gitbook.io/logging/concepts/source-context) and [operation context](https://vostok.gitbook.io/logging/concepts/operation-context) to learn more about corresponding well-known properties mentioned in this template. 

See [format specifiers](https://vostok.gitbook.io/logging/concepts/formatting/format-specifiers) section to find out how the `:w` modifier works. 

### Custom templates:

See the guide dedicated to custom templates usage:

{% content-ref url="../../how-to-guides/using-custom-output-templates" %}
[using-custom-output-templates](https://vostok.gitbook.io/logging/how-to-guides/using-custom-output-templates)
{% endcontent-ref %}

###


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