Where Does Logrotate Store Config and State?
Logrotate reads /etc/logrotate.conf plus every file in /etc/logrotate.d. Packages drop their own rules there.
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Logrotate pairs one main config with a drop-in folder. Packages ship rotation rules into logrotate.d, the main file sets defaults like weekly and rotate counts.
Custom logs need one small file, not main config edits. Drop it in, dry-run it, walk away. State in /var/lib tracks last runs so schedules hold across reboots.
Where Logrotate stores this, by platform
/etc/logrotate.conf + /etc/logrotate.d/
Main defaults plus per-package rule files. Add custom rules as new files here, never edit shipped ones.
Frequently asked questions
How do I rotate a custom app log?
Add a file in /etc/logrotate.d with the path and schedule. Test with logrotate -d for debug or --force for a real run. No daemon restart needed.
Where is the rotation state?
Status lives in /var/lib/logrotate/status. It records last rotation per file. Delete a line to force that log to rotate next run.
What actually runs logrotate?
Cron or a systemd timer runs it daily. Check which owns it on your distro. Rules do nothing until that trigger fires.
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