As raised in https://github.com/logstash/logstash-logback-encoder/issues/526 and https://github.com/Mahoney/slf4j-test/issues/30, trying to get a Spring Boot project with Logback and slf4j-test does not seem to work, when using the logstash-logback-encoder.

When using the sample project at https://gitlab.com/jamietanna/logstash-boot-slf4j-test/-/tree/main/complete, using Spring Boot 2.5.0, we see the following exception:

ch/qos/logback/classic/joran/JoranConfigurator
java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: ch/qos/logback/classic/joran/JoranConfigurator
    at org.springframework.boot.logging.logback.LogbackLoggingSystem$Factory.getLoggingSystem(LogbackLoggingSystem.java:352)
    at org.springframework.boot.logging.DelegatingLoggingSystemFactory.getLoggingSystem(DelegatingLoggingSystemFactory.java:44)
    at org.springframework.boot.logging.LoggingSystem.get(LoggingSystem.java:159)
    at org.springframework.boot.context.logging.LoggingApplicationListener.onApplicationStartingEvent(LoggingApplicationListener.java:231)
    at org.springframework.boot.context.logging.LoggingApplicationListener.onApplicationEvent(LoggingApplicationListener.java:213)
    at org.springframework.context.event.SimpleApplicationEventMulticaster.doInvokeListener(SimpleApplicationEventMulticaster.java:176)
    at org.springframework.context.event.SimpleApplicationEventMulticaster.invokeListener(SimpleApplicationEventMulticaster.java:169)
    at org.springframework.context.event.SimpleApplicationEventMulticaster.multicastEvent(SimpleApplicationEventMulticaster.java:143)
    at org.springframework.context.event.SimpleApplicationEventMulticaster.multicastEvent(SimpleApplicationEventMulticaster.java:131)
    at org.springframework.boot.context.event.EventPublishingRunListener.starting(EventPublishingRunListener.java:76)
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplicationRunListeners.lambda$starting$0(SpringApplicationRunListeners.java:53)
    at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1541)
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplicationRunListeners.doWithListeners(SpringApplicationRunListeners.java:117)
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplicationRunListeners.starting(SpringApplicationRunListeners.java:53)
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:317)
    at org.springframework.boot.test.context.SpringBootContextLoader.loadContext(SpringBootContextLoader.java:123)
    at org.springframework.test.context.cache.DefaultCacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate.loadContextInternal(DefaultCacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate.java:99)
    at org.springframework.test.context.cache.DefaultCacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate.loadContext(DefaultCacheAwareContextLoaderDelegate.java:124)
    at org.springframework.test.context.support.DefaultTestContext.getApplicationContext(DefaultTestContext.java:124)
    at org.springframework.test.context.web.ServletTestExecutionListener.setUpRequestContextIfNecessary(ServletTestExecutionListener.java:190)
    at org.springframework.test.context.web.ServletTestExecutionListener.prepareTestInstance(ServletTestExecutionListener.java:132)
    at org.springframework.test.context.TestContextManager.prepareTestInstance(TestContextManager.java:244)
    at org.springframework.test.context.junit.jupiter.SpringExtension.postProcessTestInstance(SpringExtension.java:138)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.ClassBasedTestDescriptor.lambda$invokeTestInstancePostProcessors$6(ClassBasedTestDescriptor.java:350)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.ClassBasedTestDescriptor.executeAndMaskThrowable(ClassBasedTestDescriptor.java:355)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.ClassBasedTestDescriptor.lambda$invokeTestInstancePostProcessors$7(ClassBasedTestDescriptor.java:350)
    at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline$3$1.accept(ReferencePipeline.java:195)
    at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline$2$1.accept(ReferencePipeline.java:177)
    at java.base/java.util.ArrayList$ArrayListSpliterator.forEachRemaining(ArrayList.java:1655)
    at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.copyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:484)
    at java.base/java.util.stream.AbstractPipeline.wrapAndCopyInto(AbstractPipeline.java:474)
    at java.base/java.util.stream.StreamSpliterators$WrappingSpliterator.forEachRemaining(StreamSpliterators.java:312)
    at java.base/java.util.stream.Streams$ConcatSpliterator.forEachRemaining(Streams.java:735)
    at java.base/java.util.stream.Streams$ConcatSpliterator.forEachRemaining(Streams.java:734)
    at java.base/java.util.stream.ReferencePipeline$Head.forEach(ReferencePipeline.java:658)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.ClassBasedTestDescriptor.invokeTestInstancePostProcessors(ClassBasedTestDescriptor.java:349)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.ClassBasedTestDescriptor.lambda$instantiateAndPostProcessTestInstance$4(ClassBasedTestDescriptor.java:270)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.ClassBasedTestDescriptor.instantiateAndPostProcessTestInstance(ClassBasedTestDescriptor.java:269)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.ClassBasedTestDescriptor.lambda$testInstancesProvider$2(ClassBasedTestDescriptor.java:259)
    at java.base/java.util.Optional.orElseGet(Optional.java:369)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.ClassBasedTestDescriptor.lambda$testInstancesProvider$3(ClassBasedTestDescriptor.java:258)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.execution.TestInstancesProvider.getTestInstances(TestInstancesProvider.java:31)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.lambda$prepare$0(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:101)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.prepare(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:100)
    at org.junit.jupiter.engine.descriptor.TestMethodTestDescriptor.prepare(TestMethodTestDescriptor.java:65)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$prepare$1(NodeTestTask.java:111)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.prepare(NodeTestTask.java:111)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.execute(NodeTestTask.java:79)
    at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1541)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.invokeAll(SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.java:38)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$5(NodeTestTask.java:143)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$7(NodeTestTask.java:129)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.Node.around(Node.java:137)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$8(NodeTestTask.java:127)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.executeRecursively(NodeTestTask.java:126)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.execute(NodeTestTask.java:84)
    at java.base/java.util.ArrayList.forEach(ArrayList.java:1541)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.invokeAll(SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.java:38)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$5(NodeTestTask.java:143)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$7(NodeTestTask.java:129)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.Node.around(Node.java:137)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.lambda$executeRecursively$8(NodeTestTask.java:127)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.ThrowableCollector.execute(ThrowableCollector.java:73)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.executeRecursively(NodeTestTask.java:126)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.NodeTestTask.execute(NodeTestTask.java:84)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.submit(SameThreadHierarchicalTestExecutorService.java:32)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestExecutor.execute(HierarchicalTestExecutor.java:57)
    at org.junit.platform.engine.support.hierarchical.HierarchicalTestEngine.execute(HierarchicalTestEngine.java:51)
    at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:248)
    at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.lambda$execute$5(DefaultLauncher.java:211)
    at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.withInterceptedStreams(DefaultLauncher.java:226)
    at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:199)
    at org.junit.platform.launcher.core.DefaultLauncher.execute(DefaultLauncher.java:132)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.testing.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformTestClassProcessor$CollectAllTestClassesExecutor.processAllTestClasses(JUnitPlatformTestClassProcessor.java:99)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.testing.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformTestClassProcessor$CollectAllTestClassesExecutor.access$000(JUnitPlatformTestClassProcessor.java:79)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.testing.junitplatform.JUnitPlatformTestClassProcessor.stop(JUnitPlatformTestClassProcessor.java:75)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.testing.SuiteTestClassProcessor.stop(SuiteTestClassProcessor.java:61)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:566)
    at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ReflectionDispatch.dispatch(ReflectionDispatch.java:36)
    at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ReflectionDispatch.dispatch(ReflectionDispatch.java:24)
    at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ContextClassLoaderDispatch.dispatch(ContextClassLoaderDispatch.java:33)
    at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ProxyDispatchAdapter$DispatchingInvocationHandler.invoke(ProxyDispatchAdapter.java:94)
    at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy2.stop(Unknown Source)
    at org.gradle.api.internal.tasks.testing.worker.TestWorker.stop(TestWorker.java:133)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
    at java.base/java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:566)
    at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ReflectionDispatch.dispatch(ReflectionDispatch.java:36)
    at org.gradle.internal.dispatch.ReflectionDispatch.dispatch(ReflectionDispatch.java:24)
    at org.gradle.internal.remote.internal.hub.MessageHubBackedObjectConnection$DispatchWrapper.dispatch(MessageHubBackedObjectConnection.java:182)
    at org.gradle.internal.remote.internal.hub.MessageHubBackedObjectConnection$DispatchWrapper.dispatch(MessageHubBackedObjectConnection.java:164)
    at org.gradle.internal.remote.internal.hub.MessageHub$Handler.run(MessageHub.java:414)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ExecutorPolicy$CatchAndRecordFailures.onExecute(ExecutorPolicy.java:64)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ManagedExecutorImpl$1.run(ManagedExecutorImpl.java:48)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1128)
    at java.base/java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:628)
    at org.gradle.internal.concurrent.ThreadFactoryImpl$ManagedThreadRunnable.run(ThreadFactoryImpl.java:56)
    at java.base/java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:829)
Caused by: java.lang.ClassNotFoundException: ch.qos.logback.classic.joran.JoranConfigurator
    at java.base/jdk.internal.loader.BuiltinClassLoader.loadClass(BuiltinClassLoader.java:581)
    at java.base/jdk.internal.loader.ClassLoaders$AppClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoaders.java:178)
    at java.base/java.lang.ClassLoader.loadClass(ClassLoader.java:522)

This is due to the check we've got for determining if logback is present which retrieves a class from logback-core, whereas a safer check is that we look a class in logback-classic, which actually contains the SLF4J implementation.

I'd be happy to raise a PR to fix this, if we agree that it's the right change to make?

Example fix An example fix could be:
 @Order(Ordered.LOWEST_PRECEDENCE)
 public static class Factory implements LoggingSystemFactory {

-    private static final boolean PRESENT = ClassUtils.isPresent("ch.qos.logback.core.Appender",
+    private static final boolean PRESENT = ClassUtils.isPresent("ch.qos.logback.classic.joran.JoranConfigurator",
             Factory.class.getClassLoader());

     @Override
     public LoggingSystem getLoggingSystem(ClassLoader classLoader) {
         if (PRESENT) {
             return new LogbackLoggingSystem(classLoader);
         }
         return null;
     }

 }

Comment From: snicoll

@jamietanna thanks for the report but please consider closing the two other issues that you've created as it's likely to lead to wasted effort.