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RequestIdEnricher

The RequestIdEnricher class is a custom Serilog enricher designed to automatically add crucial correlation IDs to every log event generated during an HTTP request.

Its primary purpose is to make your logs more traceable and debuggable, especially in a microservices or distributed environment. When a single user action results in calls across multiple services, having a consistent ID allows you to filter and find all related log entries across all systems.

⚙️ Here's how it works:​

1. Adds XRequestId:​

It first checks the incoming HTTP request for a header named x-request-id. If found, it adds this value to the log event as a property called XRequestId. This is a common pattern for propagating a unique correlation ID that originates from the initial client or an upstream service.

2. Adds TraceId:​

It then establishes a TraceId for the log event by checking the following sources in order:

  • It prefers the HttpContext.TraceIdentifier, which is ASP.NET Core's unique identifier for a single request on a single server.
  • If that is not available (e.g., in a background process not initiated by a web request), it falls back to Activity.Current, which is part of .NET's modern distributed tracing system.

By adding these properties to every log message, you can easily group all logs related to a single operation, which is invaluable for debugging complex issues.