transaction log
compound.compound. a digital record that lists every change or action made in a computer system or database. It helps experts fix problems or recover lost data by showing exactly what happened and when.
compound. a sequential record of all modifications made to a database or system, used primarily for data recovery and maintaining integrity. It ensures that in the event of a crash, incomplete operations can be rolled back or replayed to restore a consistent state.
The database administrator checked the transaction log to find the error.
After the server crashed during the update, the IT team used the transaction log to restore the missing customer records.
High-volume financial systems rely on synchronous transaction logs to ensure that every trade is permanently recorded before the user receives a confirmation, preventing data loss during hardware failures.
A compound of transaction, from the Latin transigere meaning to drive through or accomplish, and log, derived from the nautical practice of recording a ship's speed via a weighted wooden float.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Commonly used in the context of database management and software engineering.
Last updated July 22, 2026