# Logstash forwarder vs. logback json encoder **URL:** \ **Category:** Logstash\ **Created:** [November 10, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-forwarder-vs-logback-json-encoder/34281 "2015-11-10T19:40:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rammulay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@rammulay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rammulay)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2015, 7:40pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-forwarder-vs-logback-json-encoder/34281/1 "2015-11-10T19:40:56Z")
Hi, logs can be forwarded to logstash server using logback json encoder, LogstashTcpSocketAppender ([https://github.com/logstash/logstash-logback-encoder](https://github.com/logstash/logstash-logback-encoder)) without installing the logstash forwarder. Is there a reason we still might need to install the logstash forwarder? ---
**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-forwarder-vs-logback-json-encoder/34281/2 "2015-11-11T21:44:35Z")
I prefer logging to a file for the buffering it provides. You don't want to lose messages when you have network connectivity issues, nor do you don't want it to slow down your application. ---
**Author:** ![rammulay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@rammulay](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rammulay)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-forwarder-vs-logback-json-encoder/34281/3 "2015-12-02T20:30:20Z")
Great point - thanks! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 5:20am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/logstash-forwarder-vs-logback-json-encoder/34281/4 "2017-07-06T05:20:17Z")