diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index e8a832d..fe234a1 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ edition = "2021"
 
 [features]
 custom_pieces = []
-logging = ["dep:tracing", "dep:tracing-subscriber"]
 
 [dependencies]
 toml = { version = "0.8.12" }
@@ -13,5 +12,6 @@ clap = { version = "4.5.4", features = ["derive"] }
 serde = { version = "1.0.197", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_derive = { version = "1.0.197" }
 num_cpus = "1.16.0"
-tracing = { version = "0.1.40", optional = true }
-tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3.18", optional = true }
+tracing = { version = "0.1.40" }
+tracing-appender = { version = "0.2.3" }
+tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3.18", features = ["fmt"] }
diff --git a/saltdish b/saltdish
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/saltfish.log b/saltfish.log
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/src/config/args.rs b/src/config/args.rs
index b6bf36f..b3d818b 100644
--- a/src/config/args.rs
+++ b/src/config/args.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 
-#[derive(clap::Parser)]
+// TODO: figure out why -h/--help don't work
+#[derive(clap::Parser, Debug)]
 pub struct Args {
     #[arg(short, long="config", default_value = "config.toml")]
     config_path: Option<PathBuf>,
@@ -14,6 +15,13 @@ pub struct Args {
 
     #[arg(short, long)]
     jobs: Option<u8>,
+
+    #[arg(long, value_parser =
+        clap::builder::PossibleValuesParser::new(["trace", "debug", "info", "warn", "error"])
+    )]
+    log_level: Option<String>,
+    #[arg(long)]
+    log_file: Option<PathBuf>,
 }
 
 impl Default for Args {
@@ -23,6 +31,9 @@ impl Default for Args {
             depth: None,
             strenght: None,
             jobs: None,
+
+            log_level: None,
+            log_file: None,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -44,4 +55,12 @@ impl Args {
     pub fn get_jobs(&self) -> Option<u8> {
         self.jobs
     }
+
+    pub fn get_log_level(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        self.log_level.clone()
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_log_file(&self) -> Option<PathBuf> {
+        self.log_file.clone()
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/config/config.rs b/src/config/config.rs
index 1dbebe9..3163e26 100644
--- a/src/config/config.rs
+++ b/src/config/config.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::{fs::File, io::Read, path::Path, u8};
+use std::{fs::File, io::Read, path::{Path, PathBuf}, u8};
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use crate::config::{args::Args, engine::Engine};
 
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@ pub struct Config {
     #[serde(rename = "piece")]
     pieces: Option<HashMap<String, CustomPiece>>,
 
-    engine: Option<Engine>
+    engine: Option<Engine>,
+
+    log_level: Option<String>,
+    log_file: Option<PathBuf>
 }
 
 impl Default for Config {
@@ -28,6 +31,8 @@ impl Default for Config {
 
             engine: Some(Engine::default()),
 
+            log_level: Some("INFO".to_string()),
+            log_file: Some(PathBuf::from("saltfish.log")),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -50,6 +55,28 @@ impl Config {
                 args.get_depth().or(self.engine.clone().unwrap_or_default().depth()),
                 args.get_jobs().or(self.engine.clone().unwrap_or_default().jobs()),
             )),
+
+            log_level: args.get_log_level().or(self.log_level),
+            log_file: args.get_log_file().or(self.log_file)
+
         }
     }
 }
+
+impl Config {
+    pub fn get_pieces(&self) -> &Option<HashMap<String, CustomPiece>> {
+        &self.pieces
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_engine(&self) -> &Option<Engine> {
+        &self.engine
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_log_level(&self) -> &Option<String> {
+        &self.log_level
+    }
+
+    pub fn get_log_file(&self) -> &Option<PathBuf> {
+        &self.log_file
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/config/mod.rs b/src/config/mod.rs
index 4144926..8f60e90 100644
--- a/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
 mod config;
 mod args;
 mod engine;
+
 pub mod error;
 
-use self::{args::Args, config::Config, error::ConfigError};
+use self::{args::Args, config::Config};
 use clap::Parser;
+use tracing::{error, info};
 
-pub fn get_config() -> Result<Config, ConfigError> {
+
+pub fn get_config() -> Config {
     // TODO: implement error handling and logging and handle this case appropriate
     let args = Args::try_parse().unwrap_or_else(|err|{
-        println!("error parsing cmd args\n{:#?}", err);
+        // error!(err.kind());
+        error!("{}", format!("{}", err.kind().as_str().unwrap_or("parsing arguments")));
+        info!("continuing withouth commandline arguments");
         Args::default()
     });
     let config_path = args.get_config_path().unwrap_or_default();
-    let config = Config::read(&config_path).merge_args(&args);
-    Ok(config)
+    Config::read(&config_path).merge_args(&args)
 }
diff --git a/src/logging.rs b/src/logging.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..05581a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/logging.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use tracing::Level;
+use tracing_subscriber::fmt;
+
+pub fn logger_init() {
+    fmt()
+        .with_max_level(Level::DEBUG)
+        .init();
+}
+
+pub fn logger_update(file: &Path, level: Level) {
+    let file_appender = tracing_appender::rolling::never(file.parent().unwrap(), file.file_name().unwrap());
+    let _ = tracing_appender::non_blocking(file_appender);
+    fmt()
+        .with_max_level(level)
+        .finish();
+}
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 02b61cc..ab637b5 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
     clippy::module_inception
 )]
 
+
+use tracing::{info, error, Level};
+use std::str::FromStr;
+
 use crate::config::get_config;
 
 mod chess;
@@ -10,6 +14,18 @@ mod config;
 mod errors;
 
 
+mod logging;
+use crate::logging::*;
+
+
+
 fn main() {
-    let _config = get_config();
+    logger_init();
+    let config = get_config();
+    logger_update(
+        config.get_log_file().as_ref().unwrap(),
+        Level::from_str(config.get_log_level().as_ref().unwrap().as_str()).unwrap()
+    );
+    error!("test");
+    println!("{config:#?}");
 }