Why doesn the org.slf4j.Logger interface have methods for the FATAL level?
From the stand point of a logging system, the distinction between a fatal error and an error is usually not very useful. Most programmers exit the application when a fatal error is encountered. However, a logging library cannot (and should not) decide on its own to terminate an application. The initiative to exit the application must be left to the developer. Thus, the most the FATAL level can do is to highlight a given error as the cause for application to crash. However, errors are by definition exceptional events that merit attention. If a given situation causes errors to be logged, the causes should be attended to as soon as possible. However, if the “error” is actually a normal situation which cannot be prevented but merits being aware of, then it should be marked as WARN, not ERROR. Assuming the ERROR level designates exceptional situations meriting close attention, we are inclined to believe that the FATAL level is superfluous.
