diff --git a/logger.sh b/logger.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec8ef0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/logger.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+getTimeStamp() {
+  (date +%F" "%T)
+}
+
+# $1: message, $2: level, $3: operation, $4: code
+writeJsonLog() {
+  PROGRAM_NAME="cfddns"
+  DEFAULT_CODE=99
+  DEFAULT_LEVEL="info"
+  DEFAULT_MESSAGE="An unspecified error has occurred"
+  DEFAULT_OPERATION="unspecified"
+
+  if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+    PROPS="$(
+      jq --null-input \
+        --arg level "err" \
+        --arg pName "$PROGRAM_NAME" \
+        --arg operation "$DEFAULT_OPERATION" \
+        --arg code "$DEFAULT_CODE" \
+        --arg message "$DEFAULT_MESSAGE" \
+        '{"level":$level, "programName":$pName, "operation":$operation, "code":$code, "message":$message}' \
+    )"
+  else
+    PROPS="$(
+      jq --null-input \
+        --arg level "${2:-$DEFAULT_LEVEL}" \
+        --arg pName "$PROGRAM_NAME" \
+        --arg operation "${3:-$DEFAULT_OPERATION}" \
+        --arg code "${4:-$DEFAULT_CODE}" \
+        --arg message "$1" \
+        '{"level":$level, "programName":$pName, "operation":$operation, "code":$code, "message":$message}' \
+    )"
+  fi
+
+  echo "$PROPS" | jq "."
+  return
+}
+
+# $1: message, $2: level, $3: operation, $4: code
+writeJournalLog() {
+  PROGRAM_NAME="cfddns"
+  DEFAULT_CODE=99
+  DEFAULT_LEVEL="info"
+  DEFAULT_MESSAGE="An unspecified error has occurred"
+  DEFAULT_OPERATION="unspecified"
+
+  # translate error levels
+  if [ -z "$2" ]; then
+    LOG_LEVEL=1
+  else
+    case "$2" in
+    "emergency" | "emerg")
+      LOG_LEVEL=7
+      ;;
+    "alert")
+      LOG_LEVEL=6
+      ;;
+    "critical" | "crit")
+      LOG_LEVEL=5
+      ;;
+    "error" | "err")
+      LOG_LEVEL=4
+      ;;
+    "warning" | "warn")
+      LOG_LEVEL=3
+      ;;
+    "notice")
+      LOG_LEVEL=2
+      ;;
+    "info")
+      LOG_LEVEL=1
+      ;;
+    "debug")
+      LOG_LEVEL=0
+      ;;
+    esac
+  fi
+
+  # log the message
+  if [ -z "$1" ]; then
+    logger --journald <<end
+MESSAGE_ID=$(systemd-id128 new)
+SYSLOG_TIMESTAMP=$(getTimeStamp)
+SYSLOG_FACILITY=3
+SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER=${PROGRAM_NAME}
+PRIORITY=4
+ERRNO=${DEFAULT_CODE}
+OPERATION=${DEFAULT_OPERATION}
+MESSAGE=${DEFAULT_MESSAGE}
+end
+  else
+    logger --journald <<end
+MESSAGE_ID=$(systemd-id128 new)
+SYSLOG_TIMESTAMP=$(getTimeStamp)
+SYSLOG_FACILITY=3
+SYSLOG_IDENTIFIER=${PROGRAM_NAME}
+PRIORITY=${LOG_LEVEL}
+ERRNO=${4:-$DEFAULT_CODE}
+OPERATION=${3:-$DEFAULT_OPERATION}
+MESSAGE=$1
+end
+  fi
+
+  return
+}
+
+if [ "$1" = "json" ]; then
+  writeJsonLog # this will generate a generic error message
+  writeJsonLog "This is a test message" # generate this message at the default level with the default code
+  writeJsonLog "This is a test message" "warning" # generate this message at the 'warning' level with the default code
+  writeJsonLog "This is a test message" "error" "testing" # generate this message at the 'error' level, part of a 'test' operation, and with the default code
+  writeJsonLog "This is a test message" "alert" "testing" 10 # generate this message at the 'alert' level with all parameters set
+elif [ "$1" = "journal" ]; then
+  writeJournalLog # this will generate a generic error message
+  writeJournalLog "This is a test message" # generate this message at the default level with the default code
+  writeJournalLog "This is a test message" "warning" # generate this message at the 'warning' level with the default code
+  writeJournalLog "This is a test message" "error" "testing" # generate this message at the 'error' level as part of a 'test' operation, and with the default code
+  writeJournalLog "This is a test message" "alert" "testing" 10 # generate this message at the 'alert' level with all parameters set
+else
+  printf "\nPlease specify either 'json' or 'journal' after the script name. Exiting.\n\n"
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+exit 0