[FEATURE] Remove deprecated journal module from validator

[epappas]

[FEATURE] Remove deprecated journal module from validator

Problem Statement

The validator's journal module at crates/validator/src/journal/ is no longer needed as the project has migrated to using Alloy for system logging. The journal module is dead code that adds unnecessary complexity and potential confusion.

Proposed Solution

Remove the entire journal module and update any remaining references to use the new Alloy-based logging system.

Component

Validator

Priority Level

Medium

Checklist

• Remove journal module
  • Delete crates/validator/src/journal/mod.rs
  • Delete crates/validator/src/journal/events.rs
  • Delete crates/validator/src/journal/verification_logger.rs
• Update module references
  • Remove journal module declaration from crates/validator/src/lib.rs
  • Search for any imports of journal types
  • Remove unused imports
• Check for journal usage
  • Search codebase for VerificationLogger usage
  • Search for ValidationEvent usage
  • Search for any journal-related configuration
• Verify Alloy integration
  • Confirm Alloy is properly configured
  • Ensure all logging needs are met by Alloy
  • Check log levels and formatting
• Update dependencies
  • Remove any journal-specific dependencies from Cargo.toml
  • Run cargo clean and rebuild
  • Verify no compilation errors
• Update documentation
  • Remove references to journal in docs
  • Update logging documentation to mention Alloy
  • Add migration notes if needed
• Test logging functionality
  • Run validator and verify logs are produced
  • Check log rotation if applicable
  • Ensure no logging gaps

Implementation Ideas

Search for references:

# Find all journal imports
rg "use.*journal" crates/validator/

# Find struct usage
rg "VerificationLogger|ValidationEvent" crates/validator/

# Check for config references
rg "journal" config/

Additional Context

The journal module was an early logging solution that has been superseded by Alloy, which provides better integration with the Rust ecosystem and more features. Removing dead code improves maintainability and reduces confusion for new contributors.

Alternatives Considered

• Keep journal as legacy code - Not recommended as it serves no purpose
• Repurpose journal for specialized logging - Alloy handles all current needs

Priority

Medium - Not critical but improves code cleanliness and maintainability