Distributed Tracing

Following a request or workflow across services by collecting correlated traces and spans.

Motivation

Following a request or workflow across services by collecting correlated traces and spans.

Where it fits

This concept provides a shared vocabulary for designing, documenting, measuring, or operating software systems.

Mental model

Treat it as a structured tool: define the question being answered, use consistent terminology, and connect the result to decisions and follow-up work.

Subconcepts

Trace

The end-to-end record of one request or workflow across components.

Span

A timed unit of work within a trace, including attributes, status, and parent relationships.

Trace Context

The identifiers and metadata propagated between services to correlate spans.

Practical use

Tracing is most useful when sampling, context propagation, service naming, and span attributes are designed consistently.

Common mistakes

Using ambiguous definitions or units.
Collecting or documenting information without connecting it to a decision.
Failing to keep the artifact or measurement current as the system changes.

See the linked concepts in the knowledge graph for prerequisites and adjacent practices.