Why Is a Combination of Logs and Traces the Best Setup for Developers?

1. Logs Depend on Developers

Logs are written manually by developers. They record specific events like a user login, a database query, or an error. While logs provide great detail, their usefulness depends on what developers decide to log. Missed logging can leave gaps when you’re debugging.

2. Traces Are Mostly Automatic

Traces show the journey of a request through your app, revealing how different parts work together. Thanks to OpenTelemetry, traces are often automatic. Many popular libraries, like database connectors and HTTP clients, are pre-instrumented with OpenTelemetry, making it the market’s default way to instrument code. Developers can also add manual spans for extra detail, but much of the work is already done for you.

3. Why Use Logs and Traces Together?

Logs and traces complement each other. Traces provide the big picture of how a request moves through your system, while logs offer detailed insights into specific events. For example, a trace might show a slow database query, and the logs will explain why it’s slow. Using both gives you a complete view of your application.

4. How Do Logs and Traces Improve Security?

Without centralized logs and traces, developers often need SSH access to production machines to investigate issues. This creates serious security risks:

• Developers might accidentally mistype commands, causing downtime.
• Sensitive data could be leaked or accessed improperly.
• You lose control over who does what on production systems.

Centralizing logs and traces with a platform like Otelic.com eliminates the need for SSH access. Developers can debug securely without touching production servers.

5. Why Speed Matters: Otelic.com and ClickHouse

Debugging isn’t just about having data—it’s about accessing it quickly. At Otelic.com, logs and traces are powered by ClickHouse, a high-performance database designed for fast searches. This ensures developers can find issues instantly, even when working with large volumes of data.

6. How OpenTelemetry Simplifies Tracing

OpenTelemetry makes tracing simple. It supports many programming languages like JavaScript, Python, Go, Java, and more, and works in environments like Kubernetes, serverless, and traditional servers. This broad support ensures your traces are consistent and reliable.

7. Why Use Otelic.com for Logs and Traces?

Otelic.com brings your logs and traces together in one place. You can set up alerts, analyze data, and debug faster—all without the risks of SSH access. Otelic’s transparent pricing means no per-seat or per-host fees—just pay for what you use. And if your balance runs out, default retention ensures no surprises.