beginner · traces

Trace or Log?

When would you reach for a distributed trace instead of logs?

Practical scenario

A checkout request occasionally takes 3 seconds. The team has logs in six services and no distributed tracing, and someone is proposing to add more logging.

What it tests

  • Understanding what each signal is structurally good at
  • Whether the candidate sees them as complementary
  • Awareness of the cost differences

Lessons behind this question