distributed_tracing

Distributed tracing tracks a single request across microservices to pinpoint performance bottlenecks. By instrumenting your application with OpenTelemetry, you can send traces to Jaeger or Tempo to analyze request paths and identify lagging downstream services.

Distributed tracing is a method for monitoring microservices that provides end-to-end request visibility. You need it when users report slow response times and you must understand service dependencies or trace error propagation across your distributed system.

Yes, OpenTelemetry is required for application instrumentation and context propagation via HTTP headers. This setup allows Jaeger and Tempo to receive the traces and provide the deep visibility needed for analyzing request flows across microservices.

Error propagation analysis works by tracing a request as it traverses multiple microservices, allowing you to see exactly how errors cascade. This helps you understand failure points within your system and identify the root cause of downstream issues.

The best way to debug slow microservices is to use distributed tracing to trace a typical request, identify which downstream service is lagging, and analyze its internal operations. This Skill uses Jaeger and Tempo to pinpoint the exact operations causing latency.

Yes, you can use this distributed tracing approach to understand service dependencies. By following a single request as it traverses multiple microservices, the traces reveal the underlying architecture and how different services interact during request processing.