What is the difference between logs, metrics, and traces?

Short answer

Logs are discrete events, metrics are numeric measurements over time, and traces track requests across services. Together they provide comprehensive observability.

Key differences

• Logs: Detailed, event-driven, high volume.
• Metrics: Aggregated, time-series, low volume.
• Traces: Request-scoped, cross-service, medium volume.

When to use each

• Use logs for debugging specific errors.
• Use metrics for dashboards and alerts.
• Use traces for latency analysis.

Common issues

• Relying on only one pillar limits visibility.
• Correlating the three requires shared context.
• Storage costs vary significantly.