Logs, Metrics and Traces: The Three Pillars
To understand how a live system is behaving, we rely on three kinds of data: logs, metrics and traces. Together they are known as the three pillars of observability.
Each answers a different question, and combined they let us diagnose problems quickly even in complex systems.
What Each Pillar Tells Us
Logs record individual events, metrics measure trends over time, and traces follow a single request through every part of the system it touches.
Used alone each has limits: logs can be overwhelming, metrics lack detail, and traces are narrow. Used together they let us move from noticing a problem, to measuring it, to pinpointing its exact cause — quickly.
| Pillar | Answers | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Logs | What exactly happened? | An error message at 14:02 |
| Metrics | How much, how often? | Requests per second over a day |
| Traces | Where did time go? | A slow checkout step by step |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need all three?
Most production systems benefit from all three, but we scale the depth of instrumentation to match the size and risk of your product.
If you need a hand with any of this, your Progressive Robot delivery team is ready to help. Raise a ticket from the Support area of your client portal or speak to your account manager and we will guide you through the next steps.