subtrace
Subtrace is a network inspection tool for backend servers that captures HTTP requests with a single command, supporting Node.js, FastAPI, and other frameworks. It integrates directly into development workflows via CLI and provides request introspection without code changes.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | subtrace/subtrace |
| Owner | subtrace |
| Primary language | Go |
| License | BSD-3-Clause — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 2.8k |
| Forks | 64 |
| Open issues | 15 |
| Latest release | b390 (2025-12-18) |
| Last updated | 2026-01-28 |
| Source | https://github.com/subtrace/subtrace |
What subtrace is
Written in Go, Subtrace intercepts HTTP traffic at the network level to provide real-time request inspection across multiple backend frameworks and containerized environments. It operates as a CLI wrapper that executes developer commands while capturing network telemetry.
Get the subtrace source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/subtrace/subtrace.gitcd subtrace# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Installation relies on curl script execution from subtrace.dev; verify organizational security and artifact management policies.
- Requires CLI wrapper invocation pattern; assess compatibility with existing development scripts, CI/CD pipelines, and IDE integration workflows.
- Network inspection scope and filtering capabilities not documented; clarify request volume handling and performance overhead in production-like test loads.
- Private beta status on macOS suggests feature parity and stability may vary across platforms; evaluate team OS distribution.
- No visible support for gRPC, WebSocket, or non-HTTP protocols; confirm coverage aligns with backend architecture patterns.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Production monitoring requirement — Tool is positioned as a development inspector; no evidence of production-grade SLA, high-throughput support, or enterprise monitoring guarantees.
- macOS-primary development — macOS support is explicitly in private beta with a waitlist requirement, limiting usability for teams primarily on Apple hardware.
- Zero instrumentation requirement — Requires executing commands via the `subtrace run` wrapper; applications that cannot be invoked via CLI or require pre-existing instrumentation may face friction.
- Offline or air-gapped environments — Installation uses online script execution (`curl | sh`); no evidence of offline installation methods or standalone binary distribution for restricted networks.
License & commercial use
Licensed under BSD-3-Clause, a permissive OSI-approved license permitting commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution and liability disclaimer.
BSD-3-Clause permits commercial use without royalty or source disclosure. However, this is a development tool with active but young codebase (created May 2024); evaluate stability and vendor lock-in before committing to production workflows. No service-level agreements, liability limits, or commercial support terms are evident from public GitHub repository.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Low |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | Medium |
Tool intercepts network traffic to provide inspection; validate that captured request/response data is handled securely (no logging to shared storage, no unencrypted transmission). Installation via curl script introduces supply-chain risk; verify artifact integrity. No security audit or vulnerability disclosure policy evident. Consider whether request inspection in CI/CD or shared development environments exposes sensitive headers or payloads.
Alternatives to consider
mitmproxy
Mature HTTP/HTTPS proxy with stronger extensibility and Python scripting; better for production traffic analysis and custom filtering logic.
Charles Proxy
Commercial desktop proxy with rich UI and native macOS support; suitable for teams prioritizing GUI-driven inspection and detailed filtering.
OpenTelemetry instrumentation libraries
Standard observability approach for production workloads; provides richer context (distributed tracing, metrics) and integrates with existing monitoring stacks.
Build on subtrace with DEV.co software developers
Subtrace offers low-friction request inspection for backend developers. Assess macOS support status, integration with your observability stack, and data handling policies before adoption.
Talk to DEV.coRelated on DEV.co
Explore the category and the services that help you build with it.
subtrace FAQ
Does Subtrace work with my existing observability stack?
Can I use this in CI/CD pipelines?
What happens to captured request data?
Is there a Windows version?
Software developers & web developers for hire
Adopting subtrace is usually one piece of a larger software development effort. As a software development agency, DEV.co provides software development services and web development expertise — pairing senior software developers and web developers with your team to design, build, and operate open-source observability software in production.
Evaluate Subtrace for Your Dev Team
Subtrace offers low-friction request inspection for backend developers. Assess macOS support status, integration with your observability stack, and data handling policies before adoption.