Open-Source Observability · tracewayapp

traceway

Traceway is an MIT-licensed, OpenTelemetry-native observability platform that ingests logs, traces, metrics, exceptions, and session replay through standard OTLP/HTTP endpoints. It runs self-hosted via Docker Compose or embedded in Go applications, with no external collector or vendor lock-in required.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/tracewayapp/traceway

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Primary language

MIT

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	tracewayapp/traceway
Owner	tracewayapp
Primary language	Go
License	MIT — OSI-approved
Stars	1k
Forks	36
Open issues	14
Latest release	cli/v1.8.14 (2026-07-02)
Last updated	2026-07-08
Source	https://github.com/tracewayapp/traceway

What traceway is

Built on Go, Traceway natively accepts OTLP/HTTP telemetry and provides trace waterfalls, structured log search, per-endpoint metrics (P50/P95/P99, Apdex), exception grouping with source map/dSYM/R8 symbolication, experimental profiling (pprof/OTLP), and AI observability. Storage backend defaults to SQLite for embedded mode; production deployments use configurable backends. Ships CLI and OpenTelemetry Collector processor for standalone use.

Quickstart

Get the traceway source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/tracewayapp/traceway.git2cd traceway3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

Full-stack observability without vendor lock-in

Teams needing logs, traces, metrics, and RUM in one system with MIT licensing and no proprietary SDKs. Direct OTLP/HTTP ingest avoids vendor wrapping and multi-tool integration overhead.

Self-hosted or embedded production monitoring

Organizations requiring data sovereignty or wanting to embed observability directly in Go services. Docker Compose quick-start and embedded mode support both deployment models.

Mobile and web error debugging with symbolication

Teams shipping minified JavaScript, obfuscated mobile apps (iOS dSYM, Android R8), or Dart/Flutter binaries. Automatic symbol resolution at ingest and CI integration via CLI reduces debugging cycle.

Implementation considerations

Ensure OpenTelemetry instrumentation already exists in backend (Go, Node, Python, etc.). If not, add OTel SDKs and exporters first—Traceway receives, not instruments.
Plan storage backend: embedded SQLite works for exploration; production needs persistent volume, backups, and capacity planning per telemetry volume.
Source map / dSYM / R8 mapping uploads must occur at or before exception ingest for symbolication. Coordinate CI/CD and upload tooling early.
Multi-tenant and RBAC features require user/org setup post-deployment; authentication integration (OIDC, etc.) not detailed in data provided.
Profiling is marked experimental; review stability and feature completeness before relying on it for production analysis.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Requiring multi-language backend SDKs beyond OTel — Traceway relies entirely on OpenTelemetry; if your stack lacks mature OTel support, you'll need to instrument via OTel first or build custom exporters.
Expecting zero operational overhead — While Docker Compose setup is fast, production self-hosting requires storage, backup, and scaling decisions. Not a managed SaaS-only offering with hands-off operations.
Mission-critical production without vendor SLA — Project created 2025-12-18 with ~1K GitHub stars. OSS community support model; no commercial support contract or SLA available from data provided.
Existing enterprise Datadog/New Relic integrations — Replacing established vendor observability stacks requires migration effort; no bulk data import or federation documented.

License & commercial use

MIT License (100% Open Source, per README). No BSL, no open-core model. All features included in source. Permissive OSI license allows modification and redistribution.

MIT License is permissive for commercial use. However, no commercial support contract, SLA, or vendor backing is documented. Self-hosted commercial deployments require your own ops. Traceway Cloud offering exists but terms not provided in data. Legal review recommended for production enterprise deployments.

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	Strong
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Docker images are cryptographically signed with Cosign (stated in README). Authentication and RBAC exist but details sparse. Self-hosted deployments inherit OS and network security burden. No security audit, CVE history, or threat model provided. OTLP/HTTP endpoints should be protected (TLS, auth) in production. Review code independently for sensitive deployments.

Alternatives to consider

Datadog / New Relic

Enterprise observability with commercial SLA and dedicated support. Proprietary pricing (per-event, per-host, per-seat) and vendor SDKs. Includes replay, APM, profiling. Higher cost and lock-in; Traceway avoids both.

Grafana Stack (Prometheus + Loki + Tempo + Pyroscope)

Open-source DIY approach. Lower cost but requires gluing 6+ tools, OTel Collector setup, and ops overhead. Traceway offers integrated UX and native OTLP ingest without collector.

Honeycomb

High-cardinality observability, excellent trace UI, OTel-first. SaaS pricing and vendor dependency. Traceway offers self-hosting option and MIT license; Honeycomb does not.

Software development agency

Build on traceway with DEV.co software developers

Deploy Traceway self-hosted for free with docker compose, or try Traceway Cloud. Join the community on Discord to get started.

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Related open-source tools

Surfaced by semantic similarity across the DEV.co open-source index.

opentelemetry-go opentelemetry-dotnet tracing

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traceway FAQ

Do I need an OpenTelemetry Collector?

No. Traceway accepts OTLP/HTTP directly from OTel SDKs. The standalone symbolicator can plug into a Collector if you want, but the backend does not require one.

Can I embed Traceway in my Go application?

Yes. Import github.com/tracewayapp/traceway/backend, pass config options (port, user, project), and run in a goroutine. Uses SQLite by default. Examples in the repo.

Is source map / dSYM symbolication automatic?

Yes for uploads: post source maps via CI (npx traceway-sourcemaps), dSYMs, or R8 mappings to the same endpoint. The backend resolves stack traces at ingest time using compiled .tw files.

What SLA or support does the project offer?

Unknown. Community Discord and GitHub issues are available. No commercial support contract or SLA is documented. Self-hosted deployments are entirely your responsibility.

Work with a software development agency

DEV.co helps companies turn open-source tools like traceway into production software. Our software development services cover the full lifecycle — architecture, web development, integration, and maintenance — delivered by software developers and web developers who ship. Engage our software development agency to implement or customize it for your open-source observability stack.

Start observing your stack today

Deploy Traceway self-hosted for free with docker compose, or try Traceway Cloud. Join the community on Discord to get started.

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