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What is Subtrace?

Subtrace is a debugging tool designed for developers working with containerised applications. It monitors Docker containers and provides detailed visibility into HTTP requests and responses, showing payloads, headers, status codes, and latency measurements. The tool uses a Wireshark-like interface similar to Chrome DevTools, making it accessible to developers familiar with browser inspection tools. Unlike general monitoring platforms such as Sentry or OpenTelemetry, Subtrace focuses specifically on request-level inspection for backend servers. It's particularly useful when you need to see exactly what data is flowing in and out of your application. The tool supports automatic tracing without requiring code changes, can filter requests by various criteria, and offers a self-hosted option for teams concerned about data privacy. Subtrace works with Linux, Docker, and Kubernetes environments. It's suited for developers debugging API behaviour, investigating performance issues, conducting security audits, or troubleshooting production problems without relying on external logging infrastructure.

Key Features

HTTP request inspection

View full details of incoming and outgoing requests including headers, payloads, and response codes

Request filtering

Search and filter requests by various criteria to focus on relevant traffic

Latency monitoring

Identify slow requests and measure response times at a glance

Chrome DevTools-style interface

Familiar UI design that requires minimal learning curve

Automatic tracing

Works with Docker containers without requiring instrumentation code

Self-hosted option

Keep data local rather than sending to external services

Pros & Cons

Advantages

  • Low barrier to entry with an interface similar to browser DevTools
  • Focuses on request-level detail that general APM tools often overlook
  • Self-hosted option provides better data privacy than cloud alternatives
  • Works automatically with containerised applications without code changes

Limitations

  • Limited to containerised environments; not suitable for monolithic or non-Docker applications
  • As a specialised tool, it doesn't offer the broader monitoring capabilities of platforms like Datadog or New Relic

Use Cases

Debugging API integration issues and third-party service calls

Investigating why specific requests are slow or failing in production

Reviewing request and response payloads during security audits

Monitoring internal microservice communication in Kubernetes clusters

Troubleshooting application behaviour without adding logging code