Learn how to set up X-Ray tracing for AWS Lambda functions, understand X-Ray basics, advanced settings, reading traces, best practices, troubleshooting, and more.
Here's a quick guide to setting up X-Ray tracing for AWS Lambda:
Key benefits:
update-function-configuration commandCloudFormationAdd TracingConfig to function propertiesRemember to:
This guide covers X-Ray basics, setup process, advanced settings, and best practices to help you effectively trace and optimize your Lambda functions.
Before setting up X-Ray tracing on AWS Lambda, make sure you have:
An AWS account with the right permissions to:
You should know how to:
The AWS Command Line Interface (CLI) can help, but it's not required. With the CLI, you can:
Here's a quick overview of what you need:
RequirementDetailsAWS AccountActive account with proper permissionsLambda KnowledgeAbility to create, set up, and run functionsAWS CLIOptional tool for command-line operationsMake sure you have these basics covered before moving on to the X-Ray setup process.
X-Ray tracing helps you understand how your AWS Lambda functions and other parts of your system work together. It shows you the path of requests through your application, helping you find and fix problems.
AWS X-Ray is a tool that:
X-Ray gathers information from your application and AWS services it uses. To use X-Ray, you add code to your application to send data about requests and other events.
X-Ray works well with AWS Lambda. When someone uses your Lambda function, X-Ray creates a record of what happens. This record has three main parts:
PartDescriptionInitializationHow the function starts upInvocationWhat the function doesOverheadExtra time for Lambda to manage the functionThese parts help you see where your function might be slow or have problems.
Using X-Ray tracing for your Lambda functions can help you:
You can set up X-Ray for your AWS Lambda function using the AWS Management Console, AWS CLI, or AWS CloudFormation.
To turn on X-Ray tracing in the AWS Management Console:
This lets Lambda run the X-Ray daemon to collect and send tracing data.
To turn on X-Ray tracing with AWS CLI, use this command:
aws lambda update-function-configuration --function-name <function-name> --tracing-config Mode=Active
Replace <function-name> with your Lambda function's name.
To turn on tracing with AWS CloudFormation, add this to your Lambda function in your template:
Resources:
MyFunction:
Type: 'AWS::Lambda::Function'
Properties:
...
TracingConfig:
Mode: Active
After setting up X-Ray, update your function code to use the X-Ray SDK. This will let you see and study tracing data in the X-Ray console.
Setup MethodStepsAWS ConsoleUse the Lambda console to turn on active tracingAWS CLIRun a command to update function configurationCloudFormationAdd TracingConfig to your function propertiesTo use X-Ray with your AWS Lambda function, you need to set up the X-Ray SDK. Here's how to do it for different programming languages:
npm i aws-xray-sdk-core
const AWSXRay = require('aws-xray-sdk-core');
const AWS = AWSXRay.captureAWS(require('aws-sdk'));
pip install aws-xray-sdk
X-Ray SDK works with Java, .NET, and Go too. Check the AWS X-Ray docs for setup steps.
LanguageInstallationUsageNode.jsnpm i aws-xray-sdk-coreCapture AWS SDK callsPythonpip install aws-xray-sdkTrack AWS SDK and HTTP clientsJavaSee AWS X-Ray docsFollow language-specific instructions.NETSee AWS X-Ray docsFollow language-specific instructionsGoSee AWS X-Ray docsFollow language-specific instructionsAfter setting up, you can add custom data to your traces to get more info about your app's behavior.
This section covers three key advanced settings for X-Ray: changing sampling rules, making X-Ray groups, and setting up the X-Ray daemon.
Sampling rules control how many requests X-Ray traces. You can change these rules to fit your needs:
X-Ray groups help you sort and study traces using filters. To make a group:
The X-Ray daemon sends data to X-Ray. You can use it on EC2, ECS, or Elastic Beanstalk. To set it up:
These settings help you get more out of X-Ray tracing for your Lambda functions.
The X-Ray console shows how your app works. It has three main parts:
Service maps help you see how your app is built and where it might be slow. Here's how to use them:
UseHow it helpsFind slow partsSee which parts of your app take too longUnderstand app structureSee how different parts of your app work togetherSpot errorsFind where things go wrong in your appTrace segments show how a single request moves through your app. They include:
InformationWhat it meansRequest IDA unique number for each requestStart timeWhen the request beganEnd timeWhen the request finishedDurationHow long the request tookErrorsAny problems that happenedSubsegments give more details about specific parts of a request:
These details help you see exactly what's happening in your app and where you can make it better.
To make your AWS Lambda functions work better with X-Ray tracing, try these tips:
TipHow it helpsUse good data structuresLess data sent between services means faster workReduce cold startsUse lazy loading or caching to start functions fasterUse X-Ray samplingControl how much data goes to X-Ray to save money and speed things upTo keep X-Ray tracing costs low:
TipWhat to doUse cost tagsAdd tags to track where money is spentCheck costs oftenLook at your spending to find ways to saveUse free X-RayGet 100,000 free traces each monthTo use X-Ray with other AWS tools:
TipWhy it's goodUse CloudFormationSet up X-Ray with other services automaticallyMake service mapsSee how your AWS services work togetherUse X-Ray with API GatewayWatch and study API requests and responsesThese tips will help you use X-Ray better with your Lambda functions and other AWS services.
When setting up X-Ray tracing for AWS Lambda functions, you might run into some issues. Here are some common problems and how to fix them:
ProblemFixX-Ray not onTurn on active tracing for your Lambda function in the AWS consoleNo traces showing upMake sure your Lambda function is set up to send traces to X-RayHigh tracing costsCheck your X-Ray sampling rules and change them to control how much data goes to X-RayTo make sure your X-Ray tracing is working:
If you need more help, check out these resources:
ResourceLinkAWS X-Ray docshttps://docs.aws.amazon.com/xray/index.htmlAWS Lambda docshttps://docs.aws.amazon.com/lambda/index.htmlX-Ray troubleshooting guidehttps://docs.aws.amazon.com/xray/latest/devguide/xray-troubleshooting.htmlThese links will help you learn more about X-Ray and Lambda, and how to fix any problems you might have.
This guide has shown you how to set up X-Ray tracing for AWS Lambda functions. Here's what we covered:
TopicWhat We LearnedWhy tracing mattersHow it helps watch serverless appsSetting up X-RayUsing AWS console, CLI, and CloudFormationX-Ray SDK setupFor Node.js, Python, and other languagesAdvanced settingsChanging sampling rules and making X-Ray groupsReading tracesUsing service maps to see how requests moveBest practicesMaking functions faster and keeping costs lowFixing problemsCommon issues and how to solve themWe've gone through the key steps to use X-Ray with your Lambda functions. This will help you watch how your apps work and make them better.
Remember:
To use AWS X-Ray with Lambda apps, you need:
Follow these steps in the Lambda console:
Your Lambda functions send data to X-Ray, which then:
If a service with X-Ray tracing calls your function, Lambda sends traces to X-Ray on its own.
X-Ray ActionResultProcess dataCreate service mapProcess dataMake searchable trace summariesAutomatic tracingWhen enabled services call your function
