Fluentd vs OpenTracing: What are the differences?

# Introduction

Fluentd and OpenTracing are two popular tools used in the field of logging and monitoring for applications. While both serve the purpose of enhancing visibility and troubleshooting in a system, there are key differences that set them apart.

1. **Architecture**: Fluentd operates as a log collector and processor, sending data to various destinations, whereas OpenTracing is a vendor-neutral API for distributed tracing, focusing on tracking and understanding the flow of requests across different services.

2. **Scope of Use**: Fluentd is primarily used for logging and aggregation of logs across multiple sources, whereas OpenTracing is more focused on tracing and monitoring the performance of microservices and complex systems.

3. **Data Representation**: Fluentd deals with logs in various formats like JSON, syslog, etc., while OpenTracing focuses on creating and propagating span data within the traces to monitor the flow of requests.

4. **Integration**: Fluentd can be easily integrated into various data sources and management tools, whereas OpenTracing requires instrumenting the application code to generate trace data for visualization and monitoring.

5. **Community and Ecosystem**: Fluentd has a larger community and ecosystem with a wide range of plugins and integrations available, while OpenTracing is gaining popularity and support but may have a more limited set of resources.

6. **Targeted Metrics**: Fluentd typically focuses on logging metrics like logs volume, errors, and warnings, while OpenTracing focuses on performance metrics such as latency, span duration, and error rates within distributed systems.

In Summary, Fluentd and OpenTracing differ in architecture, scope of use, data representation, integration methods, community support, and targeted metrics, catering to distinct needs in the logging and monitoring space.