# Trace Span

> A technique for recording the start, end and context of an operation as a span within a request's trace.

Record: `lexicon:trace-span`
Kind: technique
Layer: [Observability](https://banes-lab.com/records/layer/observability.md)
Canonical: https://banes-lab.com/ontology/lexicon#lexicon-trace-span

Listed in [Lexicon terms](https://banes-lab.com/api/records/lexicon.md), after [Structured Log](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/structured-log.md) and before [Alert on Critical Failure](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon/alert-on-critical-failure.md).

## Category

- [Observability / Auditability / Traceability](https://banes-lab.com/records/lexicon-category/observability-auditability-traceability.md)

## Refactors

- [Unobservable Failure](https://banes-lab.com/records/architecture/unobservable-failure.md)

## Linked from

- [Anti-patterns](https://banes-lab.com/ontology/principles/architecture-category-anti-patterns.md)