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Application Map

Updated Mar 29, 2021 ·

Overview​

Modern cloud apps aren’t a single server. They consist of multiple services, APIs, databases, and external dependencies. The hardest part of troubleshooting is figuring out where the problem is.

  • Apps have multiple services and dependencies
  • Issues can hide in any component

Application Map gives a live, visual view of your application and all the components it depends on.

  • Shows web apps, APIs, databases, and external services
  • Builds a live topology automatically
  • Uses real telemetry data without manual setup

Distributed Tracing​

Application Map uses distributed tracing, which means every request that flows through your system leaves telemetry. Application Map stitches these traces into a dependency graph, no custom code needed.

Reading the Map​

The application map shows your app as a network of nodes and connections. Each node represents a component like a web app or database. Lines show dependencies or outbound calls.

  • Nodes represent individual services
  • Lines show calls or dependencies between services
  • Provides a clear view of the overall architecture

Even if you didn’t build the system, you can see how requests move through it.

Key Metrics​

Every node displays metrics such as average latency, request count, and failure rate.

  • Monitor latency and failures
  • Identify problem services quickly
  • Avoid writing queries for basic metrics

This helps you spot trouble in seconds.

Dependency Health​

Lines change color based on health. Red or orange indicates high latency or failures.

  • Color shows dependency issues
  • Helps distinguish slow services vs slow dependencies
  • Makes root causes visible

You can quickly answer whether your app is slow or a dependent service is slow.

Application Map in Microservices​

In microservice setups, requests pass through many independent services. Application Map shows the full flow.

  • Visualizes request paths across services
  • Exposes unhealthy dependencies
  • Highlights failure patterns

This helps you understand cascading failures and focus on the services that matter.