Trace Debugging

Understanding what happens inside your AI conversations is crucial for building reliable, high-performing chatbots. The Trace app provides developers with a powerful debugging interface that captures and displays every event, API call, and data transformation that occurs during chatbot interactions.

With Trace, you can see exactly how your AI agent processes messages, which functions get called, how data flows through your system, and where performance bottlenecks or errors occur. This real-time visibility transforms debugging from guesswork into precise, data-driven troubleshooting.

Key Capabilities

Trace delivers comprehensive debugging features designed for developers who need deep system visibility:

Real-Time Event Monitoring

Watch conversations unfold with millisecond-level precision:

• Live event stream showing every action as it happens
• Timestamp information with inter-event timing
• Event type identification for quick pattern recognition
• Performance indicators highlighting slow operations

Detailed Data Inspection

Examine the complete context of every conversation event:

• Full request and response payloads
• Function call arguments and return values
• API endpoint invocations and parameters
• State changes and data transformations
• Error messages and stack traces

Visual Performance Analysis

Identify performance bottlenecks at a glance:

• Color-coded timing indicators (green for fast, red for slow)
• Cumulative timing analysis showing total conversation duration
• Inter-event latency measurements
• Processing time breakdowns by operation type

Flexible Filtering

Focus on the information that matters:

• Filter events by type or category
• Search through event data and payloads
• Toggle visibility of specific event streams
• Isolate problematic patterns for analysis

Real-World Use Cases

Trace empowers developers to build and maintain better AI systems:

Debugging Production Issues

When users report unexpected chatbot behavior, Trace reveals exactly what happened during the problematic conversation. See which functions executed, what data was processed, and where errors occurred—turning vague bug reports into specific, actionable fixes.

Performance Optimization

Identify slow operations that degrade user experience. Trace highlights API calls that take too long, inefficient data processing, or unnecessary operations that could be eliminated, helping you optimize response times.

Integration Troubleshooting

When third-party integrations don't work as expected, Trace shows the complete communication flow. Examine request parameters, API responses, authentication flows, and error conditions to diagnose integration problems quickly.

Development and Testing

During bot development, Trace provides immediate feedback on how your configurations and code changes affect behavior. Test different scenarios, validate function calls, and ensure your AI agent handles edge cases correctly before deployment.

Understanding Complex Workflows

For sophisticated multi-step conversations involving datasets, skillsets, and custom functions, Trace maps the entire execution flow. See how components interact, understand data dependencies, and verify that your system architecture works as designed.

How It Works

Using Trace for debugging is straightforward and developer-friendly:

1. Open the Trace app from your ChatBotKit dashboard at trace.chatbotkit.app
2. Start a conversation with the bot you want to debug
3. Watch the event stream populate with real-time activity
4. Inspect individual events to examine detailed data and payloads
5. Analyze timing information to identify performance issues
6. Filter and search to focus on relevant events

Events appear in chronological order as they occur, with clear visual indicators showing timing, type, and importance. The interface uses a virtualized list for smooth performance even with thousands of events.

Technical Features

Trace provides developer-focused capabilities for deep system analysis:

• YAML formatting: Event data displayed in readable YAML format
• Virtualized rendering: Smooth scrolling through large event logs
• Code highlighting: Syntax-aware display for better readability
• Timestamp precision: Millisecond-level timing information
• Event persistence: Review historical traces for comparison
• Export capabilities: Copy event data for external analysis

Integration with ChatBotKit Platform

Trace seamlessly monitors all ChatBotKit features and capabilities:

• Universal compatibility: Works with any bot configuration
• Function visibility: Trace custom functions and skillset operations
• API monitoring: Observe all API calls and responses
• Integration tracking: Monitor third-party service interactions
• Dataset operations: See knowledge base queries and results
• Model invocations: Track AI model requests and responses

Getting Started with Trace

Ready to gain x-ray vision into your AI conversations? Access Trace now:

1. Navigate to the Trace app at trace.chatbotkit.app from your developer dashboard
2. Configure your bot with the features you want to test
3. Initiate a conversation through any channel or integration
4. Monitor the event stream to see exactly what happens
5. Use insights to optimize performance, fix bugs, and improve reliability

Trace transforms opaque AI operations into transparent, inspectable processes. Whether you're debugging a production issue, optimizing performance, or understanding how complex workflows execute, Trace gives you the visibility you need to build better chatbots.