---
title: AWS X-Ray
description: AWS X-Ray is the distributed tracing backend on AWS. Prefer ADOT/OpenTelemetry instrumentation and CloudWatch Application Signals as the APM UI — X-Ray SDKs are in maintenance mode.
url: https://www.factualminds.com/glossary/aws-x-ray/
publishDate: 2026-07-22
updateDate: 2026-07-22
---

# AWS X-Ray

> AWS X-Ray is the distributed tracing backend on AWS. Prefer ADOT/OpenTelemetry instrumentation and CloudWatch Application Signals as the APM UI — X-Ray SDKs are in maintenance mode.

## Definition

**AWS X-Ray** stores and queries distributed traces for applications on AWS. In the modern stack, **CloudWatch Application Signals** is the primary APM experience; X-Ray remains the **trace backend** that receives OpenTelemetry spans (via ADOT, CloudWatch agent, or OTLP endpoints) and legacy X-Ray segments.

## When to use it

- As the destination for ADOT/OpenTelemetry traces powering Application Signals and Transaction Search
- Trace retrieval and analytics alongside Application Signals service maps

## When not to use it

- Do **not** start net-new instrumentation with the **X-Ray SDKs or Daemon** — they entered **maintenance mode on February 25, 2026** (security fixes only). Use **ADOT** instead.
- Do not treat the classic X-Ray console as your only APM if Application Signals is available for your runtime

## Tips

- Migrate existing X-Ray SDK apps to ADOT when you next touch instrumentation
- Enable Transaction Search for span search and unified Application Signals pricing features
- Sampling rules still matter — 100% trace ingest is a common bill shock

## Gotchas

### Serious

- Continuing to teach `aws-xray-sdk-*` for greenfield work after maintenance mode
- Confusing X-Ray **service** (supported) with X-Ray **SDK** (maintenance)

## Related FactualMinds content

- [ADOT OpenTelemetry](/glossary/aws-distro-for-opentelemetry/)
- [CloudWatch Application Signals](/glossary/cloudwatch-application-signals/)
- [CloudWatch observability best practices](/blog/aws-cloudwatch-observability-metrics-logs-alarms-best-practices/)

## Related AWS Services

- aws-managed-services
- aws-serverless
- devops-pipeline-setup

## Related Posts

- aws-cloudwatch-observability-metrics-logs-alarms-best-practices
- aws-observability-beyond-cloudwatch-otel-prometheus-grafana-2026
- debug-production-distributed-aws-systems

---

*Source: https://www.factualminds.com/glossary/aws-x-ray/*