Question 1

Why do I need error tracking if I have logs?

Accepted Answer

Logs require manual searching and lack context. Error tracking automatically captures exceptions with stack traces, user info, and session data. It groups similar errors, shows frequency, and alerts you. Much faster than log diving.

Question 2

Sentry, LogRocket, or Bugsnag?

Accepted Answer

Sentry is the most popular, with excellent language support and generous free tier. LogRocket adds session replay to see exactly what users did. Bugsnag is solid with good mobile support. Sentry is the default choice for most startups.

Question 3

How does error tracking work?

Accepted Answer

Install a small SDK in your application. When exceptions occur, the SDK captures the error, stack trace, user context, and browser/device info, then sends it to the service. You see errors in a dashboard with full context.

Question 4

Is Sentry free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Sentry's Developer tier is free for up to 5,000 errors per month. That's plenty for early-stage startups. Team plans start at $26/month with higher limits and more features.

Question 5

What context should I capture with errors?

Accepted Answer

User ID, email, current page, recent actions, and custom tags relevant to your app. The more context, the easier debugging. Just don't capture sensitive data like passwords or payment info.

Question 6

How do I avoid alert fatigue?

Accepted Answer

Configure alerts for new or regressed errors only, not every occurrence. Set thresholds—alert if error rate spikes. Group similar errors. Prioritize by user impact. Too many alerts means important ones get ignored.

Question 7

What is error grouping?

Accepted Answer

Error tracking services group similar errors together—same exception, same stack trace. You see one issue with many occurrences rather than thousands of individual errors. Essential for understanding actual bug count.

Question 8

How do I track errors in mobile apps?

Accepted Answer

Same concept, mobile SDKs. Sentry, Bugsnag, and Firebase Crashlytics all support iOS and Android. Capture crashes and exceptions with device info, OS version, and app version for debugging.

Question 9

What about frontend JavaScript errors?

Accepted Answer

Install the JavaScript SDK to catch uncaught exceptions and promise rejections. Source maps let you see original code in stack traces instead of minified code. Essential for debugging production frontend issues.

Question 10

How do I connect errors to deployments?

Accepted Answer

Most services support releases—tag errors with version numbers. You can see if a new deployment introduced errors and when errors were fixed. Sentry integrates with GitHub to link commits to releases.

Question 11

Should I track all errors or filter some?

Accepted Answer

Track all errors initially to understand your baseline. Filter out noise over time: network errors from flaky connections, errors from bots, known third-party issues. But be careful not to hide real problems.

Question 12

How do I prioritize which errors to fix?

Accepted Answer

Look at frequency (how often), recency (is it new), and user impact (who is affected). Fix high-frequency errors affecting many users first. New errors in recent releases need quick attention.

Question 13

What is session replay?

Accepted Answer

Recording what users see and do—clicks, scrolls, form inputs—so you can replay their session when errors occur. LogRocket and Sentry offer this. Incredibly useful for "I can't reproduce it" bugs.

Question 14

How much data do error trackers store?

Accepted Answer

Events are stored for 30-90 days typically, depending on plan. Key metrics and trends are retained longer. For compliance or debugging old issues, you may need to export data or upgrade plans.

Question 15

Can I track custom events, not just errors?

Accepted Answer

Yes, most services support custom events and performance transactions. Track business-critical flows, API latency, or custom metrics alongside errors. Useful for understanding system health holistically.

Question 16

How do I handle sensitive user data?

Accepted Answer

Configure data scrubbing to remove PII before sending. Sentry can redact passwords, credit cards, and custom patterns. Review what you capture and comply with your privacy policy.

Question 17

What is a breadcrumb trail?

Accepted Answer

A log of events leading up to an error: page navigations, clicks, API calls. Like a trail of breadcrumbs showing the user's path. Invaluable for understanding how users reached an error state.

Question 18

How do I integrate with my issue tracker?

Accepted Answer

Sentry, Bugsnag, and others integrate with GitHub, Jira, and Linear. Create issues directly from errors, link to existing issues, and track when fixes are deployed. Keeps error tracking connected to your workflow.

I need to track and fix errors in my application

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