doTrace

doTrace is a name used in software development for a function or method that activates or emits trace information about program execution. There is no single canonical definition; its exact behavior depends on the project, language, and tracing framework. In general, a doTrace routine is invoked to record diagnostic data such as messages, events, or timing information, and to route those records to a trace sink such as a log, a tracing backend, or an in-memory buffer.

Typical purpose and scope: to aid debugging, performance analysis, and operational observability. A doTrace call may log function entry and exit, parameter values, identifiers, and timestamps, or it may emit structured events with attributes. Implementations often support levels or categories, enabling selective tracing and reducing overhead when disabled.

Common usage patterns: doTrace is integrated with a central tracer or logger. It can be unconditional or conditional on a runtime flag. In some systems it returns a trace handle or context that is used to annotate subsequent events. Instrumentation may be manual, with explicit calls to doTrace, or automated via tooling that injects doTrace calls.

Performance considerations: tracing adds overhead; practical use includes sampling, asynchronous emit, and configurable sinks. Privacy and security considerations apply when sensitive data could be logged.

Variants and related terms: doTrace is sometimes part of a broader tracing API and may be named trace, traceEvent, startTrace, or enableTrace depending on the ecosystem.

See also: tracing, debugging, logging, observability, instrumentation.