Observability and monitoring, while often considered interchangeable, serve distinct functions in system performance management, with monitoring focusing on collecting quantitative data about a system's current state and observability using that data to generate insights for system optimization. Together, they form a cycle where monitoring provides detailed data, observability turns this data into actionable insights, and these insights are then applied back to monitoring for better data collection, ultimately enhancing system visibility. In modern software development, characterized by CI/CD pipelines and complex architectures like microservices, maintaining robust observability and monitoring stacks is crucial to prevent outages and adapt to constant changes, especially as systems grow and evolve. Neglecting either component can lead to significant challenges, particularly when transitioning to cloud-based services or scaling operations, emphasizing the necessity of both practices for maintaining system health and preemptively addressing potential issues.