Distributed tracing is a powerful technique for tracking the flow of requests through a system, providing valuable insights into performance and helping identify bottlenecks. It allows developers to link operations and requests between multiple services, offering a clear view of the entire operational flow of an action. This visibility enables pinpointing performance bottlenecks throughout the application stack, ultimately improving service quality and reliability. Distributed tracing is essential for applications built on microservices or serverless architecture, but its benefits also apply to traditional architectures. By understanding how distributed tracing operates behind the scenes, developers can harness this technique to optimize application performance and identify areas for improvement.