Bad API observability

API observability has become a critical focus area, but several anti-patterns can hinder its effectiveness. One common issue is neglecting the end-users, both developers and application users, which can obscure understanding of how APIs are used and where improvements are needed. Solely relying on API monitoring or access logs can lead to incomplete insights, as they might miss internal issues that distributed tracing could reveal. Different teams often use diverse tools, which, without proper coordination, can lead to inefficiencies, while a one-size-fits-all approach fails to accommodate the distinct needs of various API architectures like REST, GraphQL, and gRPC. Observability is also crucial in pre-production phases to detect bottlenecks and architectural issues early, and it's important to start distributed tracing at the API gateway to capture a complete picture of user transactions. Implementing these practices can enhance API reliability and user satisfaction.