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Last Updated 2009-12-03

DTrace is a comprehensive dynamic tracing framework for the Solaris Operating System. DTrace provides a powerful infrastructure to permit administrators, developers, and service personnel to concisely answer arbitrary questions about the behavior of the operating system and user programs.

Solaris Dynamic Tracing Guide (wiki): The Solaris Dynamic Tracing Guide has been converted into wiki format. Contributions are welcome.
Here's the list of doc bugs.
DTrace Quick Start Guide: Observing Native and Web Applications in Production (PDF): This book shows you how to use DTrace to collect information about your system or application that you can use to improve performance. Example DTrace scripts examine an AMP stack and Web 2.0 applications.

DTrace Engineer Blogs

The Texas Ranger: 1 Riot, 1 Ranger
Jarod Jenson's initial blog entry on DTrace.

DTrace Training Information

DTrace Information and Resources

* - Third Party Resource (will leave sun.com)

Tutorial: DTrace by Example - (September 2009)
DLight Tutorial (for Sun Studio) - (June 2009)
NetBeans DTrace GUI Plug-in, also for Sun Studio IDE* - (March 2009)
Automatic DTrace Probe Insertion in Fortran - (Feb 2009)
Optimizing MySQL Database Application Performance with Solaris Dynamic Tracing - (Jan 2009)
This Sun BluePrints article describes how taking advantage of Solaris Dynamic Tracing (DTrace) probes can help simplify MySQL database application tuning.
Using the Solaris DTrace Utility With Open MPI Applications - (Nov 2008)
This article describes how to use the Solaris Dynamic Tracing (DTrace) utility with Open MPI.
Using DTrace to Demystify Watchpoints in the Sun Studio dbx Debugger - (May 2008)
Using DTrace with Sun Studio Tools to Understand, Analyze, Debug, and Enhance Complex Applications - (May 2008)
Learning DTrace Series * - (May 2008)
These articles will take you through the various aspects of DTrace and show you its flexibility and the variety of problem types it can help you solve.
- Part 1: Introduction (pdf)*
- Part 2: Scripts and the D Language (pdf)*
- Part 3: Advanced Scripting and Aggregations (pdf)*
- Part 4: Solving Everyday Problems (pdf)*
- Part 5: Completing the Picture (pdf)*
Case Study: Using DTrace and truss in the Solaris 10 OS - (April 2008)
This case study focuses on leveraging DTrace and truss to troubleshoot the Solaris 10 Operating System.
Exploring Leopard with DTrace* - (December 2007)
How to use DTrace for debugging and exploration in Mac OS X Leopard (10.5)
End-to-End Tracing of Ajax/Java Applications Using DTrace - (July 2007)
This article shows how the DTrace tool in the Solaris OS can help trace Ajax applications, starting from the JavaScript code executed in a browser environment, to the Java back-end on the server side, and beyond.
SolarisInternals DTrace Wiki* - (May 2007)
A wiki for DTrace and every related DTrace Topic.
The Power of DTrace - (March 2007)
This overview of DTrace offers sample scripts.
DTrace by Example: Solving a Real-World Problem - (January 2007)
This article show the use of DTrace to solve a real-life problem, following the reasoning behind the process.
How to Use DTrace From a Solaris 10 System (How-To Guide)
This practical guide shows how to construct scripts to gather useful information about running applications, which can be used to improve performance.
DTrace Quick Reference Guide (Aug 2006)
This guide to Dynamic Tracing in the Solaris OS offers tables listing providers, functions, aggregating functions, variables, and built-in variables.
Transcript: BigAdmin XPerts Session with the DTrace Engineers (Nov 2004)
Ask the DTrace team your questions pertaining to DTrace.
OpenSolaris.org DTrace (Dynamic Tracing) Community
DTrace - Sun Expert Exchange Transcript (PDF)
The session transcript in the Sun Expert Exchange series to explore the what, why, and how of new features in the Solaris 10 OS that covered DTrace available in PDF.
Introducing DTrace Newsgroup Posting*
Check out this detailed posting and example on using DTrace in the 'comp.unix.solaris' newsgroup. Very helpful!
Brendan Gregg has put together a repository of useful DTrace scripts*.
If you're new to DTrace or curious what it can do (or how it may be useful to you), these scripts are a good starting point.
Dynamic Instrumentation of Production Systems Paper (PDF - 236K)
If you have an academic bent, or if you're interested in some of the principles behind DTrace, check out this paper on DTrace. The DTrace team will be presenting this paper at this year's USENIX Annual Technical Conference*.
DTrace Case Study for Developers (Oct 2004)
DTrace FAQ*
This list contains many actual frequently asked questions for DTrace, and some extra questions of an informative nature. Wiki format so easy to add questions and answers as well.
Solaris 10 - DTrace: An Introduction*
Great introduction to using DTrace.
eWeek Review: DTrace Shows Solaris' Inner Workings*

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