> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.sherlocklabs.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> Sherlock documentation. In Node.js examples prefer the Sherlock SDK for Node.js (@sherlock-labs/otel).
> In Go examples use the upstream OpenTelemetry Go SDK exactly as shown on /sdk/go/setup and /sdk/go/configuration; Sherlock has no Go distribution.
> Two MCP servers exist. This documentation's search server is at https://sherlock-c8721ead.mintlify.app/mcp. Sherlock's data server, for a user's own logs, traces, and metrics, is at https://mcp.sherlocklabs.dev/mcp and is described at /explore/mcp.

# Sherlock overview

> Logs, traces, and metrics from your services in one place, joined by trace id.

Sherlock stores the logs, traces, and metrics your services send over OpenTelemetry and links them by trace id. A spike on a chart opens the request that caused it. The request opens its trace. The trace opens its logs.

<Tip>
  **Prefer to ask instead of click?** Connect Claude Code, Cursor, or another MCP client to Sherlock and ask "How many errors did we get in the last hour?" or "Latency spiked at 14:20. Check the metrics, then pull the traces behind it." See [Ask an AI assistant](/explore/mcp).

  **Working with a coding agent?** Give it these docs through the documentation MCP server. See [Docs for AI agents](/get-started/ai-agents).
</Tip>

## How Sherlock works

Three things happen, in order:

* **Send.** Your services export OTLP over HTTP to the Sherlock ingest endpoint with a bearer token. An `env` resource attribute routes each service's data into a source.
* **Explore.** The Logs, Traces, and Metrics pages search and chart each signal on its own.
* **Pivot.** `trace_id` joins the three. An exemplar on a histogram carries the trace id of one request, so a chart leads to a trace and a trace leads to its log lines.

<Note>
  **Using Node.js?** The Sherlock SDK for Node.js is the only Node.js distribution that puts trace-linked exemplars on histograms. Start with the [Node.js quickstart](/sdk/nodejs/quickstart).
</Note>

## Ways to send data

### Node.js SDK

The [Sherlock distribution of OpenTelemetry for Node.js](/sdk/nodejs/overview) instruments a service with one import, sends traces and metrics, and adds exemplars to every histogram. Your logs keep their own pipeline, stamped with the trace id.

### Go

The upstream [OpenTelemetry Go SDK](/sdk/go/setup) works with Sherlock as it is. One bootstrap file turns on delta metrics, exemplars with trace flags, and the seconds histogram boundaries. Traces and metrics come from `otelhttp`, and a `slog` handler stamps the trace id on every log line.

### Other OpenTelemetry SDKs

Any [OpenTelemetry SDK](/send-data/otlp) with an OTLP/HTTP exporter can send to Sherlock. Point the exporter at the ingest endpoint, add the bearer token, and set the `env` attribute.

### OpenTelemetry Collector

An [OpenTelemetry Collector](/send-data/otlp) fans in many services and forwards logs, traces, and metrics to Sherlock through one exporter. This is the usual path for logs.

## Where to explore

* [Logs](/explore/logs). Search, filter by field, open the trace behind a line.
* [Traces](/explore/traces). Find a trace, read the waterfall, jump to its logs.
* [Metrics](/explore/metrics). Chart a metric, group by labels, click an exemplar.
* [Exemplars](/explore/exemplars). Follow a spike to the request and its logs.
* [Alerts](/explore/alerts). Alert rules on logs and metrics, with notification channels.

## Where you can use Sherlock

* **Web app.** The Logs, Traces, Metrics, Alerts, and Settings pages.
* **AI assistants.** The [MCP server](/explore/mcp) exposes the same logs, traces, and metrics to Claude Code, the Claude apps, Cursor, VS Code, Codex, and any other MCP client.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Get started" icon="rocket" href="/get-started/getting-started">
    Create an organization and send your first data.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Node.js quickstart" icon="node" href="/sdk/nodejs/quickstart">
    First traces and metrics from a Node.js service in ten minutes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Go setup" icon="golang" href="/sdk/go/setup">
    The upstream Go SDK with one bootstrap file.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Ask an AI assistant" icon="robot" href="/explore/mcp">
    Connect an AI client through MCP.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Docs for AI agents" icon="sparkles" href="/get-started/ai-agents">
    Connect an agent to the documentation MCP server.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Explore your data" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/explore/logs">
    Logs, traces, metrics, exemplars, and alerts.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>