Description: Latency metrics are data points that measure the time it takes for a system to respond to a request. These metrics are fundamental for evaluating the performance of applications and services, especially in various computing environments where speed and efficiency are crucial. Latency can be influenced by various factors, such as the geographical distance between the user and the server, system load, and network quality. Latency metrics can be broken down into different categories, such as network latency, which measures the time it takes for a data packet to travel from one point to another, and application latency, which refers to the time it takes for an application to process a request. Observability in software systems greatly benefits from these metrics, as they allow developers and system administrators to identify bottlenecks and optimize performance. Additionally, latency is a key indicator of user experience; high latency can lead to frustration and user loss. Therefore, constant monitoring of these metrics is essential to maintain service quality and ensure that applications operate efficiently.
