TLDR
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AppSignal’s gem integration with Hatchbox adds host-level metrics (CPU, memory, disk, load) to Rails APM without a separate daemon.
Key Takeaways
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AppSignal ships both APM and host instrumentation in one gem; Hatchbox connects via two-click integration with no extra agent.
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Memory healthy range is 40-70% utilization; distinguish drift (organic growth) from leaks (rising floor that survives traffic drops).
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Disk is the silent killer: 80% is warning threshold, 95% risks OS lockup; common culprits are logs, /tmp temp files, and Postgres/MySQL WAL segments.
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CPU % and load average are distinct: CPU is processing speed, load is queue depth; spikes alone are not always problems (e.g., assets:precompile).
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Recommended alert thresholds: disk warn 80%/critical 95%, memory sustained 80% for 5-10 min, load average above core count + 1 over 15 min.
Hacker News Comment Review
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Minimal discussion; one commenter vouches for AppSignal on Rails side projects, noting it balances visibility with simplicity compared to Sentry.
Notable Comments
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@dewey: praises AppSignal as less complicated and overloaded than Sentry for solo/side-project Rails stacks.
Original | Discuss on HN