![Zipkin tracing system Image](https://res.cloudinary.com/dh2nt6hgh/image/upload/v1761296015/zipkin_docker_compose_tj2usi.png "Zipkin Hosted on Railway platform)

Deploy and Host Managed Zipkin Service with one click on Railway

Zipkin is a free, open-source distributed tracing system available on GitHub, designed to help developers monitor and troubleshoot latency issues in microservice architectures. Originally developed at Twitter, Zipkin collects and visualizes timing data from various components of a system, allowing you to understand how requests flow through your application.

About Hosting Zipkin on Railway (Self Hosting Zipkin on Railway)

You can self-host Zipkin on Railway to maintain complete control over your tracing data, without relying on third-party monitoring tools. Self-hosting ensures that your distributed tracing setup is entirely private, cost-efficient, and fully customizable to your project’s needs. ## Why Deploy Managed Zipkin Service on Railway

Railway vs DigitalOcean

DigitalOcean requires users to manually install and configure Java environments, manage Docker containers, and handle security updates. Railway, however, automates these processes - allowing you to deploy Zipkin instantly, with all dependencies pre-configured.

Railway vs Linode

While Linode users must perform manual OS-level administration and dependency management for Zipkin, Railway abstracts away these technical complexities. It provides a ready-to-use containerized environment with automated scaling and updates.

Railway vs Vultr

Vultr demands extensive server setup, network tuning, and constant maintenance to self-host Zipkin. Railway removes this burden by running Zipkin in secure managed containers, providing developers with quick, consistent deployments.

Railway vs Hetzner

Hetzner offers strong raw performance but expects manual server management and troubleshooting. Railway eliminates those responsibilities, giving developers a one-click solution to deploy Zipkin securely, with zero sysadmin involvement.

Common Use Cases

Here are 5 common use cases for Zipkin:

1. Distributed Tracing in Microservices: Track the entire lifecycle of a request as it passes through multiple services, helping identify performance bottlenecks.

2. Latency Analysis: Measure the time taken by each service in a request path to detect where delays occur.

3. Root Cause Analysis: Investigate issues faster by visualizing the dependencies and interactions between services.

4. Performance Optimization: Use trace data to optimize APIs, reduce network hops, and improve system response times.

5. System Monitoring: Continuously monitor microservice performance and reliability across complex systems.

Dependencies for Zipkin hosted on Railway

To host Zipkin on Railway, you typically need:

• Java Runtime (JDK 11 or higher) for running the Zipkin server.

• Storage backend such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, Cassandra, or Elasticsearch to store trace data.

• Environment Variables to connect Zipkin to your chosen storage backend.

Deployment Dependencies for Managed Zipkin Service

A managed Zipkin service on Railway requires minimal configuration. The Java environment, storage backend, and network layers are automatically provisioned and maintained by Railway, ensuring secure, fast, and reliable tracing performance.

Implementation Details for Zipkin (Distributed Tracing System)

When deploying Zipkin, you’ll need to set environment variables like:

• STORAGE_TYPE (e.g., mysql, elasticsearch, cassandra)

• MYSQL_HOST, MYSQL_USER, MYSQL_PASS (if using MySQL)

• ZIPKIN_LOG_LEVEL (to control verbosity)

These variables help Zipkin connect to the correct data store and configure trace collection behavior. Once deployed, you can access the Zipkin dashboard via your Railway app URL.

How does Zipkin look against other observability tools

Zipkin vs Jaeger

Zipkin is lightweight, simple, and ideal for quick setup and small to medium-scale tracing needs. Jaeger, developed by Uber, offers more advanced features like adaptive sampling and integration with OpenTelemetry but requires heavier setup. Zipkin is best for users who want speed and simplicity, while Jaeger fits enterprise-grade observability.

Zipkin vs OpenTelemetry Collector

OpenTelemetry is a broader observability framework supporting metrics, logs, and traces. Zipkin focuses exclusively on distributed tracing. However, Zipkin can receive and visualize OpenTelemetry trace data, making it a great visualization backend.

Zipkin vs Grafana Tempo

Grafana Tempo is a scalable tracing backend optimized for use with Grafana dashboards. While Tempo is built for massive scale, Zipkin is easier to deploy, lightweight, and integrates seamlessly with popular frameworks like Spring Boot.

Zipkin vs Honeycomb

Honeycomb offers a managed SaaS observability solution with advanced analytics but comes with higher costs. Zipkin, being open-source and self-hostable, provides a cost-effective alternative for organizations preferring on-premise control.

How to use Zipkin

1. Deploy Zipkin on Railway: Click the “Deploy Now” button and connect your GitHub account.

2. Configure environment variables: Choose your preferred storage backend and set corresponding credentials.

3. Integrate your services: Add Zipkin client libraries to your microservices (e.g., Spring Cloud Sleuth for Java apps).

4. Start tracing: Once deployed, open the Zipkin dashboard to view traces and analyze latency.

How to self-host Zipkin on other VPS

Clone the Repository

Download Zipkin from GitHub using:

git clone https://github.com/openzipkin/zipkin.git

Install Dependencies

Make sure your VPS has Java (JDK 11+) and Docker installed. You’ll also need a compatible storage backend like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or Elasticsearch.

Configure Environment Variables

Set variables like:

STORAGE_TYPE=mysql
MYSQL_HOST=localhost
MYSQL_USER=root
MYSQL_PASS=yourpassword

Start the Zipkin Application

You can start Zipkin directly using Docker:

docker run -d -p 9411:9411 openzipkin/zipkin

Access the Zipkin Dashboard

Once deployed, open http://your-server-ip:9411 to access the Zipkin UI, view collected traces, and analyze service dependencies.

With Railway, this entire setup becomes one click away - no manual configuration or server setup needed. Deploy Now!

Features of Zipkin

• Distributed tracing visualization for complex microservices.

• Lightweight and fast setup for both local and production environments.

• Supports multiple storage backends (MySQL, Cassandra, Elasticsearch, PostgreSQL).

• REST API for programmatic trace retrieval.

• Integration with OpenTelemetry, Spring Boot, and other frameworks.

Official Pricing of Zipkin Cloud service

Zipkin itself is open-source and completely free to use. You only pay for the infrastructure (like Railway hosting, databases, and storage) on which you deploy it. Railway’s transparent, usage-based pricing makes it easy to predict and manage costs.

Self hosting Zipkin vs Managed Observability Platforms

Self-hosting Zipkin gives you total control, zero vendor dependency, and the ability to customize everything. Managed observability platforms like DataDog or New Relic offer convenience but charge premium prices and restrict customization.

Monthly Cost of Self Hosting Zipkin on Railway

Hosting Zipkin on Railway typically costs $5–$10 USD per month, depending on scale and database configuration. Even with storage costs included, it remains an affordable solution for startups and developers.

System Requirements for Hosting Zipkin

• Java 11+

• 2 GB RAM (minimum)

• Storage backend (MySQL, Cassandra, or Elasticsearch)

• Internet access for service communication

FAQs

What is Zipkin?

Zipkin is an open-source distributed tracing system that helps developers understand and troubleshoot latency problems in microservice architectures.

How do I self-host Zipkin?

You can self-host Zipkin by deploying it on your own server or use cloud platforms like Railway for a one-click, fully managed deployment.

What are the main features of Zipkin?

Zipkin provides distributed tracing visualization, multiple storage backends, API access, integration with OpenTelemetry, and real-time trace analytics.

How do I deploy Zipkin on Railway?

Simply click the “Deploy Now” button, connect your GitHub, configure your environment variables, and Railway will handle setup, scaling, and management automatically.

What are Zipkin’s dependencies?

Zipkin requires Java (JDK 11+), a supported storage backend like MySQL or Cassandra, and environment configurations for connectivity.

What are common use cases for Zipkin?

Zipkin is used for distributed tracing, latency analysis, performance optimization, debugging service interactions, and monitoring microservice reliability.

How does Zipkin compare to Jaeger or Grafana Tempo?

Zipkin is simpler and lightweight, ideal for small to mid-scale systems, while Jaeger and Tempo target enterprise-level scalability and integrations.

What’s the cost of hosting Zipkin on Railway?

Self-hosting Zipkin on Railway usually costs $5–$10 USD per month, depending on your resource usage and database setup.

Can Zipkin integrate with OpenTelemetry?

Yes, Zipkin can receive OpenTelemetry trace data and visualize it directly in the Zipkin dashboard.

Where can I find the official Zipkin source code?

You can access the official Zipkin repository on GitHub at https://github.com/openzipkin/zipkin.