What is the difference between System Trace, Developer Trace and System Log?

Basically,Tracing is a complete set of information (messages) which allows you to monitor the performance of an instance of a component and the user activity that occurs in that component. Traces may allow you to determine whether your component or application is working efficiently and as expected, even as your application, component, and environment change.

While logging is:
Logging example: Starting an activity in an application component may be instrumented like one information message, as well as, stopping an activity like a second information message opposite to the first, starting an information message. 

Tracing example: A detailed program flow may have a message which represents a path through component methods, describing components in a similar fashion to pseudo-coding (tracing). 

Summary point:

• Trace is monitoring each activity.
• Logging is set up some filters and then trace foreverer.
• You can say Logging is tracing activities but with some filters.
• Trace can be a content of log provided filter is setup for that activity.

Developer Trace:
Developer traces contain technical information for use in the event of problems with your system. Using the entries in the developer traces requires a sophisticated knowledge of the host systems in which your SAP system is running and of the SAP system itself.

System Log:
You can use the log to pinpoint and correct errors occurring in your system and its environment.

To work with system logs, choose Tools -> Administration from the R/3 initial screen. When the System Administration initial screen appears, choose Monitoring -> System log. Alternatively, you can choose Test -> System log from the ABAP/4 Development Workbench initial screen.

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