diff --git a/src/app/sdl3_app_buffers.cpp b/src/app/sdl3_app_buffers.cpp
index f51524d..953afdd 100644
--- a/src/app/sdl3_app_buffers.cpp
+++ b/src/app/sdl3_app_buffers.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "app/sdl3_app.hpp"
+#include "app/trace.hpp"
 
 #include <cstring>
 #include <stdexcept>
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@
 namespace sdl3cpp::app {
 
 void Sdl3App::LoadSceneData() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     shaderPathMap_ = cubeScript_.LoadShaderPathsMap();
     if (shaderPathMap_.empty()) {
         throw std::runtime_error("Lua script did not provide shader paths");
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ void Sdl3App::LoadSceneData() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateVertexBuffer() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     VkDeviceSize bufferSize = sizeof(vertices_[0]) * vertices_.size();
     vulkan::CreateBuffer(device_, physicalDevice_, bufferSize, VK_BUFFER_USAGE_VERTEX_BUFFER_BIT,
                          VK_MEMORY_PROPERTY_HOST_VISIBLE_BIT | VK_MEMORY_PROPERTY_HOST_COHERENT_BIT, vertexBuffer_,
@@ -64,6 +67,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateVertexBuffer() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateIndexBuffer() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     VkDeviceSize bufferSize = sizeof(indices_[0]) * indices_.size();
     vulkan::CreateBuffer(device_, physicalDevice_, bufferSize, VK_BUFFER_USAGE_INDEX_BUFFER_BIT,
                          VK_MEMORY_PROPERTY_HOST_VISIBLE_BIT | VK_MEMORY_PROPERTY_HOST_COHERENT_BIT, indexBuffer_,
diff --git a/src/app/sdl3_app_build.cpp b/src/app/sdl3_app_build.cpp
index f810676..a626d4e 100644
--- a/src/app/sdl3_app_build.cpp
+++ b/src/app/sdl3_app_build.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 #include "app/sdl3_app.hpp"
+#include "app/trace.hpp"
 
 #include <stdexcept>
 
 namespace sdl3cpp::app {
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateFramebuffers() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     swapChainFramebuffers_.resize(swapChainImageViews_.size());
     for (size_t i = 0; i < swapChainImageViews_.size(); ++i) {
         VkImageView attachments[] = {swapChainImageViews_[i]};
@@ -26,6 +28,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateFramebuffers() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateCommandPool() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     QueueFamilyIndices indices = FindQueueFamilies(physicalDevice_);
 
     VkCommandPoolCreateInfo poolInfo{};
@@ -39,6 +42,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateCommandPool() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateSyncObjects() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     VkSemaphoreCreateInfo semaphoreInfo{};
     semaphoreInfo.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SEMAPHORE_CREATE_INFO;
 
diff --git a/src/app/sdl3_app_core.cpp b/src/app/sdl3_app_core.cpp
index b5437e7..4bda5d8 100644
--- a/src/app/sdl3_app_core.cpp
+++ b/src/app/sdl3_app_core.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "app/sdl3_app.hpp"
+#include "app/trace.hpp"
 
 #include <chrono>
 #include <fstream>
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@
 namespace sdl3cpp::app {
 
 std::vector<char> ReadFile(const std::string& path) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     std::ifstream file(path, std::ios::ate | std::ios::binary);
     if (!file) {
         throw std::runtime_error("failed to open file: " + path);
@@ -79,9 +81,12 @@ void ThrowSdlErrorIfFailed(int result, const char* context) {
 
 } // namespace
 
-Sdl3App::Sdl3App(const std::filesystem::path& scriptPath) : cubeScript_(scriptPath) {}
+Sdl3App::Sdl3App(const std::filesystem::path& scriptPath) : cubeScript_(scriptPath) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
+}
 
 void Sdl3App::Run() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     InitSDL();
     InitVulkan();
     MainLoop();
@@ -89,6 +94,7 @@ void Sdl3App::Run() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::InitSDL() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     ThrowSdlErrorIfFailed(SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO), "SDL_Init failed");
     ThrowSdlErrorIfFailed(SDL_Vulkan_LoadLibrary(nullptr), "SDL_Vulkan_LoadLibrary failed");
     window_ = SDL_CreateWindow("SDL3 Vulkan Demo", kWidth, kHeight, SDL_WINDOW_VULKAN | SDL_WINDOW_RESIZABLE);
@@ -99,6 +105,7 @@ void Sdl3App::InitSDL() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::InitVulkan() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     CreateInstance();
     CreateSurface();
     PickPhysicalDevice();
@@ -118,6 +125,7 @@ void Sdl3App::InitVulkan() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::MainLoop() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     bool running = true;
     auto start = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
     while (running) {
@@ -156,6 +164,7 @@ void Sdl3App::MainLoop() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::Cleanup() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     CleanupSwapChain();
 
     vkDestroyBuffer(device_, vertexBuffer_, nullptr);
diff --git a/src/app/sdl3_app_device.cpp b/src/app/sdl3_app_device.cpp
index ec8d664..1c1406d 100644
--- a/src/app/sdl3_app_device.cpp
+++ b/src/app/sdl3_app_device.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "app/sdl3_app.hpp"
+#include "app/trace.hpp"
 
 #include <set>
 #include <stdexcept>
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@
 namespace sdl3cpp::app {
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateInstance() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     VkApplicationInfo appInfo{};
     appInfo.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_APPLICATION_INFO;
     appInfo.pApplicationName = "SDL3 Vulkan";
@@ -35,12 +37,14 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateInstance() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateSurface() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     if (!SDL_Vulkan_CreateSurface(window_, instance_, nullptr, &surface_)) {
         throw std::runtime_error("Failed to create Vulkan surface");
     }
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::PickPhysicalDevice() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     uint32_t deviceCount = 0;
     vkEnumeratePhysicalDevices(instance_, &deviceCount, nullptr);
     if (deviceCount == 0) {
@@ -62,6 +66,7 @@ void Sdl3App::PickPhysicalDevice() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateLogicalDevice() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     QueueFamilyIndices indices = FindQueueFamilies(physicalDevice_);
 
     std::vector<VkDeviceQueueCreateInfo> queueCreateInfos;
@@ -96,6 +101,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateLogicalDevice() {
 }
 
 QueueFamilyIndices Sdl3App::FindQueueFamilies(VkPhysicalDevice device) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     QueueFamilyIndices indices;
 
     uint32_t queueFamilyCount = 0;
@@ -127,6 +133,7 @@ QueueFamilyIndices Sdl3App::FindQueueFamilies(VkPhysicalDevice device) {
 }
 
 bool Sdl3App::CheckDeviceExtensionSupport(VkPhysicalDevice device) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     uint32_t extensionCount = 0;
     vkEnumerateDeviceExtensionProperties(device, nullptr, &extensionCount, nullptr);
 
@@ -142,6 +149,7 @@ bool Sdl3App::CheckDeviceExtensionSupport(VkPhysicalDevice device) {
 }
 
 SwapChainSupportDetails Sdl3App::QuerySwapChainSupport(VkPhysicalDevice device) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     SwapChainSupportDetails details;
     vkGetPhysicalDeviceSurfaceCapabilitiesKHR(device, surface_, &details.capabilities);
 
@@ -164,6 +172,7 @@ SwapChainSupportDetails Sdl3App::QuerySwapChainSupport(VkPhysicalDevice device)
 }
 
 bool Sdl3App::IsDeviceSuitable(VkPhysicalDevice device) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     QueueFamilyIndices indices = FindQueueFamilies(device);
 
     bool extensionsSupported = CheckDeviceExtensionSupport(device);
diff --git a/src/app/sdl3_app_pipeline.cpp b/src/app/sdl3_app_pipeline.cpp
index 94eaa3d..31c07b5 100644
--- a/src/app/sdl3_app_pipeline.cpp
+++ b/src/app/sdl3_app_pipeline.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "app/sdl3_app.hpp"
+#include "app/trace.hpp"
 
 #include <array>
 #include <stdexcept>
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@
 namespace sdl3cpp::app {
 
 VkShaderModule Sdl3App::CreateShaderModule(const std::vector<char>& code) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     VkShaderModuleCreateInfo createInfo{};
     createInfo.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SHADER_MODULE_CREATE_INFO;
     createInfo.codeSize = code.size();
@@ -19,6 +21,7 @@ VkShaderModule Sdl3App::CreateShaderModule(const std::vector<char>& code) {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateGraphicsPipeline() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     if (shaderPathMap_.empty()) {
         throw std::runtime_error("No shader paths were loaded before pipeline creation");
     }
diff --git a/src/app/sdl3_app_render.cpp b/src/app/sdl3_app_render.cpp
index 7e08d2c..a6290d0 100644
--- a/src/app/sdl3_app_render.cpp
+++ b/src/app/sdl3_app_render.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "app/sdl3_app.hpp"
+#include "app/trace.hpp"
 
 #include <limits>
 #include <stdexcept>
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ const std::unordered_map<SDL_Keycode, std::string> kGuiKeyNames = {
 namespace sdl3cpp::app {
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateCommandBuffers() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     commandBuffers_.resize(swapChainFramebuffers_.size());
 
     VkCommandBufferAllocateInfo allocInfo{};
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateCommandBuffers() {
 
 void Sdl3App::RecordCommandBuffer(VkCommandBuffer commandBuffer, uint32_t imageIndex, float time,
                                    const std::array<float, 16>& viewProj) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     VkCommandBufferBeginInfo beginInfo{};
     beginInfo.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_COMMAND_BUFFER_BEGIN_INFO;
 
@@ -82,6 +85,7 @@ void Sdl3App::RecordCommandBuffer(VkCommandBuffer commandBuffer, uint32_t imageI
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::ProcessGuiEvent(const SDL_Event& event) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     switch (event.type) {
         case SDL_EVENT_MOUSE_MOTION:
             guiInputSnapshot_.mouseX = static_cast<float>(event.motion.x);
@@ -114,6 +118,7 @@ void Sdl3App::ProcessGuiEvent(const SDL_Event& event) {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::SetupGuiRenderer() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     guiHasCommands_ = cubeScript_.HasGuiCommands();
     if (!guiHasCommands_) {
         guiRenderer_.reset();
@@ -128,6 +133,7 @@ void Sdl3App::SetupGuiRenderer() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::DrawFrame(float time) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     vkWaitForFences(device_, 1, &inFlightFence_, VK_TRUE, std::numeric_limits<uint64_t>::max());
     vkResetFences(device_, 1, &inFlightFence_);
 
diff --git a/src/app/sdl3_app_swapchain.cpp b/src/app/sdl3_app_swapchain.cpp
index d1304ca..5705c60 100644
--- a/src/app/sdl3_app_swapchain.cpp
+++ b/src/app/sdl3_app_swapchain.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "app/sdl3_app.hpp"
+#include "app/trace.hpp"
 #include "app/vulkan_api.hpp"
 
 #include <stdexcept>
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@
 namespace sdl3cpp::app {
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateSwapChain() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     SwapChainSupportDetails support = QuerySwapChainSupport(physicalDevice_);
 
     VkSurfaceFormatKHR surfaceFormat = ChooseSwapSurfaceFormat(support.formats);
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateSwapChain() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateImageViews() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     swapChainImageViews_.resize(swapChainImages_.size());
     for (size_t i = 0; i < swapChainImages_.size(); ++i) {
         VkImageViewCreateInfo viewInfo{};
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateImageViews() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CreateRenderPass() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     VkAttachmentDescription colorAttachment{};
     colorAttachment.format = swapChainImageFormat_;
     colorAttachment.samples = VK_SAMPLE_COUNT_1_BIT;
@@ -119,6 +123,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CreateRenderPass() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::CleanupSwapChain() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     for (auto framebuffer : swapChainFramebuffers_) {
         vkDestroyFramebuffer(device_, framebuffer, nullptr);
     }
@@ -140,6 +145,7 @@ void Sdl3App::CleanupSwapChain() {
 }
 
 void Sdl3App::RecreateSwapChain() {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     int width = 0;
     int height = 0;
     while (width == 0 || height == 0) {
@@ -160,6 +166,7 @@ void Sdl3App::RecreateSwapChain() {
 }
 
 VkSurfaceFormatKHR Sdl3App::ChooseSwapSurfaceFormat(const std::vector<VkSurfaceFormatKHR>& availableFormats) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     for (const auto& availableFormat : availableFormats) {
         if (availableFormat.format == VK_FORMAT_B8G8R8A8_SRGB &&
             availableFormat.colorSpace == VK_COLOR_SPACE_SRGB_NONLINEAR_KHR) {
@@ -170,6 +177,7 @@ VkSurfaceFormatKHR Sdl3App::ChooseSwapSurfaceFormat(const std::vector<VkSurfaceF
 }
 
 VkPresentModeKHR Sdl3App::ChooseSwapPresentMode(const std::vector<VkPresentModeKHR>& availablePresentModes) {
+    TRACE_FUNCTION();
     for (const auto& availablePresentMode : availablePresentModes) {
         if (availablePresentMode == VK_PRESENT_MODE_MAILBOX_KHR) {
             return availablePresentMode;
diff --git a/src/app/trace.hpp b/src/app/trace.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25a1092
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/trace.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#ifndef SDL3CPP_APP_TRACE_HPP
+#define SDL3CPP_APP_TRACE_HPP
+
+#include <atomic>
+#include <iostream>
+
+namespace sdl3cpp::app {
+
+class TraceLogger {
+public:
+    static void SetEnabled(bool enabled) noexcept {
+        enabled_.store(enabled, std::memory_order_relaxed);
+    }
+
+    static bool Enabled() noexcept {
+        return enabled_.load(std::memory_order_relaxed);
+    }
+
+    static void Log(const char* message) {
+        if (Enabled()) {
+            std::cout << "[TRACE] " << message << '\n';
+        }
+    }
+
+private:
+    static inline std::atomic_bool enabled_{false};
+};
+
+class TraceScope {
+public:
+    explicit TraceScope(const char* name) : name_(name) {
+        TraceLogger::Log(name_);
+    }
+
+private:
+    const char* name_;
+};
+
+} // namespace sdl3cpp::app
+
+#define TRACE_FUNCTION() sdl3cpp::app::TraceScope traceScope##__COUNTER__{__func__}
+
+#endif // SDL3CPP_APP_TRACE_HPP
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 316be23..d1e755a 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
 
+#include "app/trace.hpp"
 #include "app/sdl3_app.hpp"
 
 namespace {
@@ -156,6 +157,7 @@ struct AppOptions {
     std::optional<std::filesystem::path> seedOutput;
     bool saveDefaultJson = false;
     bool dumpRuntimeJson = false;
+    bool traceEnabled = false;
 };
 
 AppOptions ParseCommandLine(int argc, char** argv) {
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@ AppOptions ParseCommandLine(int argc, char** argv) {
     std::string seedOutputText;
     std::string setDefaultJsonPath;
     bool dumpRuntimeJson = false;
+    bool traceRuntime = false;
 
     CLI::App app("SDL3 + Vulkan runtime helper");
     app.add_option("-j,--json-file-in", jsonInputText, "Path to a runtime JSON config")
@@ -177,6 +180,7 @@ AppOptions ParseCommandLine(int argc, char** argv) {
     setDefaultJsonOption->type_size(1, 1);
     setDefaultJsonOption->expected(0, 1);
     app.add_flag("--dump-json", dumpRuntimeJson, "Print the runtime JSON that was loaded");
+    app.add_flag("--trace", traceRuntime, "Emit a log line when key functions/methods run");
 
     try {
         app.parse(argc, argv);
@@ -214,6 +218,7 @@ AppOptions ParseCommandLine(int argc, char** argv) {
     }
     options.saveDefaultJson = shouldSaveDefault;
     options.dumpRuntimeJson = dumpRuntimeJson;
+    options.traceEnabled = traceRuntime;
     return options;
 }
 
@@ -275,6 +280,7 @@ void WriteRuntimeConfigJson(const RuntimeConfig& runtimeConfig,
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     try {
         AppOptions options = ParseCommandLine(argc, argv);
+        TraceLogger::SetEnabled(options.traceEnabled);
         if (options.seedOutput) {
             WriteRuntimeConfigJson(options.runtimeConfig, *options.seedOutput);
         }