diff --git a/src/bootstrap/Cargo.lock b/src/bootstrap/Cargo.lock
index c9697e670b777..c46aae2ded1ae 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/Cargo.lock
+++ b/src/bootstrap/Cargo.lock
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ dependencies = [
  "tar",
  "termcolor",
  "toml",
+ "tracing",
+ "tracing-subscriber",
+ "tracing-tree",
  "walkdir",
  "windows 0.52.0",
  "xz2",
@@ -70,7 +73,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "40723b8fb387abc38f4f4a37c09073622e41dd12327033091ef8950659e6dc0c"
 dependencies = [
  "memchr",
- "regex-automata",
+ "regex-automata 0.4.9",
  "serde",
 ]
 
@@ -271,8 +274,8 @@ dependencies = [
  "aho-corasick",
  "bstr",
  "log",
- "regex-automata",
- "regex-syntax",
+ "regex-automata 0.4.9",
+ "regex-syntax 0.8.5",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -300,7 +303,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "globset",
  "log",
  "memchr",
- "regex-automata",
+ "regex-automata 0.4.9",
  "same-file",
  "walkdir",
  "winapi-util",
@@ -322,6 +325,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.52.0",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "lazy_static"
+version = "1.5.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "bbd2bcb4c963f2ddae06a2efc7e9f3591312473c50c6685e1f298068316e66fe"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "libc"
 version = "0.2.167"
@@ -362,6 +371,15 @@ dependencies = [
  "pkg-config",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "matchers"
+version = "0.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8263075bb86c5a1b1427b5ae862e8889656f126e9f77c484496e8b47cf5c5558"
+dependencies = [
+ "regex-automata 0.1.10",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "memchr"
 version = "2.7.4"
@@ -377,6 +395,25 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "nu-ansi-term"
+version = "0.46.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "77a8165726e8236064dbb45459242600304b42a5ea24ee2948e18e023bf7ba84"
+dependencies = [
+ "overload",
+ "winapi",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "nu-ansi-term"
+version = "0.50.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "d4a28e057d01f97e61255210fcff094d74ed0466038633e95017f5beb68e4399"
+dependencies = [
+ "windows-sys 0.52.0",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "object"
 version = "0.36.5"
@@ -386,6 +423,12 @@ dependencies = [
  "memchr",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "once_cell"
+version = "1.20.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "1261fe7e33c73b354eab43b1273a57c8f967d0391e80353e51f764ac02cf6775"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "opener"
 version = "0.5.2"
@@ -396,6 +439,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "overload"
+version = "0.1.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b15813163c1d831bf4a13c3610c05c0d03b39feb07f7e09fa234dac9b15aaf39"
+
+[[package]]
+name = "pin-project-lite"
+version = "0.2.16"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3b3cff922bd51709b605d9ead9aa71031d81447142d828eb4a6eba76fe619f9b"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "pkg-config"
 version = "0.3.31"
@@ -439,6 +494,27 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "regex"
+version = "1.11.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "b544ef1b4eac5dc2db33ea63606ae9ffcfac26c1416a2806ae0bf5f56b201191"
+dependencies = [
+ "aho-corasick",
+ "memchr",
+ "regex-automata 0.4.9",
+ "regex-syntax 0.8.5",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "regex-automata"
+version = "0.1.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "6c230d73fb8d8c1b9c0b3135c5142a8acee3a0558fb8db5cf1cb65f8d7862132"
+dependencies = [
+ "regex-syntax 0.6.29",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "regex-automata"
 version = "0.4.9"
@@ -447,9 +523,15 @@ checksum = "809e8dc61f6de73b46c85f4c96486310fe304c434cfa43669d7b40f711150908"
 dependencies = [
  "aho-corasick",
  "memchr",
- "regex-syntax",
+ "regex-syntax 0.8.5",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "regex-syntax"
+version = "0.6.29"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f162c6dd7b008981e4d40210aca20b4bd0f9b60ca9271061b07f78537722f2e1"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "regex-syntax"
 version = "0.8.5"
@@ -539,12 +621,27 @@ dependencies = [
  "digest",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "sharded-slab"
+version = "0.1.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f40ca3c46823713e0d4209592e8d6e826aa57e928f09752619fc696c499637f6"
+dependencies = [
+ "lazy_static",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "shlex"
 version = "1.3.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "0fda2ff0d084019ba4d7c6f371c95d8fd75ce3524c3cb8fb653a3023f6323e64"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "smallvec"
+version = "1.13.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "3c5e1a9a646d36c3599cd173a41282daf47c44583ad367b8e6837255952e5c67"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "syn"
 version = "2.0.87"
@@ -589,6 +686,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi-util",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "thread_local"
+version = "1.1.8"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8b9ef9bad013ada3808854ceac7b46812a6465ba368859a37e2100283d2d719c"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "once_cell",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "toml"
 version = "0.5.11"
@@ -598,6 +705,79 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "tracing"
+version = "0.1.41"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "784e0ac535deb450455cbfa28a6f0df145ea1bb7ae51b821cf5e7927fdcfbdd0"
+dependencies = [
+ "pin-project-lite",
+ "tracing-attributes",
+ "tracing-core",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tracing-attributes"
+version = "0.1.28"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "395ae124c09f9e6918a2310af6038fba074bcf474ac352496d5910dd59a2226d"
+dependencies = [
+ "proc-macro2",
+ "quote",
+ "syn",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tracing-core"
+version = "0.1.33"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e672c95779cf947c5311f83787af4fa8fffd12fb27e4993211a84bdfd9610f9c"
+dependencies = [
+ "once_cell",
+ "valuable",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tracing-log"
+version = "0.2.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "ee855f1f400bd0e5c02d150ae5de3840039a3f54b025156404e34c23c03f47c3"
+dependencies = [
+ "log",
+ "once_cell",
+ "tracing-core",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tracing-subscriber"
+version = "0.3.19"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "e8189decb5ac0fa7bc8b96b7cb9b2701d60d48805aca84a238004d665fcc4008"
+dependencies = [
+ "matchers",
+ "nu-ansi-term 0.46.0",
+ "once_cell",
+ "regex",
+ "sharded-slab",
+ "smallvec",
+ "thread_local",
+ "tracing",
+ "tracing-core",
+ "tracing-log",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "tracing-tree"
+version = "0.4.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "f459ca79f1b0d5f71c54ddfde6debfc59c8b6eeb46808ae492077f739dc7b49c"
+dependencies = [
+ "nu-ansi-term 0.50.1",
+ "tracing-core",
+ "tracing-log",
+ "tracing-subscriber",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "typenum"
 version = "1.17.0"
@@ -610,6 +790,12 @@ version = "1.0.13"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "e91b56cd4cadaeb79bbf1a5645f6b4f8dc5bde8834ad5894a8db35fda9efa1fe"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "valuable"
+version = "0.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "830b7e5d4d90034032940e4ace0d9a9a057e7a45cd94e6c007832e39edb82f6d"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "version_check"
 version = "0.9.5"
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/Cargo.toml b/src/bootstrap/Cargo.toml
index d8775a67e1939..5322f0792147a 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src/bootstrap/Cargo.toml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ default-run = "bootstrap"
 
 [features]
 build-metrics = ["sysinfo"]
+tracing = ["dep:tracing", "dep:tracing-subscriber", "dep:tracing-tree"]
 
 [lib]
 path = "src/lib.rs"
@@ -64,6 +65,11 @@ xz2 = "0.1"
 # Dependencies needed by the build-metrics feature
 sysinfo = { version = "0.33.0", default-features = false, optional = true, features = ["system"] }
 
+# Dependencies needed by the `logging` feature
+tracing = { version = "0.1", optional = true, features = ["attributes"] }
+tracing-subscriber = { version = "0.3", optional = true, features = ["env-filter", "fmt", "registry", "std"] }
+tracing-tree = { version = "0.4.0", optional = true }
+
 [target.'cfg(windows)'.dependencies.junction]
 version = "1.0.0"
 
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py b/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
index 89415afbe3bc4..76ee40c6f45fe 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
+++ b/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
@@ -1129,6 +1129,10 @@ def build_bootstrap_cmd(self, env):
             "-Zroot-dir=" + self.rust_root,
         ]
         args.extend("--verbose" for _ in range(self.verbose))
+
+        if "BOOTSTRAP_TRACING" in env:
+            args.append("--features=tracing")
+
         if self.use_locked_deps:
             args.append("--locked")
         if self.use_vendored_sources:
diff --git a/src/bootstrap/src/bin/main.rs b/src/bootstrap/src/bin/main.rs
index ee813de1c9e26..b65527741952e 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/src/bin/main.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/src/bin/main.rs
@@ -15,8 +15,18 @@ use bootstrap::{
     human_readable_changes, t,
 };
 use build_helper::ci::CiEnv;
-
+#[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+use tracing::*;
+#[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+use tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter;
+#[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+use tracing_subscriber::prelude::*;
+
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "tracing", instrument(level = "trace", name = "main"))]
 fn main() {
+    #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+    setup_tracing();
+
     let args = env::args().skip(1).collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
     if Flags::try_parse_verbose_help(&args) {
@@ -187,3 +197,28 @@ fn check_version(config: &Config) -> Option<String> {
 
     Some(msg)
 }
+
+// # Note on `tracing` usage in bootstrap
+//
+// Due to the conditional compilation via the `tracing` cargo feature, this means that `tracing`
+// usages in bootstrap need to be also gated behind the `tracing` feature:
+//
+// - `tracing` macros (like `trace!`) and anything from `tracing`, `tracing_subscriber` and
+//   `tracing-tree` will need to be gated by `#[cfg(feature = "tracing")]`.
+// - `tracing`'s `#[instrument(..)]` macro will need to be gated like `#![cfg_attr(feature =
+//   "tracing", instrument(..))]`.
+#[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+fn setup_tracing() {
+    let filter = EnvFilter::from_env("BOOTSTRAP_TRACING");
+    let layer = tracing_tree::HierarchicalLayer::default()
+        .with_writer(std::io::stderr)
+        .with_ansi(true)
+        .with_targets(true)
+        .with_bracketed_fields(true)
+        .with_indent_amount(2)
+        .with_indent_lines(true);
+    let subscriber = tracing_subscriber::registry().with(filter).with(layer);
+
+    tracing::subscriber::set_global_default(subscriber).unwrap();
+    trace!("tracing subscriber setup");
+}
diff --git a/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/SUMMARY.md b/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/SUMMARY.md
index a8fddbc7562d5..91c4aeacbd749 100644
--- a/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/SUMMARY.md
+++ b/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/SUMMARY.md
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
 - [Prologue](./building/bootstrapping/intro.md)
 - [What Bootstrapping does](./building/bootstrapping/what-bootstrapping-does.md)
 - [How Bootstrap does it](./building/bootstrapping/how-bootstrap-does-it.md)
+- [Debugging bootstrap](./building/bootstrapping/debugging-bootstrap.md)
 
 # High-level Compiler Architecture
 
diff --git a/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/debugging-bootstrap.md b/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/debugging-bootstrap.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..972b4a8fb0e62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/debugging-bootstrap.md
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+# Debugging bootstrap
+
+> FIXME: this page could be expanded 
+
+## `tracing` in bootstrap
+
+Bootstrap has conditional [`tracing`][tracing] setup to provide structured logging.
+
+[tracing]: https://docs.rs/tracing/0.1.41/tracing/index.html
+
+### Enabling `tracing` output
+
+Bootstrap will conditionally enable `tracing` output if the `BOOTSTRAP_TRACING` env var is set.
+
+Example usage:
+
+```bash
+$ BOOTSTRAP_TRACING=TRACE ./x build library --stage 1
+```
+
+Example output[^experimental]:
+
+![Example bootstrap tracing output](./debugging-bootstrap/tracing-output-example.png)
+
+[^experimental]: This shows what's *possible* with the infra in an experimental implementation.
+
+The env var `BOOTSTRAP_TRACING` accepts a [`tracing` env-filter][tracing-env-filter]. The `TRACE` filter will enable *all* `trace` level or less verbose level tracing output.
+
+[tracing-env-filter]: https://docs.rs/tracing-subscriber/0.3.19/tracing_subscriber/filter/struct.EnvFilter.html
+
+### Using `tracing` in bootstrap
+
+Both `tracing::*` macros and the `tracing::instrument` proc-macro attribute need to be gated behind `tracing` feature. Examples:
+
+```rs
+#[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+use tracing::{instrument, trace};
+
+struct Foo;
+
+impl Step for Foo {
+    type Output = ();
+
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "tracing", instrument(level = "trace", name = "Foo::should_run", skip_all))]
+    fn should_run(run: ShouldRun<'_>) -> ShouldRun<'_> {
+        #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+        trace!(?run, "entered Foo::should_run");
+
+        todo!()
+    }
+
+    #[cfg_attr(
+        feature = "tracing",
+        instrument(
+            level = "trace",
+            name = "Foo::run",
+            skip_all,
+            fields(compiler = ?builder.compiler),
+        ),
+    )]
+    fn run(self, builder: &Builder<'_>) -> Self::Output {
+        #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
+        trace!(?run, "entered Foo::run");
+
+        todo!()
+    }    
+}
+```
+
+For `#[instrument]`, it's recommended to:
+
+- Gate it behind `trace` level for fine-granularity, possibly `debug` level for core functions.
+- Explicitly pick an instrumentation name via `name = ".."` to distinguish between e.g. `run` of different steps.
+- Take care to not cause diverging behavior via tracing, e.g. building extra things only when tracing infra is enabled.
+
+### Enabling `tracing` bootstrap feature in rust-analyzer
+
+You can adjust your `settings.json`'s `rust-analyzer.check.overrideCommand` and `rust-analyzer.cargo.buildScripts.overrideCommand` if you want to also enable `logging` cargo feature by default in your editor. This is mostly useful if you want proper r-a completions and such when working on bootstrap itself.
+
+```json
+"rust-analyzer.check.overrideCommand": [
+    "BOOTSTRAP_TRACING=1", // <- BOOTSTRAP_TRACING=1 won't enable tracing filter, but it will activate bootstrap's `tracing` feature
+    "python3",
+    "x.py",
+    "check",
+    "--json-output",
+    "--build-dir=build-rust-analyzer"
+],
+```
+
+```json
+"rust-analyzer.cargo.buildScripts.overrideCommand": [
+    "BOOTSTRAP_TRACING=1", // <- note this
+    "python3",
+    "x.py",
+    "check",
+    "--json-output",
+    "--build-dir=build-rust-analyzer"
+],
+```
diff --git a/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/debugging-bootstrap/tracing-output-example.png b/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/debugging-bootstrap/tracing-output-example.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..745aec50d4a36
Binary files /dev/null and b/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/debugging-bootstrap/tracing-output-example.png differ
diff --git a/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/intro.md b/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/intro.md
index f829884fb9374..f72918c8377fc 100644
--- a/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/intro.md
+++ b/src/doc/rustc-dev-guide/src/building/bootstrapping/intro.md
@@ -17,5 +17,8 @@ In this section, we give a high-level overview of
 [what Bootstrap does](./what-bootstrapping-does.md), followed by a high-level
 introduction to [how Bootstrap does it](./how-bootstrap-does-it.md).
 
+Additionally, see [debugging bootstrap](./debugging-bootstrap.md) to learn
+about debugging methods.
+
 [boot]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootstrapping_(compilers)
 [ocaml-compiler]: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/tree/ef75860a0a72f79f97216f8aaa5b388d98da6480/src/boot