Which of the following best describes the difference between CloudTrail and CloudWatch?

The distinction between CloudTrail and CloudWatch is crucial for understanding how AWS provides tools for auditing and monitoring cloud resources. The correct answer highlights that CloudTrail is primarily concerned with auditing and logging API activities within an AWS account. This includes tracking who called which API and when, as well as capturing the details of resource changes. This service is essential for security, compliance, and operational auditing.

On the other hand, CloudWatch is focused on monitoring operational metrics and performance data across AWS resources and applications. It allows users to set up alarms based on specific thresholds and visualize the performance of their resources over time through graphs and dashboards. This service is critical for ensuring the reliability and efficiency of applications by monitoring their health and performance.

Understanding the specific functions of these services helps organizations effectively manage their AWS environments, ensuring proper security through auditing and performance through monitoring.