[docs] Add trace_api_util reference to eosio utilities docs

docs/10_utilities/index.md

@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ link_text: EOSIO Utilities
 This section contains documentation for additional utilities that complement or extend `nodeos` and potentially other EOSIO software:
 
 * [eosio-blocklog](eosio-blocklog.md) - Low-level utility for node operators to interact with block log files.
+* [trace_api_util](trace_api_util.md) - Low-level utility for performing tasks associated with the [Trace API](../01_nodeos/03_plugins/trace_api_plugin/index.md).

docs/10_utilities/trace_api_util.md

@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+---
+content_title: trace_api_util
+link_text: trace_api_util
+---
+
+`trace_api_util` is a command-line interface (CLI) utility that allows node operators to perform low-level tasks associated with the [Trace API Plugin](../01_nodeos/03_plugins/trace_api_plugin/index.md). `trace_api_util` can perform one of the following operations:
+
+* Compress a trace `log` file into the compressed `clog` format.
+
+## Usage
+```sh
+trace_api_util <options> command ...
+```
+
+## Options
+Option (=default) | Description
+-|-
+`-h [ --help` ] | show usage help message
+
+## Commands
+Command | Description
+-|-
+`compress` | Compress a trace file to into the `clog` format
+
+### compress
+Compress a trace `log` file into the `clog` format.  By default the name of the compressed file will be the same as the `input-path` but with the file extension changed to `clog`.
+
+#### Usage
+```sh
+trace_api_util compress <options> input-path [output-path]
+```
+
+#### Positional Options
+Option (=default) | Description
+-|-
+`input-path` | path to the file to compress
+`output-path` | [Optional] output file or directory path
+
+#### Options
+Option (=default) | Description
+-|-
+`-h [ --help ]` | show usage help message
+`-s [ --seek-point-stride ] arg (=512)` | the number of bytes between seek points in a compressed trace.  A smaller stride may degrade compression efficiency but increase read efficiency
+
+## Remarks
+When `trace_api_util` is launched, the utility attempts to perform the specified operation, then yields the following possible outcomes:
+* If successful, the selected operation is performed and the utility terminates with a zero error code (no error).
+* If unsuccessful, the utility outputs an error to `stderr` and terminates with a non-zero error code (indicating an error).