Send Data to Datadog

There are multiple ways to send OpenTelemetry data to Datadog. Choose the method that best fits your infrastructure and requirements:

MethodBest ForKey BenefitsDocumentation
OTel CollectorNew or existing OTel users wanting a vendor-neutral setup
  • Complete vendor neutrality
  • Send traces, metrics, and logs to Datadog without installing the Datadog Agent or tracing libraries
  • Advanced processing capabilities (for example, tail-based sampling)
Send data using the OTel Collector
Datadog AgentExisting Datadog users or teams requiring Agent-based features
  • Access to full Datadog Agent capabilities
  • Enhanced monitoring capabilities including:
    • Fleet Automation
    • Live Container Monitoring
    • Kubernetes Explorer
    • Live Processes
    • Cloud Network Monitoring
    • Universal Service Monitoring
    • 800+ Datadog integrations
Send data using OTLP ingest in the Agent
Direct OTLP IngestSituations requiring direct connection without additional infrastructure
  • Direct data transmission
  • No additional components needed
Send data using the intake endpoint
Still not sure which setup is right for you?
See the Feature Compatibility table to understand which Datadog features are supported.

Further reading

Additional helpful documentation, links, and articles:

Instrument Your ApplicationsDOCUMENTATION more more