OpenTelemetry in Datadog

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Learn how to configure OpenTelemetry to export metrics, traces, and logs to Datadog, and explore the collected data in the platform.

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Overview

OpenTelemetry (OTel) provides standardized protocols for collecting and routing telemetry data. Datadog supports multiple ways to collect and analyze telemetry data from OpenTelemetry-instrumented applications, whether you’re using existing Datadog infrastructure or prefer a vendor-neutral setup.

Why OpenTelemetry with Datadog?

Datadog provides advanced observability for all your application telemetry, regardless of its source. By supporting OpenTelemetry, Datadog offers:

  • Flexibility and choice: Use standardized instrumentation while maintaining freedom to adapt as your technology needs evolve.
  • Comprehensive language support: Consistently monitor applications across your entire tech stack.
  • Unified instrumentation: Maintain a single approach to instrumentation across your systems.
  • Powerful analytics: Combine OpenTelemetry’s standardization with Datadog’s robust analysis, visualization, and alerting capabilities.

Whether you’re already using OpenTelemetry or considering adoption, Datadog provides flexible options to meet your needs.

Key decisions

There are two key decisions to make when using OpenTelemetry with Datadog:

The features available to you depend on these choices. For example, using the OpenTelemetry API with the Datadog SDK provides access to more Datadog features than using the OpenTelemetry SDK alone.

For more information, read Feature Compatibility.

Instrument your applications

There are several ways to instrument your applications with OpenTelemetry and Datadog. Each approach provides different features and levels of vendor neutrality.

  • Full OpenTelemetry: Use the OpenTelemetry SDK and API for a vendor-neutral setup.
  • OpenTelemetry API: Use the OpenTelemetry API with Datadog’s SDK implementation.
  • OpenTelemetry instrumentation libraries: Extend Datadog’s observability to additional frameworks and technologies.

For more information, see Instrument Your Applications.

Send OpenTelemetry data to Datadog

If your applications and services are instrumented with OpenTelemetry libraries, you can choose how to get traces, metrics, and logs data into Datadog.

Not sure which setup is right for you?
See the Feature Compatibility table to understand which Datadog features are supported.

Option 1: Use the OpenTelemetry Collector

Diagram: OpenTelemetry SDK in code sends data through OTLP to host running OpenTelemetry Collector with Datadog Exporter, which forwards to Datadog's Observability Platform.

Best for: New or existing OTel users wanting a completely vendor-neutral setup.

  • Complete vendor neutrality for sending OpenTelemetry data to Datadog
  • Flexible configuration options like tail-based sampling and data transformations


Option 2: Use the Datadog Agent with DDOT Collector

Architecture overview for DDOT Collector, which is embedded in the Datadog Agent.

Best for: Existing Datadog users or teams requiring Agent-based features such as:

  • Fleet Automation
  • Live Container Monitoring
  • Kubernetes Explorer
  • Live Processes
  • Cloud Network Monitoring
  • Universal Service Monitoring
  • 850+ Datadog integrations
For a complete list of Agent-based features, see OTel to Datadog Agent (OTLP) in Feature Compatibility.


Additional setup options

For other setup options, including Agentless deployment, see Send Data to Datadog.

Further reading

Additional helpful documentation, links, and articles:

Feature CompatibilityDOCUMENTATION more more Instrument Your ApplicationsDOCUMENTATION more more Send Data to DatadogDOCUMENTATION more more Datadog's partnership with OpenTelemetryBLOG more more Monitor OpenTelemetry-instrumented apps with support for W3C Trace ContextBLOG more more Send metrics and traces from OpenTelemetry Collector to Datadog via Datadog ExporterBLOG more more Forward logs from the OpenTelemetry Collector with the Datadog ExporterBLOG more more OTLP ingestion in the AgentBLOG more more Learn more about AWS's managed Lambda Layer for OpenTelemetryBLOG more more Correlate Datadog RUM events with traces from OpenTelemetry-instrumented applicationsBLOG more more Monitor runtime metrics from OTel-instrumented apps with Datadog APMBLOG more more How to select your OpenTelemetry deploymentBLOG more more Introduction to OpenTelemetry with DatadogLEARNING CENTER more more