https://github.com/pragmaticivan/nestjs-otel
OpenTelemetry (Tracing + Metrics) module for Nest framework (node.js) ðŸ”
https://github.com/pragmaticivan/nestjs-otel
hacktoberfest metrics nest nestjs nodejs observability opentelemetry prometheus typescript
Last synced: 10 days ago
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OpenTelemetry (Tracing + Metrics) module for Nest framework (node.js) ðŸ”
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/pragmaticivan/nestjs-otel
- Owner: pragmaticivan
- License: apache-2.0
- Created: 2021-06-25T13:45:39.000Z (over 4 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-04-11T00:08:29.000Z (9 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-04-11T15:57:14.011Z (9 months ago)
- Topics: hacktoberfest, metrics, nest, nestjs, nodejs, observability, opentelemetry, prometheus, typescript
- Language: TypeScript
- Homepage:
- Size: 3.52 MB
- Stars: 610
- Watchers: 7
- Forks: 57
- Open Issues: 10
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
- Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
- Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
- License: LICENSE
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README
# NestJS OpenTelemetry (OTEL)
[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/nestjs-otel)
## Description
[OpenTelemetry](https://opentelemetry.io/) module for [Nest](https://github.com/nestjs/nest).
## Why
Setting up observability metrics with nestjs requires multiple libraries and patterns. OpenTelemetry has support for multiple exporters and types of metrics such as Prometheus Metrics.
## Observability
Please read this [comprehensive whitepaper](https://github.com/cncf/tag-observability/blob/main/whitepaper.md) if that's your first time working with metrics, tracing, and logs.
## Examples
A full working examples are available. This includes a nestjs application fully integrated with prometheus, grafana, loki and tempo:
- [nestjs-otel-prom-grafana-tempo](https://github.com/pragmaticivan/nestjs-otel-prom-grafana-tempo )
## Installation
```bash
npm i nestjs-otel @opentelemetry/sdk-node --save
```
## Setup
Some peers dependencies are required when some configurations are enabled.
```
@opentelemetry/exporter-prometheus
```
1. Create tracing file (`tracing.ts`):
```ts
import {
CompositePropagator,
W3CTraceContextPropagator,
W3CBaggagePropagator,
} from '@opentelemetry/core';
import { BatchSpanProcessor } from '@opentelemetry/sdk-trace-base';
import { JaegerExporter } from '@opentelemetry/exporter-jaeger';
import { getNodeAutoInstrumentations } from '@opentelemetry/auto-instrumentations-node';
import { JaegerPropagator } from '@opentelemetry/propagator-jaeger';
import { B3Propagator } from '@opentelemetry/propagator-b3';
import { PrometheusExporter } from '@opentelemetry/exporter-prometheus';
import { NodeSDK } from '@opentelemetry/sdk-node';
import { AsyncLocalStorageContextManager } from '@opentelemetry/context-async-hooks';
import * as process from 'process';
const otelSDK = new NodeSDK({
metricReader: new PrometheusExporter({
port: 8081,
}),
spanProcessor: new BatchSpanProcessor(new JaegerExporter()),
contextManager: new AsyncLocalStorageContextManager(),
textMapPropagator: new CompositePropagator({
propagators: [
new JaegerPropagator(),
new W3CTraceContextPropagator(),
new W3CBaggagePropagator(),
new B3Propagator(),
],
}),
instrumentations: [getNodeAutoInstrumentations()],
});
export default otelSDK;
// You can also use the shutdown method to gracefully shut down the SDK before process shutdown
// or on some operating system signal.
process.on('SIGTERM', () => {
otelSDK
.shutdown()
.then(
() => console.log('SDK shut down successfully'),
err => console.log('Error shutting down SDK', err)
)
.finally(() => process.exit(0));
});
```
2. Import the metric file and start otel node SDK:
```ts
import otelSDK from './tracing';
import { NestFactory } from '@nestjs/core';
import { AppModule } from './app.module';
import { Logger } from 'nestjs-pino';
async function bootstrap() {
// Start SDK before nestjs factory create
await otelSDK.start();
const app = await NestFactory.create(AppModule);
app.useLogger(app.get(Logger));
await app.listen(3000);
}
bootstrap();
```
3. Configure nest-otel:
3.1. With `forRoot`:
```ts
const OpenTelemetryModuleConfig = OpenTelemetryModule.forRoot({
metrics: {
hostMetrics: true, // Includes Host Metrics
},
});
@Module({
imports: [OpenTelemetryModuleConfig],
})
export class AppModule {}
```
3.2. With `forRootAsync`:
```ts
OpenTelemetryModule.forRootAsync({
useClass: OtelConfigService
});
```
```ts
import { Injectable, Logger } from '@nestjs/common'
import { ConfigService } from '@nestjs/config'
import { OpenTelemetryOptionsFactory, OpenTelemetryModuleOptions } from 'nestjs-otel';
@Injectable()
export class OtelConfigService implements OpenTelemetryOptionsFactory {
private readonly logger = new Logger(OtelConfigService.name)
constructor(private configService: ConfigService) {}
createOpenTelemetryOptions(): Promise | OpenTelemetryModuleOptions {
const { hostMetrics } = this.configService.get('otel')
return {
metrics: {
hostMetrics: hostMetrics.enabled,
},
};
}
}
```
## Span Decorator
If you need, you can define a custom Tracing Span for a method. It works async or sync.
Span optionally takes one or both of the following parameters:
* `name` - explicit name of the span; if omitted, it is derived as `.`.
* `options` - `SpanOptions` to customize the span options.
You can also supply a function as the `options` argument. It will be called with the decorated method's arguments, so you can dynamically customize the span options.
```ts
import { Span } from 'nestjs-otel';
export class BooksService {
// span.name == 'CRITICAL_SECTION'
@Span('CRITICAL_SECTION')
async getBooks() {
return [`Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone`];
}
// span.name == 'BooksService.getBooksAgain'
@Span()
async getBooksAgain() {
return [`Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone`];
}
// explicitly set span options
@Span('getBook', { kind: SpanKind.SERVER })
async getBook(id: number) {
// ...
}
// options are set dynamically based on the id parameter
@Span('getBook', (id) => ({ attributes: { bookId: id } }))
async getBookAgain(id: number) {
// ...
}
// same as above, but span name is omitted and inferred automatically
@Span((id) => ({ attributes: { bookId: id } }))
async getBookOnceMore(id: number) {
// ...
}
// Capture return value as attribute
// Note: Explicitly type the result to ensure type safety
@Span({
onResult: (result: string[]) => ({ attributes: { 'book.count': result.length } }),
})
async getBooks() {
return ['Book 1', 'Book 2'];
}
}
```
## Traceable Decorator
If you want to trace all methods in a class, you can use the `@Traceable` decorator.
```ts
import { Traceable } from 'nestjs-otel';
@Injectable()
@Traceable()
export class UsersService {
findAll() {
// This method will be automatically traced
return [];
}
findOne(id: string) {
// This method will also be automatically traced
return {};
}
}
```
## Current Span Decorator
You can access the current span in your controllers using the `@CurrentSpan` decorator.
> **Note:** This decorator only works in Controllers, Resolvers, and Gateways where NestJS handles argument injection. It does **not** work in standard service-to-service calls.
```ts
import { Controller, Get } from '@nestjs/common';
import { Span } from '@opentelemetry/api';
import { CurrentSpan } from 'nestjs-otel';
@Controller('cats')
export class CatsController {
@Get()
findAll(@CurrentSpan() span: Span) {
if (span) {
span.setAttribute('custom.attribute', 'value');
}
return 'This action returns all cats';
}
}
```
## Baggage Decorator
You can access the OpenTelemetry Baggage (Distributed Context) in your controllers using the `@Baggage` decorator.
```ts
import { Controller, Get } from '@nestjs/common';
import { Baggage } from 'nestjs-otel';
@Controller('cats')
export class CatsController {
@Get()
findAll(@Baggage('tenant-id') tenantId: string) {
console.log('Tenant ID:', tenantId);
return 'This action returns all cats';
}
}
```
## Tracing Service
In case you need to access native span methods for special logics in the method block:
```ts
import { TraceService } from 'nestjs-otel';
@Injectable()
export class BookService {
constructor(private readonly traceService: TraceService) {}
@Span()
async getBooks() {
const currentSpan = this.traceService.getSpan(); // --> retrives current span, comes from http or @Span
await this.doSomething();
currentSpan.addEvent('event 1');
currentSpan.end(); // current span end
const span = this.traceService.startSpan('sub_span'); // start new span
span.setAttributes({ userId: 1 });
await this.doSomethingElse();
span.end(); // new span ends
return [`Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone`];
}
}
```
## Metric Service
[OpenTelemetry Metrics](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@opentelemetry/api) allow a user to collect data and export it to metrics backend like Prometheus.
```ts
import { MetricService } from 'nestjs-otel';
import { Counter } from '@opentelemetry/api';
@Injectable()
export class BookService {
private customMetricCounter: Counter;
constructor(private readonly metricService: MetricService) {
this.customMetricCounter = this.metricService.getCounter('custom_counter', {
description: 'Description for counter',
});
}
async getBooks() {
this.customMetricCounter.add(1);
return [`Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone`];
}
}
```
## Metric Decorators
### Metric Class Instances
If you want to count how many instance of a specific class has been created:
```ts
@OtelInstanceCounter() // It will generate a counter called: app_MyClass_instances_total.
export class MyClass {}
```
### Metric Class Method
If you want to increment a counter on each call of a specific method:
```ts
@Injectable()
export class MyService {
@OtelMethodCounter()
doSomething() {}
}
@Controller()
export class AppController {
@Get()
@OtelMethodCounter() // It will generate `app_AppController_doSomething_calls_total` counter.
doSomething() {
// do your stuff
}
}
```
### Metric Param Decorator
You have the following decorators:
- `@OtelCounter()`
- `@OtelUpDownCounter()`
- `@OtelHistogram()`
- `@OtelGauge()`
- `@OtelObservableGauge()`
- `@OtelObservableCounter()`
- `@OtelObservableUpDownCounter()`
Example of usage:
```ts
import { OtelCounter } from 'nestjs-otel';
import { Counter } from '@opentelemetry/api';
@Controller()
export class AppController {
@Get('/home')
home(
@OtelCounter('app_counter_1_inc', { description: 'counter 1 description' }) counter1: Counter
) {
counter1.add(1);
}
}
```
## Prometheus Metrics
When `metricExporter` is defined in otel SDK with a `PrometheusExporter`it will start a new process on port `8081` (default port) and metrics will be available at `http://localhost:8081/metrics`.
## Using with a logger
### Pino with instrumentation
This approach uses otel instrumentation to automatically inject spanId and traceId.
```ts
import { PinoInstrumentation } from '@opentelemetry/instrumentation-pino';
const otelSDK = new NodeSDK({
instrumentations: [new PinoInstrumentation()],
});
```
### Pino with custom formatter
This approach uses the global trace context for injecting SpanId and traceId as a property of your structured log.
```ts
import Pino, { Logger } from 'pino';
import { LoggerOptions } from 'pino';
import { trace, context } from '@opentelemetry/api';
export const loggerOptions: LoggerOptions = {
formatters: {
log(object) {
const span = trace.getSpan(context.active());
if (!span) return { ...object };
const { spanId, traceId } = trace.getSpan(context.active())?.spanContext();
return { ...object, spanId, traceId };
},
},
};
export const logger: Logger = Pino(loggerOptions);
```
## Stargazers over time
[](https://starchart.cc/pragmaticivan/nestjs-otel)