# 183 Java Observability Tracing Opentelemetry

> Use when you need to implement or improve distributed tracing with OpenTelemetry in Java — including trace/span modeling, context propagation, semantic conventions, span attributes/events/status, sampling strategy, baggage usage, privacy safeguards, and backend integration with OTLP collectors. This should trigger for requests such as Improve tracing; Apply OpenTelemetry tracing; Add distributed…

- **Type:** Skill
- **Install:** `agentstack add skill-jabrena-cursor-rules-java-183-java-observability-tracing-opentelemetry`
- **Verified:** Yes — security-reviewed for prompt injection and unsafe behavior
- **Seller:** [jabrena](https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/jabrena)
- **Installs:** 0
- **Category:** [Developer Tools](https://agentstack.voostack.com/c/developer-tools)
- **Latest version:** 0.1.0
- **License:** Apache-2.0
- **Upstream author:** [jabrena](https://github.com/jabrena)
- **Source:** https://github.com/jabrena/cursor-rules-java/tree/main/skills/183-java-observability-tracing-opentelemetry
- **Website:** https://jabrena.github.io/cursor-rules-java/

## Install

```sh
agentstack add skill-jabrena-cursor-rules-java-183-java-observability-tracing-opentelemetry
```

Requires the [AgentStack CLI](https://agentstack.voostack.com/docs/cli). Works with Claude Code, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible agent.

## About

# Java Distributed Tracing with OpenTelemetry

Implement robust distributed tracing in Java with OpenTelemetry by modeling meaningful spans, preserving context propagation, and instrumenting critical business and infrastructure paths with low-overhead, privacy-safe telemetry.

**What is covered in this Skill?**

- OpenTelemetry tracing fundamentals for Java services
- Span design: boundaries, parent/child relationships, and operation naming
- Context propagation across HTTP, messaging, async tasks, and thread boundaries
- Semantic conventions and stable attribute naming
- Error/status/event recording best practices
- Sampling strategy and performance/cost trade-offs
- Privacy and security controls for trace attributes
- Testing and verification of trace propagation and span correctness

**Scope:** Distributed tracing quality in application and integration layers, focused on diagnosability, consistency, and operational safety.

## Constraints

Tracing instrumentation must preserve context correctly and avoid leaking sensitive data. Over-instrumentation and high-cardinality attributes can harm cost and signal quality.

- **PROPAGATION FIRST**: Ensure context propagation across all sync/async boundaries before adding extra span detail
- **NO SENSITIVE DATA**: Never store secrets, credentials, tokens, raw payloads, or PII in span attributes/events
- **LOW CARDINALITY ATTRIBUTES**: Avoid unbounded values in attributes that are used for aggregation/search
- **VERIFY**: Run `./mvnw clean verify` or `mvn clean verify` after applying tracing changes

## When to use this skill

- Improve tracing
- Apply OpenTelemetry tracing
- Add distributed tracing
- Refactor tracing instrumentation

## Workflow

1. **Define trace model and critical flows**

Identify high-value request and async flows, define operation boundaries, and choose span names/attributes aligned with semantic conventions.

2. **Instrument and propagate context**

Add OpenTelemetry spans to key boundaries and ensure trace context is propagated across HTTP clients/servers, messaging, and executor-based async work.

3. **Harden span data and sampling**

Record status/errors/events consistently, remove sensitive data, control attribute cardinality, and configure sampling/exporters according to environment needs.

4. **Validate traces end-to-end**

Verify parent-child relationships, propagation continuity, and backend visibility through tests and runtime checks.

## Reference

For detailed guidance, examples, and constraints, see [references/183-java-observability-tracing-opentelemetry.md](references/183-java-observability-tracing-opentelemetry.md).

## Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

- **Author:** [jabrena](https://github.com/jabrena)
- **Source:** [jabrena/cursor-rules-java](https://github.com/jabrena/cursor-rules-java)
- **License:** Apache-2.0
- **Homepage:** https://jabrena.github.io/cursor-rules-java/

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.

## Pricing

- **Free** — Free

## Security capabilities

Automated source analysis of v0.1.0 — what this tool can access:

- **Network access:** no
- **Filesystem access:** no
- **Shell / process execution:** no
- **Environment & secrets:** no
- **Dynamic code execution:** no

*"Yes" means the capability is present in the source — more access means more to trust, not that it is unsafe.*


## Versions

- **0.1.0** — security scan: passed — Imported from the upstream source.

## Links

- Listing page: https://agentstack.voostack.com/l/skill-jabrena-cursor-rules-java-183-java-observability-tracing-opentelemetry
- Seller: https://agentstack.voostack.com/s/jabrena
- Browse the marketplace: https://agentstack.voostack.com/browse

---
Listed on AgentStack — the marketplace for AI agent skills and MCP servers. Every listing is security-reviewed. Creators keep 70%.