---
name: azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter-java
description: |
Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Exporter for Java. Export OpenTelemetry traces, metrics, and logs to Azure Monitor/Application Insights.
Triggers: "AzureMonitorExporter java", "opentelemetry azure java", "application insights java otel", "azure monitor tracing java".
Note: This package is DEPRECATED. Migrate to azure-monitor-opentelemetry-autoconfigure.
package: com.azure:azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter
---
# Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Exporter for Java
> **⚠️ DEPRECATION NOTICE**: This package is deprecated. Migrate to `azure-monitor-opentelemetry-autoconfigure`.
>
> See [Migration Guide](https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-java/blob/main/sdk/monitor/azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter/MIGRATION.md) for detailed instructions.
Export OpenTelemetry telemetry data to Azure Monitor / Application Insights.
## Installation (Deprecated)
```xml
com.azure
azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter
1.0.0-beta.x
```
## Recommended: Use Autoconfigure Instead
```xml
com.azure
azure-monitor-opentelemetry-autoconfigure
LATEST
```
## Environment Variables
```bash
APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING=InstrumentationKey=xxx;IngestionEndpoint=https://xxx.in.applicationinsights.azure.com/
```
## Basic Setup with Autoconfigure (Recommended)
### Using Environment Variable
```java
import io.opentelemetry.sdk.autoconfigure.AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdk;
import io.opentelemetry.sdk.autoconfigure.AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdkBuilder;
import io.opentelemetry.api.OpenTelemetry;
import com.azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter.AzureMonitorExporter;
// Connection string from APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING env var
AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdkBuilder sdkBuilder = AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdk.builder();
AzureMonitorExporter.customize(sdkBuilder);
OpenTelemetry openTelemetry = sdkBuilder.build().getOpenTelemetrySdk();
```
### With Explicit Connection String
```java
AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdkBuilder sdkBuilder = AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdk.builder();
AzureMonitorExporter.customize(sdkBuilder, "{connection-string}");
OpenTelemetry openTelemetry = sdkBuilder.build().getOpenTelemetrySdk();
```
## Creating Spans
```java
import io.opentelemetry.api.trace.Tracer;
import io.opentelemetry.api.trace.Span;
import io.opentelemetry.context.Scope;
// Get tracer
Tracer tracer = openTelemetry.getTracer("com.example.myapp");
// Create span
Span span = tracer.spanBuilder("myOperation").startSpan();
try (Scope scope = span.makeCurrent()) {
// Your application logic
doWork();
} catch (Throwable t) {
span.recordException(t);
throw t;
} finally {
span.end();
}
```
## Adding Span Attributes
```java
import io.opentelemetry.api.common.AttributeKey;
import io.opentelemetry.api.common.Attributes;
Span span = tracer.spanBuilder("processOrder")
.setAttribute("order.id", "12345")
.setAttribute("customer.tier", "premium")
.startSpan();
try (Scope scope = span.makeCurrent()) {
// Add attributes during execution
span.setAttribute("items.count", 3);
span.setAttribute("total.amount", 99.99);
processOrder();
} finally {
span.end();
}
```
## Custom Span Processor
```java
import io.opentelemetry.sdk.trace.SpanProcessor;
import io.opentelemetry.sdk.trace.ReadWriteSpan;
import io.opentelemetry.sdk.trace.ReadableSpan;
import io.opentelemetry.context.Context;
private static final AttributeKey CUSTOM_ATTR = AttributeKey.stringKey("custom.attribute");
SpanProcessor customProcessor = new SpanProcessor() {
@Override
public void onStart(Context context, ReadWriteSpan span) {
// Add custom attribute to every span
span.setAttribute(CUSTOM_ATTR, "customValue");
}
@Override
public boolean isStartRequired() {
return true;
}
@Override
public void onEnd(ReadableSpan span) {
// Post-processing if needed
}
@Override
public boolean isEndRequired() {
return false;
}
};
// Register processor
AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdkBuilder sdkBuilder = AutoConfiguredOpenTelemetrySdk.builder();
AzureMonitorExporter.customize(sdkBuilder);
sdkBuilder.addTracerProviderCustomizer(
(sdkTracerProviderBuilder, configProperties) ->
sdkTracerProviderBuilder.addSpanProcessor(customProcessor)
);
OpenTelemetry openTelemetry = sdkBuilder.build().getOpenTelemetrySdk();
```
## Nested Spans
```java
public void parentOperation() {
Span parentSpan = tracer.spanBuilder("parentOperation").startSpan();
try (Scope scope = parentSpan.makeCurrent()) {
childOperation();
} finally {
parentSpan.end();
}
}
public void childOperation() {
// Automatically links to parent via Context
Span childSpan = tracer.spanBuilder("childOperation").startSpan();
try (Scope scope = childSpan.makeCurrent()) {
// Child work
} finally {
childSpan.end();
}
}
```
## Recording Exceptions
```java
Span span = tracer.spanBuilder("riskyOperation").startSpan();
try (Scope scope = span.makeCurrent()) {
performRiskyWork();
} catch (Exception e) {
span.recordException(e);
span.setStatus(StatusCode.ERROR, e.getMessage());
throw e;
} finally {
span.end();
}
```
## Metrics (via OpenTelemetry)
```java
import io.opentelemetry.api.metrics.Meter;
import io.opentelemetry.api.metrics.LongCounter;
import io.opentelemetry.api.metrics.LongHistogram;
Meter meter = openTelemetry.getMeter("com.example.myapp");
// Counter
LongCounter requestCounter = meter.counterBuilder("http.requests")
.setDescription("Total HTTP requests")
.setUnit("requests")
.build();
requestCounter.add(1, Attributes.of(
AttributeKey.stringKey("http.method"), "GET",
AttributeKey.longKey("http.status_code"), 200L
));
// Histogram
LongHistogram latencyHistogram = meter.histogramBuilder("http.latency")
.setDescription("Request latency")
.setUnit("ms")
.ofLongs()
.build();
latencyHistogram.record(150, Attributes.of(
AttributeKey.stringKey("http.route"), "/api/users"
));
```
## Key Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---------|-------------|
| Connection String | Application Insights connection string with instrumentation key |
| Tracer | Creates spans for distributed tracing |
| Span | Represents a unit of work with timing and attributes |
| SpanProcessor | Intercepts span lifecycle for customization |
| Exporter | Sends telemetry to Azure Monitor |
## Migration to Autoconfigure
The `azure-monitor-opentelemetry-autoconfigure` package provides:
- Automatic instrumentation of common libraries
- Simplified configuration
- Better integration with OpenTelemetry SDK
### Migration Steps
1. Replace dependency:
```xml
com.azure
azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter
com.azure
azure-monitor-opentelemetry-autoconfigure
```
2. Update initialization code per [Migration Guide](https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-java/blob/main/sdk/monitor/azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter/MIGRATION.md)
## Best Practices
1. **Use autoconfigure** — Migrate to `azure-monitor-opentelemetry-autoconfigure`
2. **Set meaningful span names** — Use descriptive operation names
3. **Add relevant attributes** — Include contextual data for debugging
4. **Handle exceptions** — Always record exceptions on spans
5. **Use semantic conventions** — Follow OpenTelemetry semantic conventions
6. **End spans in finally** — Ensure spans are always ended
7. **Use try-with-resources** — Scope management with try-with-resources pattern
## Reference Links
| Resource | URL |
|----------|-----|
| Maven Package | https://central.sonatype.com/artifact/com.azure/azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter |
| GitHub | https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-java/tree/main/sdk/monitor/azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter |
| Migration Guide | https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-java/blob/main/sdk/monitor/azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter/MIGRATION.md |
| Autoconfigure Package | https://central.sonatype.com/artifact/com.azure/azure-monitor-opentelemetry-autoconfigure |
| OpenTelemetry Java | https://opentelemetry.io/docs/languages/java/ |
| Application Insights | https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-monitor/app/app-insights-overview |