This guide provides a detailed overview of configuring and using the otel tool effectively. This tool allows you to set various configuration options, build your projects, and customize your workflow for optimal performance.
The primary method of configuring the tool is through the otel set
command. This command allows you to specify various settings tailored to your needs:
Verbose Logging: Enable verbose logging to receive detailed output from the tool, which is helpful for troubleshooting and understanding the tool's processes.
$ otel set -verbose
Debug Mode: Turn on debug mode to gather debug-level insights and information.
$ otel set -debug
Multiple Configurations: Set multiple configurations at once. For instance, enable both debug and verbose modes while using a custom rule file:
$ otel set -debug -verbose -rule=custom.json
Custom Rules Only: Disable the default rule set and apply only specific custom rules. This is particularly useful when you need a tailored rule set for your project.
$ otel set -disabledefault -rule=custom.json
Combination of Default and Custom Rules: Use both the default rules and custom rules to provide a comprehensive configuration:
$ otel set -rule=custom.json
Multiple Rule Files: Combine multiple custom rule files along with the default rules, which can be specified as a comma-separated list:
$ otel set -rule=a.json,b.json
In addition to using the otel set
command, configuration can also be overridden using environment variables. For example, the OTELTOOL_DEBUG
environment variable allows you to force the tool into debug mode temporarily, making this approach effective for one-time configurations without altering permanent settings.
$ export OTELTOOL_DEBUG=true
$ export OTELTOOL_VERBOSE=true
The names of the environment variables correspond to the configuration options available in the otel set
command with the OTELTOOL_
prefix.
Full List of Environment Variables:
OTELTOOL_DEBUG
: Enable debug mode.OTELTOOL_VERBOSE
: Enable verbose logging.OTELTOOL_RULE_JSON_FILES
: Specify custom rule files.OTELTOOL_DISABLE_DEFAULT
: Disable default rules.
This approach provides flexibility for testing changes and experimenting with configurations without permanently altering your existing setup.
Once configurations are in place, you can build your project with prefixed otel
commands. This integrates the tool's configuration directly into the build process:
Standard Build: Build your project with default settings.
$ otel go build
Output to Specific Location: Build your project and specify an output location.
$ otel go build -o app cmd/app
Passing Compiler Flags: Use compiler flags for more customized builds.
$ otel go build -gcflags="-m" cmd/app
No matter how complex your project is, the otel tool simplifies the process by automatically instrumenting your code for effective observability, the only requirement being the addition of the otel
prefix to your build commands.