{"slug":"azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter-py","title":"azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter-py","summary":"Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Exporter for Python. Use for low-level OpenTelemetry export to Application Insights. Triggers: \"azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter\", \"AzureMonitorTraceExporter\", \"AzureMonitorMetricExporter\", \"AzureMonitorLogExporter\".","platform":"GitHub Copilot","tags":[],"authorName":"Ciza","authorSlug":"ciza","score":0,"source":"github","price":null,"verified":false,"createdAt":"2026-08-12T21:05:08.965429Z","repo":{"url":"https://github.com/microsoft/skills","stars":3075,"forks":352,"license":"MIT","updatedAt":"2026-10-02T16:39:30Z"},"bodyHtml":"
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name: azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter-py\ndescription: |\nAzure Monitor OpenTelemetry Exporter for Python. Use for low-level OpenTelemetry export to Application Insights.\nTriggers: \"azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter\", \"AzureMonitorTraceExporter\", \"AzureMonitorMetricExporter\", \"AzureMonitorLogExporter\".\nlicense: MIT\nmetadata:\nauthor: Microsoft\nversion: \"1.0.0\"\npackage: azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter

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Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Exporter for Python

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Low-level exporter for sending OpenTelemetry traces, metrics, and logs to Application Insights.

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Installation

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pip install azure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter\n
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Environment Variables

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APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING=InstrumentationKey=xxx;IngestionEndpoint=https://xxx.in.applicationinsights.azure.com/  # Required for all auth methods\nAZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod # Required only if DefaultAzureCredential is used in production\n
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Authentication & Lifecycle

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\uD83D\uDD11 Two rules apply to every code sample below:

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  1. Prefer DefaultAzureCredential for ingestion auth when supported. APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING identifies the target Application Insights resource, and credential=DefaultAzureCredential(...) provides Microsoft Entra authentication.\n
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    • Local dev: DefaultAzureCredential works as-is.
      • \n
    • Production: set AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod (or AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=<specific_credential>) to constrain the credential chain to production-safe credentials.
      • \n
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    2. \n
  2. Providers are not context managers. Flush and shut down telemetry providers explicitly at process exit so buffers are exported deterministically.
    3. \n
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Snippets may abbreviate this setup, but production code should always follow both rules.

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When to Use

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
ScenarioUse
Quick setup, auto-instrumentationazure-monitor-opentelemetry (distro)
Custom OpenTelemetry pipelineazure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter (this)
Fine-grained control over telemetryazure-monitor-opentelemetry-exporter (this)
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Trace Exporter

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from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential\nfrom opentelemetry import trace\nfrom opentelemetry.sdk.trace import TracerProvider\nfrom opentelemetry.sdk.trace.export import BatchSpanProcessor\nfrom azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter import AzureMonitorTraceExporter\n\n# Reads APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING from env to identify the resource;\n# DefaultAzureCredential authenticates ingestion via Microsoft Entra ID.\nexporter = AzureMonitorTraceExporter(\n    credential=DefaultAzureCredential(),\n)\n\n# Configure tracer provider\ntrace.set_tracer_provider(TracerProvider())\ntrace.get_tracer_provider().add_span_processor(\n    BatchSpanProcessor(exporter)\n)\n\n# Use tracer\ntracer = trace.get_tracer(__name__)\nwith tracer.start_as_current_span(\"my-span\"):\n    print(\"Hello, World!\")\n
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Metric Exporter

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from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential\nfrom opentelemetry import metrics\nfrom opentelemetry.sdk.metrics import MeterProvider\nfrom opentelemetry.sdk.metrics.export import PeriodicExportingMetricReader\nfrom azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter import AzureMonitorMetricExporter\n\n# Reads APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING from env; AAD-authenticated ingestion via DefaultAzureCredential.\nexporter = AzureMonitorMetricExporter(\n    credential=DefaultAzureCredential(),\n)\n\n# Configure meter provider\nreader = PeriodicExportingMetricReader(exporter, export_interval_millis=60000)\nmetrics.set_meter_provider(MeterProvider(metric_readers=[reader]))\n\n# Use meter\nmeter = metrics.get_meter(__name__)\ncounter = meter.create_counter(\"requests_total\")\ncounter.add(1, {\"route\": \"/api/users\"})\n
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Log Exporter

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import logging\nfrom azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential\nfrom opentelemetry._logs import set_logger_provider\nfrom opentelemetry.sdk._logs import LoggerProvider, LoggingHandler\nfrom opentelemetry.sdk._logs.export import BatchLogRecordProcessor\nfrom azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter import AzureMonitorLogExporter\n\n# Reads APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING from env; AAD-authenticated ingestion via DefaultAzureCredential.\nexporter = AzureMonitorLogExporter(\n    credential=DefaultAzureCredential(),\n)\n\n# Configure logger provider\nlogger_provider = LoggerProvider()\nlogger_provider.add_log_record_processor(BatchLogRecordProcessor(exporter))\nset_logger_provider(logger_provider)\n\n# Add handler to Python logging\nhandler = LoggingHandler(level=logging.INFO, logger_provider=logger_provider)\nlogging.getLogger().addHandler(handler)\n\n# Use logging\nlogger = logging.getLogger(__name__)\nlogger.info(\"This will be sent to Application Insights\")\n
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From Environment Variable

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Exporters read APPLICATIONINSIGHTS_CONNECTION_STRING automatically:

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from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential\nfrom azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter import AzureMonitorTraceExporter\n\n# Connection string from environment; AAD-authenticated ingestion via DefaultAzureCredential.\nexporter = AzureMonitorTraceExporter(\n    credential=DefaultAzureCredential(),\n)\n
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Azure AD Authentication

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from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential, ManagedIdentityCredential\nfrom azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter import AzureMonitorTraceExporter\n\n# Local dev: DefaultAzureCredential. Production: set AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=prod or AZURE_TOKEN_CREDENTIALS=<specific_credential>\ncredential = DefaultAzureCredential(require_envvar=True)\n# Or use a specific credential directly in production:\n# See https://learn.microsoft.com/python/api/overview/azure/identity-readme?view=azure-python#credential-classes\n# credential = ManagedIdentityCredential()\n\nexporter = AzureMonitorTraceExporter(\n    credential=credential\n)\n
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Sampling

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Use ApplicationInsightsSampler for consistent sampling:

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from opentelemetry.sdk.trace import TracerProvider\nfrom opentelemetry.sdk.trace.sampling import ParentBasedTraceIdRatio\nfrom azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter import ApplicationInsightsSampler\n\n# Sample 10% of traces\nsampler = ApplicationInsightsSampler(sampling_ratio=0.1)\n\ntrace.set_tracer_provider(TracerProvider(sampler=sampler))\n
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Offline Storage

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Configure offline storage for retry:

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from azure.identity import DefaultAzureCredential\nfrom azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter import AzureMonitorTraceExporter\n\nexporter = AzureMonitorTraceExporter(\n    credential=DefaultAzureCredential(),\n    storage_directory=\"/path/to/storage\",  # Custom storage path\n    disable_offline_storage=False  # Enable retry (default)\n)\n
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Disable Offline Storage

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exporter = AzureMonitorTraceExporter(\n    credential=DefaultAzureCredential(),\n    disable_offline_storage=True  # No retry on failure\n)\n
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Sovereign Clouds

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from azure.identity import AzureAuthorityHosts, DefaultAzureCredential\nfrom azure.monitor.opentelemetry.exporter import AzureMonitorTraceExporter\n\n# Azure Government\ncredential = DefaultAzureCredential(authority=AzureAuthorityHosts.AZURE_GOVERNMENT)\nexporter = AzureMonitorTraceExporter(\n    connection_string=\"InstrumentationKey=xxx;IngestionEndpoint=https://xxx.in.applicationinsights.azure.us/\",\n    credential=credential\n)\n
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Exporter Types

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ExporterTelemetry TypeApplication Insights Table
AzureMonitorTraceExporterTraces/Spansrequests, dependencies, exceptions
AzureMonitorMetricExporterMetricscustomMetrics, performanceCounters
AzureMonitorLogExporterLogstraces, customEvents
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Configuration Options

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ParameterDescriptionDefault
connection_stringApplication Insights connection stringFrom env var
credentialAzure credential for AAD authNone
disable_offline_storageDisable retry storageFalse
storage_directoryCustom storage pathTemp directory
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Best Practices

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  1. Pick sync OR async and stay consistent. Do not mix azure.xxx sync clients with azure.xxx.aio async clients in the same call path. Choose one mode per module.
    2. \n
  2. Call provider.shutdown() / force_flush() at process exit to flush telemetry — providers are not context managers.
    3. \n
  3. Use BatchSpanProcessor for production (not SimpleSpanProcessor)
    4. \n
  4. Use ApplicationInsightsSampler for consistent sampling across services
    5. \n
  5. Enable offline storage for reliability in production
    6. \n
  6. Use Microsoft Entra authentication instead of instrumentation keys
    7. \n
  7. Set export intervals appropriate for your workload
    8. \n
  8. Use the distro (azure-monitor-opentelemetry) unless you need custom pipelines
    9. \n
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Reference Files

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FileContents
references/capabilities.mdAdditional non-hero capabilities, operation-group coverage, and production checklists.
references/non-hero-scenarios.mdDedicated non-hero examples for secondary/advanced scenarios.
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