RFC: Telemetry in Headlamp with OpenTelemetry

[illume]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe the impact that the lack of the feature requested is creating.

The lack of integrated telemetry in Headlamp makes it challenging to monitor and analyze application performance and behavior. This feature is crucial for identifying issues, optimizing performance, and ensuring a smooth user experience.

Describe the solution you'd like

Implement OpenTelemetry in Headlamp to collect and analyze telemetry data. This includes:

1. Learning OpenTelemetry and understanding Headlamp's architecture.
2. Implementing metrics collection in both the backend and frontend.
3. Testing the implementation thoroughly.
4. Documenting the process and creating a demo video.
5. Writing and publishing a blog post to share the implementation details and benefits.

What users will benefit from this feature?

Operators deploying and running Headlamp will be able to debug any problems with Headlamp and see if it is running ok.

Are you able to implement this feature?

No, I can help.

Additional context

The implementation will be broken down into three phases:

1. Preparation and Learning (3 weeks)

   • Learn OpenTelemetry and get familiar with Headlamp's architecture.
   • Write a blog outline and get it approved.
   • Proof of concept install open telemetry libraries in frontend with at least one metric.
   • Proof of concept install open telemetry libraries in backend with at least one metric.

2. Implementation (6 weeks)

   • 1-2 weeks to implement metrics in the backend.
   • 1-2 weeks to implement metrics in the frontend.
   • 1-2 weeks for testing.
   • Update blog draft with notes.

3. Documentation and Outreach (3 weeks)

   • 1 week for documentation.
   • 1 week for creating a demo video.
   • 1 week for blog writing, reacting to review notes and publishing the blog post.

[Priyanshi763]

Hi @illume, this sounds great . I am eager to contribute to the project !

[harshita9104]

Hello @illume ,
I hope this message finds you well.
Hi, I’m Harshita Roonwal, a pre-final year CS student from India with experience in full-stack development, cloud infrastructure, and debugging.
This issue interests me, I would like to explore ways to work on it!
Thank you

[btwshivam]

Hey, @illume "I’m excited to contribute to integrating OpenTelemetry into Headlamp, leveraging my experience with Golang, TypeScript, and observability tools like Prometheus. I’m eager to enhance Headlamp’s debugging and monitoring capabilities while delivering thorough documentation and outreach materials."

[btwshivam]

@illume While going through the OpenTelemetry documentation, I came across various metrics and traces that can be collected. I wanted to ask: What are the most critical metrics or traces we should prioritize for the backend (Golang) and frontend (TypeScript) to ensure the telemetry implementation provides the most value to Headlamp users?

[vickybesra]

Hey, @illume, I hope you’re doing well. I came across the OpenTelemetry implementation project for Headlamp and found it really interesting. Given my background in Go and DevOps, I believe this would be a great learning opportunity for me while also contributing meaningfully to the project. I’d love to work on integrating OpenTelemetry, implementing metrics, and documenting the process. Please let me know if I can take this up for the upcoming LFX Term 1. Looking forward to your thoughts!

[sonalgaud12]

Hey everyone, I'm Sonal! Recently, I've been contributing to the OTEL Collector and OTEL Collector Contrib. I'm really excited about this project and believe there's so much to learn from it. By the way, are there any upcoming meetings or briefings about the project? I'd love to contribute more!

[infinity1729]

Hey @illume , @yolossn , and @knrt10 !

I’m excited about this project and have submitted my application for LFX 2025. OpenTelemetry integration in Headlamp looks like a great opportunity to apply my skills in Golang, TypeScript, and observability tools.

I’m eager to learn, contribute, and work with the community. Looking forward to your guidance!

[illume]

Hello everyone. Anyone who wants to apply for LXF project should see this and apply through here: https://mentorship.lfx.linuxfoundation.org/project/d961bfc7-00e1-4c05-bf1a-f9c7ddf1756a

cc @Priyanshi763 @harshita9104 @btwshivam @vickybesra @sonalgaud12 @infinity1729

[illume]

@btwshivam wrote:

While going through the OpenTelemetry documentation, I came across various metrics and traces that can be collected. I wanted to ask: What are the most critical metrics or traces we should prioritize for the backend (Golang) and frontend (TypeScript) to ensure the telemetry implementation provides the most value to Headlamp users?

Good question. I think iterating on the project, and asking the community for feedback will give the best answer. Also looking at what other similar projects find valuable would give some valuable insights.