The telemetry SDK specs is a documentation repository that describes the basic features shared across language implementations of the New Relic Telemetry SDKs. You should use these specs to help you understand what is commonly included in the Telemetry SDKs, why they were designed the way they are, and how they work so that you can extend them and contribute effectively.
The New Relic Telemetry SDKs are designed to accept telemetry data and send it to New Relic. They are a semantic extension of the New Relic public-facing HTTP Telemetry Ingest API, which is a common interface for multiple telemetry backends. They are not agents or tracers, and they don't instrument anything. They try to be helpful, so the user's job of sending telemetry data to New Relic can be done in the right way, easily. Lastly, they are extensible and open source, so they can be tailored for each use case.
The Telemetry SDK's primary use case is:
A user has telemetry data: metrics, traces, logs, or events, that have already been created (for example: from Prometheus or OpenTelemetry), and they want to get them into New Relic easily and efficiently. The Telemetry SDK can be used to quickly write an integration with the New Relic Telemetry Ingest API.
As New Relic's Telemetry Ingest API is public facing, with user documentation, a customer could interact with it using a simple HTTP Client in any language. The values that the telemetry SDKs provide over an HTTP Client are:
- They provide language-appropriate abstractions for New Relic's various metric types and traces.
- They handle communication with New Relic:
- They know the correct URLs for metrics, traces, etc...
- They know how to provide authentication information in HTTP requests.
- They implement New Relic's recommended handling of failed requests.
How New Relic ingests and stores telemetry data can be different from other telemetry systems. How we convert non New Relic telemetry data into a New Relic-friendly format is documented in the New Relic Exporter Specifications.
For support with New Relic products, please visit the New Relic Explorers Hub.
Please see this guide for details on how to contribute to this project.
A note about vulnerabilities
As noted in our security policy, New Relic is committed to the privacy and security of our customers and their data. We believe that providing coordinated disclosure by security researchers and engaging with the security community are important means to achieve our security goals.
If you believe you have found a security vulnerability in this project or any of New Relic's products or websites, we welcome and greatly appreciate you reporting it to New Relic through HackerOne.