feat: add support for `OTEL_SDK_DISABLED` environment variable #3088

iamsauravsharma · 2025-07-28T12:14:53Z

Fixes #1936

Changes

Add support for OTEL_SDK_DISABLED environment variable using no-op SDK implementation as explained Opentelemetry SDK environment variable docs. When set to true, the SDK will provide no-op implementations for all API components (Tracer, Logger, and Meter).

Implemented no-op provider classes that mimic the shutdown no-op providers for logger and tracer with only difference is shutdown variable which is set to false for disabled no op. Where as for metrics existing noop is re used

Merge requirement checklist

CONTRIBUTING guidelines followed
Unit tests added/updated (if applicable)
Appropriate CHANGELOG.md files updated for non-trivial, user-facing changes
Changes in public API reviewed (if applicable)

linux-foundation-easycla · 2025-07-28T12:14:57Z

The committers listed above are authorized under a signed CLA.

✅ login: iamsauravsharma / name: Saurav Sharma (59da472)

codecov · 2025-07-28T12:18:48Z

Codecov Report

❌ Patch coverage is 27.55906% with 92 lines in your changes missing coverage. Please review.
✅ Project coverage is 79.8%. Comparing base (0462369) to head (59da472).

Files with missing lines	Patch %	Lines
opentelemetry-sdk/src/logs/logger_provider.rs	19.1%	38 Missing ⚠️
opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/provider.rs	35.1%	35 Missing ⚠️
opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/meter_provider.rs	30.4%	16 Missing ⚠️
opentelemetry-sdk/src/logs/logger.rs	0.0%	3 Missing ⚠️

Additional details and impacted files

@@           Coverage Diff           @@
##            main   #3088     +/-   ##
=======================================
- Coverage   80.1%   79.8%   -0.4%     
=======================================
  Files        126     126             
  Lines      21957   22078    +121     
=======================================
+ Hits       17603   17631     +28     
- Misses      4354    4447     +93

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iamsauravsharma · 2025-07-28T14:47:24Z

Since overwriting OTEL_SDK_DISABLED environment variable would effects other test when running parallel test. 3 new test are ignored by default and scripts/test.sh is updated so 3 test run themselves in last step

Copilot

Pull Request Overview

This PR implements support for the OTEL_SDK_DISABLED environment variable, which allows disabling the OpenTelemetry SDK at runtime. When set to "true", the SDK provides no-op implementations for all telemetry components (Tracer, Logger, and Meter) as specified in the OpenTelemetry specification.

Key changes:

Adds environment variable checking in all provider types to return no-op implementations when disabled
Implements separate disabled no-op providers distinct from shutdown no-op providers
Adds comprehensive test coverage for the new functionality

Reviewed Changes

Copilot reviewed 5 out of 5 changed files in this pull request and generated 4 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
scripts/test.sh	Adds test command for the new environment variable functionality
opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/provider.rs	Implements disabled tracer provider and environment variable checking
opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/meter_provider.rs	Adds environment variable checking to meter provider
opentelemetry-sdk/src/logs/logger_provider.rs	Implements disabled logger provider and environment variable checking
opentelemetry-sdk/CHANGELOG.md	Documents the new feature addition

Comments suppressed due to low confidence (2)

opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/provider.rs:782

[nitpick] Variable name 'noop_tracer' is misleading since this tests both disabled and enabled scenarios. Consider renaming to 'tracer' or 'test_tracer' for clarity.

            let noop_tracer = tracer_provider.tracer("noop");

opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/provider.rs:804

[nitpick] Variable name 'noop_tracer' is misleading in this context where OTEL_SDK_DISABLED is set to 'false', meaning the tracer should be functional. Consider renaming to 'tracer' or 'functional_tracer'.

            let noop_tracer = tracer_provider.tracer("noop");

Copilot · 2025-07-28T15:50:56Z

scripts/test.sh

@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ cargo test --manifest-path=opentelemetry/Cargo.toml --no-default-features --lib
 echo "Running tests for opentelemetry-prometheus with --all-features"
 (cd opentelemetry-prometheus && cargo test --all-features --lib)

+# Run test which set environment variable ``


The comment has an incomplete sentence and empty quotes. Should be: "Run test which sets environment variable"

Suggested change

# Run test which set environment variable ``

# Run test which sets the environment variable `otel_sdk_disabled_env`

Copilot · 2025-07-28T15:50:57Z

opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/provider.rs

-            return SdkTracer::new(scope, noop_tracer_provider().clone());
+            return SdkTracer::new(scope, shutdown_tracer_provider().clone());
+        }
+        if std::env::var("OTEL_SDK_DISABLED").is_ok_and(|var| var.to_lowercase() == "true") {


Environment variable is checked on every tracer creation. Consider caching this value or checking it once during provider initialization to avoid repeated environment variable lookups.

Copilot · 2025-07-28T15:50:57Z

opentelemetry-sdk/src/metrics/meter_provider.rs

@@ -189,7 +189,9 @@ impl MeterProvider for SdkMeterProvider {
    }

    fn meter_with_scope(&self, scope: InstrumentationScope) -> Meter {
-        if self.inner.shutdown_invoked.load(Ordering::Relaxed) {
+        if self.inner.shutdown_invoked.load(Ordering::Relaxed)
+            || std::env::var("OTEL_SDK_DISABLED").is_ok_and(|var| var.to_lowercase() == "true")


Environment variable is checked on every meter creation. Consider caching this value or checking it once during provider initialization to avoid repeated environment variable lookups.

Copilot · 2025-07-28T15:50:57Z

opentelemetry-sdk/src/logs/logger_provider.rs

+            return SdkLogger::new(scope, shutdown_logger_provider().clone());
+        }
+        // If the provider is disabled, new logger will refer a disabled no-op logger provider.
+        if std::env::var("OTEL_SDK_DISABLED").is_ok_and(|var| var.to_lowercase() == "true") {


Environment variable is checked on every logger creation. Consider caching this value or checking it once during provider initialization to avoid repeated environment variable lookups.

Suggested change

if std::env::var("OTEL_SDK_DISABLED").is_ok_and(|var| var.to_lowercase() == "true") {

if self.inner.is_disabled {

lalitb · 2025-07-28T16:31:49Z

opentelemetry-sdk/src/logs/logger_provider.rs

+// a no op logger provider used as placeholder when sdk is disabled with
+// help of environment variable `OTEL_SDK_DISABLED`
+// TODO - replace it with LazyLock once it is stable
+static DISABLED_LOGGER_PROVIDER: OnceLock<SdkLoggerProvider> = OnceLock::new();


Can we reuse the existing NOOP_LOGGER_PROVIDER for both shutdown and disable ?

setting is_shutdown as true also for disabled one have no effect currently but to me true value looks wrong since logger provider is not in shutdown state but disabled by user so i have created new logger provider

cijothomas · 2025-07-28T17:16:10Z

opentelemetry-sdk/src/trace/provider.rs

-            return SdkTracer::new(scope, noop_tracer_provider().clone());
+            return SdkTracer::new(scope, shutdown_tracer_provider().clone());
+        }
+        if std::env::var("OTEL_SDK_DISABLED").is_ok_and(|var| var.to_lowercase() == "true") {


what is the intended use case of "OTEL_SDK_DISABLED" env variable? Are we expected to re-read the env variable each time a tracer/logger/meter is requested? Or we read the env variable once at startup and not again?

It looks like the current PR is re-reading it each time. This can cause inconsistencies- tracers from before will continue to work vs new ones won't.. That is not the intended behavior in my opinion.

My suggestion:
Read the env variable once, at provider construction time, and store the value inside.
Any time tracer/logger/meter is requested, return NoOp if disabled. The log message should indicate NoOp is being returned due to the env-variable setting.

Happy to discuss other ideas.

implemented similar to python implementation open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python#3648 after reading discussion at open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification#4332

cijothomas

Requesting changes to discuss and address comment: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-rust/pull/3088/files#r2237333415

Signed-off-by: Saurav Sharma <appdroiddeveloper@gmail.com>

iamsauravsharma requested a review from a team as a code owner July 28, 2025 12:14

iamsauravsharma force-pushed the add-env-otel-sdk-disabled branch from 00ed1c4 to cab02b4 Compare July 28, 2025 12:15

iamsauravsharma force-pushed the add-env-otel-sdk-disabled branch 2 times, most recently from 9fa6e81 to 3231e09 Compare July 28, 2025 14:17

iamsauravsharma force-pushed the add-env-otel-sdk-disabled branch from 3231e09 to f587661 Compare July 28, 2025 14:48

lalitb requested a review from Copilot July 28, 2025 15:49

Copilot AI reviewed Jul 28, 2025

View reviewed changes

lalitb reviewed Jul 28, 2025

View reviewed changes

cijothomas reviewed Jul 28, 2025

View reviewed changes

cijothomas requested changes Jul 28, 2025

View reviewed changes

iamsauravsharma force-pushed the add-env-otel-sdk-disabled branch 2 times, most recently from c990dd7 to 43f4bb0 Compare July 29, 2025 02:20

feat: add support for OTEL_SDK_DISABLED environment variable

59da472

Signed-off-by: Saurav Sharma <appdroiddeveloper@gmail.com>

iamsauravsharma force-pushed the add-env-otel-sdk-disabled branch from 43f4bb0 to 59da472 Compare August 2, 2025 09:28

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	# Run test which set environment variable ``
	# Run test which sets the environment variable `otel_sdk_disabled_env`

	if std::env::var("OTEL_SDK_DISABLED").is_ok_and(\|var\| var.to_lowercase() == "true") {
	if self.inner.is_disabled {

feat: add support for OTEL_SDK_DISABLED environment variable #3088

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