OpenMetrics vs OpenTelemetry - How to choose?
OpenMetrics and OpenTelemetry are two popular frameworks that provide metrics-driven insight into complex software environments. Understanding the differences between these two options is critical for organizations looking to optimize their monitoring capabilities.
In this article, we will explore the key features, benefits, and considerations of OpenMetrics and OpenTelemetry to help you make an informed decision when choosing the right solution for your organization.
What is OpenMetrics?
OpenMetrics is a specification for representing and exchanging metrics data in a standardized way, primarily influenced by the Prometheus exposition format.
It aims to define guidelines for representing metrics data in a text-based format that is easily readable and parsable by both humans and machines.
The goal of OpenMetrics is to promote interoperability between different monitoring systems by providing a common format for metrics data.
What is OpenTelemetry?
OpenTelemetry provides a standardized way to collect distributed traces and metrics from software applications, making it easier to observe and understand the behavior of complex, distributed systems.
OpenTelemetry is designed to be vendor-agnostic and allows users to instrument their applications using OpenTelemetry APIs and SDKs, which can then export the telemetry data to various OpenTelemetry backends and monitoring systems.
The project is a merger of the OpenTracing and OpenCensus projects, bringing together the best of both worlds to provide a unified approach to observability. See OpenTelemetry vs OpenTracing for details.
OpenMetrics pros
Simplicity. OpenMetrics uses a text-based format that is easy for both humans and machines to read and parse. Its simplicity makes it easy to work with and reduces the complexity of implementing metrics collection and sharing.
Compatibility with Prometheus. OpenMetrics is influenced by the popular Prometheus exposition format, which means tools and systems that support Prometheus-style metrics can easily adopt and work with OpenMetrics data.
Vendor neutral. Being an open standard, OpenMetrics encourages a vendor-neutral approach to metrics data exchange. This helps prevent vendor lock-in and fosters a more diverse and competitive ecosystem of monitoring solutions.
OpenMetrics cons
Limited scope. OpenMetrics primarily focuses on metrics data representation, which means it doesn't cover other aspects of observability, such as tracing and logging. If your monitoring needs extend beyond metrics, you may need to complement OpenMetrics with other solutions.
Data overhead. While the text-based format is human-readable and simple, it can lead to larger data payloads compared to more compact binary formats. This might have implications for data storage and transmission, especially in resource-constrained environments.
Data complexity. While OpenMetrics is designed to be simple, real-world metrics data can be complex. Representing certain types of metrics or custom use cases may require additional effort or workarounds.
OpenTelemetry pros
Comprehensive observability. OpenTelemetry provides a unified approach to observability by providing APIs, libraries, and agents for collecting telemetry data, including metrics, traces, and logs. This comprehensive coverage allows you to gain deeper insight into the behavior of complex, distributed systems.
Community driven. OpenTelemetry is driven by a vibrant and active community with contributions from various organizations and developers. This community support results in ongoing enhancements, bug fixes, and extensions to the project.
Integration ecosystem. OpenTelemetry integrates with many popular observability tools and services, making it easy to connect your applications to existing monitoring and logging solutions.
OpenTelemetry cons
Learning curve. Adopting OpenTelemetry can involve a learning curve, especially if you're new to observability concepts or migrating from other monitoring solutions. The complexity of distributed tracing and the setup process can be daunting for some users.
Compatibility and stability. OpenTelemetry is a relatively new project and has undergone significant changes as it has merged with OpenTracing and OpenCensus. This rapid development may result in changes to APIs or behavior that may affect backward compatibility and stability in older implementations.
Adoption challenges. Despite its growing popularity, there may still be some resistance to adopting OpenTelemetry in certain organizations or projects. Legacy systems or environments with established monitoring solutions may find it difficult to transition to OpenTelemetry.
How to choose?
When it comes to choosing between OpenTelemetry and OpenMetrics, there are a few key factors to consider in order to make an informed decision.
Both OpenTelemetry and OpenMetrics are open-source projects that aim to provide observability and monitoring capabilities for applications. However, they have distinct differences that may influence your choice.
Consider whether you need to focus on metrics data only, or if you need a more comprehensive observability solution that includes metrics, distributed tracing, and possibly logs. If you only need a standardized format for exchanging metrics data, OpenMetrics may be sufficient.
However, if you need a broader view of your application's performance and interactions, OpenTelemetry's comprehensive observability capabilities may be more appropriate.
Conclusion
OpenMetrics focuses on defining a standardized format for representing metrics data, while OpenTelemetry is a complete observability framework that includes APIs, libraries, and agents for ingesting and exporting telemetry data.
Projects can complement each other, with OpenTelemetry providing the means to instrument applications and collect telemetry, and OpenMetrics providing a common format for sharing metrics between different monitoring systems.