Embrace contributes its Kotlin implementation and SDK to OpenTelemetry

The implementation can be used for backend development needs, and it also introduces new support for client-side environments like mobile and web. Client-side environments present unique observability challenges, requiring teams to understand not just whether an application is functioning, but how end-users experience workflows and why outcomes change in production.

While Kotlin applications running on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) can use OpenTelemetry through Java interoperability, teams building shared logic with Kotlin Multiplatform often require a solution that operates without JVM dependencies. The contributed implementation addresses these needs while remaining aligned with OpenTelemetry’s specification-driven approach. It supports two modes of operation:

• Compatibility mode, which interoperates with the OpenTelemetry Java SDK for Android and JVM targets. This enables engineering teams to leverage existing instrumentation built by the JVM community.
• Regular mode, which is a re-write of the OTel spec in Kotlin. This can be used for both JVM and non-JVM targets.

At the time of contribution, the project includes tracing and logging APIs, providing a foundation for modeling user workflows and correlating events across platforms.

Community stewardship and ecosystem impact

Embrace will continue to contribute and maintain the implementation alongside the broader OpenTelemetry community and encourages additional contributors to participate.

“The real power of OpenTelemetry is the standard itself – a shared contract that allows many implementations to evolve and serve different environments,” said Jamie Lynch, Senior  Software Engineer at Embrace and a Maintainer of the OpenTelemetry Kotlin project. “By contributing a Kotlin Multiplatform implementation, we’re investing in a future where frontend teams can build observability on the same open foundations as the backend, while meeting the realities of modern app development.”

Developers interested in using or contributing to the OpenTelemetry Kotlin Multiplatform implementation can:

• Access the project on GitHub: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-kotlin
• Learn more about the Kotlin SIG: https://opentelemetry.io/community
• Join the conversation in the #otel-kotlin channel in the CNCF Slack: https://slack.cncf.io/
• Read more about the process and rationale for this contribution on the official CNCF blog.

About Embrace

Embrace is the only user-focused observability platform that ties technical performance to end-user impact. Powered by OpenTelemetry, Embrace provides Real User Monitoring (RUM) across mobile and web, giving engineering teams the visibility and context they need to prioritize and resolve issues faster, optimize performance, and deliver exceptional digital experiences.

Embrace is a member of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and contributes to several OpenTelemetry Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Embrace counts AllTrails, Amazon, Cameo, GOAT, Hyatt, The New York Times, and many more as customers. Supported by NEA, AV8 (Allianz), Greycroft, and Eniac, Embrace is a YCombinator (YC Growth) company based in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Buenos Aires, and London.