Odigos is a distributed tracing solution that instruments applications without code changes using OpenTelemetry and eBPF technology.
The tool addresses the challenge of adding observability to running applications by automatically generating distributed traces without requiring developers to modify source code. It works by leveraging eBPF for high-performance instrumentation across multiple languages, separating data recording from processing to minimize runtime overhead. Applications written in Java, Python, .NET, Node.js, and Go can be instrumented instantly through Odigos, which then exports traces in OpenTelemetry format.
Odigos suits platform engineers, DevOps professionals, and SREs managing Kubernetes environments or virtual machines who need to add tracing capabilities quickly without waiting for application teams to modify their code. It works well for organizations seeking to avoid vendor lock-in, as it integrates with various monitoring backends and generates vendor-neutral OpenTelemetry data. The tool provides opinionated defaults and best practices out-of-the-box, reducing the need for deep OpenTelemetry expertise. For compiled languages like Go, which have historically been difficult to instrument without code changes, Odigos offers a distinctive advantage through its eBPF-based approach.
The project maintains active development with regular releases and demonstrates strong community engagement through its public issue tracking and documentation. The codebase shows consistent updates across its core components and instrumentations for supported languages. Development activity spans multiple areas including the CLI, Kubernetes operator functionality, and language-specific instrumentation modules, indicating sustained work across the full stack rather than focus on a single component.
