open-telemetry/semantic-conventions

OpenTelemetry Semantic Conventions is a standards specification that defines a common set of attributes for generating consistent, accessible telemetry across a variety of domains.

The project addresses the problem of inconsistent naming and meaning of telemetry data across different systems and instrumentation libraries. It solves this by establishing a shared vocabulary of semantic attributes that provide meaning to observability data when collecting, producing, and consuming it. The conventions are defined in YAML files within a model directory, and human-readable documentation is generated from these definitions and maintained in a docs folder.

Teams building observability solutions, instrumentation libraries, or telemetry collection systems should adopt these conventions to ensure their data is interoperable with the broader OpenTelemetry ecosystem. The project suits any organization instrumenting applications or infrastructure that wants to follow established standards rather than inventing custom attribute naming schemes. This is particularly valuable for vendors and tool builders who need their telemetry to work seamlessly across different platforms and consumers.

The project operates with explicit prioritization of roadmap initiatives, and contributions outside those areas may experience delays or rejection unless formally added through the project proposal process. Development activity is structured around special interest groups organized by domain areas, with a defined governance model including maintainers, approvers, and a community contribution process documented in the repository.