OpenTelemetry not tracing Spring MVC controllers or services (Spring Boot 3.3)

[StiviiK]

I’m using Spring Boot 3.3.8 with OpenTelemetry 2.15.0 (opentelemetry-spring-boot-starter), but automatic instrumentation for MVC controllers and services doesn’t seem to work. While I do see database calls (via JDBC) being traced, there are no spans generated for controller methods or internal service methods.

Here’s what I see in my trace UI (only JDBC and HikariCP are captured):

Dependencies

./gradlew dependencies --configuration runtimeClasspath | grep io.opentelemetry.instrumentation
+--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-boot-starter -> 2.15.0
|    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-resources:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    \--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-boot-autoconfigure:2.15.0
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-annotations-support:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-kafka-clients-2.6:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-kafka-clients-common-0.11:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-mongo-3.1:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-kafka-2.7:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-kafka-clients-common-0.11:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-web-3.1:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-webmvc-5.3:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-webflux-5.3:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-reactor-3.1:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-annotations-support:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-micrometer-1.5:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-log4j-appender-2.17:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-log4j-context-data-2.17-autoconfigure:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-logback-appender-1.0:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-logback-mdc-1.0:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-jdbc:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-runtime-telemetry-java8:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-runtime-telemetry-java17:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-runtime-telemetry-java8:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-sdk-autoconfigure-support:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-webmvc-6.0:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api:2.15.0 (*)
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-api-incubator:2.15.0-alpha (*)
|    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-instrumentation-annotations:2.15.0

./gradlew dependencies --configuration runtimeClasspath | grep spring
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-web -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8
|    |    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot:3.3.8
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16
|    |    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-jcl:6.1.16
|    |    |    |    \--- io.sentry:sentry-spring-jakarta:8.3.0
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-context:6.1.16
|    |    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-aop:6.1.16
|    |    |    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16
|    |    |    |    |    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    |    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-expression:6.1.16
|    |    |    |    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    \--- io.sentry:sentry-spring-boot-jakarta:8.3.0
|    |    |         +--- io.sentry:sentry-spring-jakarta:8.3.0 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-autoconfigure:3.3.8
|    |    |    \--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot:3.3.8 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-logging:3.3.8
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-json:3.3.8
|    |    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-web:6.1.16
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-tomcat:3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework:spring-web:6.1.16 (*)
|    \--- org.springframework:spring-webmvc:6.1.16
|         +--- org.springframework:spring-aop:6.1.16 (*)
|         +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|         +--- org.springframework:spring-context:6.1.16 (*)
|         +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|         +--- org.springframework:spring-expression:6.1.16 (*)
|         \--- org.springframework:spring-web:6.1.16 (*)
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-actuator -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-actuator-autoconfigure:3.3.8
|    |    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-actuator:3.3.8
|    |    |    \--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot:3.3.8 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot:3.3.8 (*)
|    |    \--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-autoconfigure:3.3.8 (*)
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-aop -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework:spring-aop:6.1.16 (*)
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-data-jpa -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-aop:3.3.8 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-jdbc:3.3.8
|    |    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
|    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-jdbc:6.1.16
|    |         +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |         +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |         +--- org.springframework:spring-tx:6.1.16
|    |         |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |         |    \--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.data:spring-data-jpa:3.3.8
|    |    +--- org.springframework.data:spring-data-commons:3.3.8
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-orm:6.1.16
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-jdbc:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-tx:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-context:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-aop:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-tx:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    \--- org.springframework:spring-aspects:6.1.16
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-mail -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework:spring-context-support:6.1.16
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-context:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-oauth2-resource-server -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-config:6.3.6
|    |    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:6.3.6
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-crypto:6.3.6
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-aop:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-context:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-expression:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-aop:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-context:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:6.3.6 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-oauth2-resource-server:6.3.6
|    |    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:6.3.6 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-oauth2-core:6.3.6
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:6.3.6 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-web:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-web:6.3.6
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:6.3.6 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-aop:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-beans:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-context:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework:spring-expression:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-web:6.1.16 (*)
|    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
|    \--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-oauth2-jose:6.3.6
|         +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-core:6.3.6 (*)
|         +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-oauth2-core:6.3.6 (*)
|         +--- org.springframework:spring-core:6.1.16 (*)
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-security -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework:spring-aop:6.1.16 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-config:6.3.6 (*)
|    \--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-web:6.3.6 (*)
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-validation -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
+--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-thymeleaf -> 3.3.8
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter:3.3.8 (*)
|    \--- org.thymeleaf:thymeleaf-spring6:3.1.3.RELEASE
+--- org.thymeleaf.extras:thymeleaf-extras-springsecurity6 -> 3.1.3.RELEASE
|    +--- org.thymeleaf:thymeleaf-spring6:3.1.3.RELEASE (*)
+--- org.springframework.security:spring-security-config -> 6.3.6 (*)
+--- org.springframework.retry:spring-retry -> 2.0.11
+--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-boot-starter -> 2.15.0
|    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-boot-autoconfigure:2.15.0
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-kafka-2.7:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-web-3.1:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-webmvc-5.3:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-webflux-5.3:2.15.0-alpha
|    |    +--- io.opentelemetry.instrumentation:opentelemetry-spring-webmvc-6.0:2.15.0-alpha
+--- org.springdoc:springdoc-openapi-starter-webmvc-ui:2.6.0
|    +--- org.springdoc:springdoc-openapi-starter-webmvc-api:2.6.0
|    |    +--- org.springdoc:springdoc-openapi-starter-common:2.6.0
|    |    |    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-autoconfigure:3.3.0 -> 3.3.8 (*)
|    |    \--- org.springframework:spring-webmvc:6.1.8 -> 6.1.16 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-data-jpa -> 3.3.8 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-oauth2-resource-server -> 3.3.8 (*)
|    +--- org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-security -> 3.3.8 (*)

---

Is there anything I’m missing to get full Spring Boot auto-instrumentation (controller/service spans) working with this setup? Any known issues with Spring Boot 3.3.x or a need to enable specific modules manually?

Thanks in advance 🙏

[jaydeluca]

There is an additional flag you can enable (-Dotel.instrumentation.common.experimental.controller-telemetry.enabled=true) that will generate an additional INTERNAL span along with the SERVER span you already have.

It looks something like:

Is this what you are looking for?

@Service classes will not generate individual spans with auto-instrumentation, you will need to add @WithSpan annotations or instrument them manually in another way.

[StiviiK]

There is an additional flag you can enable (-Dotel.instrumentation.common.experimental.controller-telemetry.enabled=true) that will generate an additional INTERNAL span along with the SERVER span you already have.

I see, do I need any additional packages? As it seems this property is not working for me and IntelliJ is even telling me it can't resolve that property.

@Service classes will not generate individual spans with auto-instrumentation, you will need to add @WithSpan annotations or instrument them manually in another way.

I see, thank you for clarifying.

[jaydeluca]

it doesn't appear that this configuration is currently available within the spring boot starter, only via the java agent. I am looking into what changes might be needed to add this to the starter.