---
title: Automatic Instrumentation
linkTitle: Automatic
aliases:
  - docs/java/automatic_instrumentation
  - docs/instrumentation/java/automatic_instrumentation
weight: 3
---

Automatic instrumentation with Java uses a Java agent JAR that can be attached
to any Java 8+ application. It dynamically injects bytecode to capture telemetry
from many popular libraries and frameworks. It can be used to capture telemetry
data at the "edges" of an app or service, such as inbound requests, outbound
HTTP calls, database calls, and so on. To instrument application code in your
app or service, use [Manual Instrumentation](../manual)

## Setup

Download the [latest
version](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-instrumentation/releases/).

The JAR file (`opentelemetry-javaagent.jar`) contains the agent and all
automatic instrumentation packages.

Place the JAR in your preferred directory and launch it with your app:

```
java -javaagent:path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar \
     -jar myapp.jar
```

## Configuring the agent

The agent is highly configurable.

One option is to pass configuration properties via the `D` flag. In this example
a service name and zipkin exporter for traces are configured:

```
java -javaagent:path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar \
     -Dotel.service.name=your-service-name \
     -Dotel.traces.exporter=zipkin \
     -jar myapp.jar
```

You can also use environment variables to configure the agent:

```
OTEL_SERVICE_NAME=your-service-name \
OTEL_TRACES_EXPORTER=zipkin \
java -javaagent:path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar \
     -jar myapp.jar
```

You can also supply a Java properties file and load configuration values from there:

```
java -javaagent:path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar \
     -Dotel.javaagent.configuration-file=path/to/properties/file.properties \
     -jar myapp.jar
```

or

```
OTEL_JAVAAGENT_CONFIGURATION_FILE=path/to/properties/file.properties \
java -javaagent:path/to/opentelemetry-javaagent.jar \
     -jar myapp.jar
```

To see the full range of configuration options, see [Agent
Configuration](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-instrumentation/blob/main/docs/agent-config.md)

## Supported libraries, frameworks, application services, and JVMs

Many popular components support automatic instrumentation. See [Supported
libraries, frameworks, application services, and
JVMs](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-java-instrumentation/blob/main/docs/supported-libraries.md)
for the full list.

## Troubleshooting

You can pass the `-Dotel.javaagent.debug=true` parameter to the agent to see
debug logs. Note that these are quite verbose.

## Next steps

After you have automatic instrumentation configured for your app or service, you
may want to add [Manual Instrumentation](../manual) to collect
custom telemetry data.