Java Agent vs. eBPF - A Deep Dive into OpenTelemetry Instrumentation Technologies

Explore the comparative analysis between Java agent and eBPF instrumentation technologies in this 39-minute conference talk from Devoxx. Learn to evaluate and choose between OpenTelemetry's zero-code automatic eBPF instrumentation, which supports multiple programming languages including Java, and the established OpenTelemetry Java instrumentation based on Java agent technology for Java 8+ applications. Discover operational aspects including deployment strategies and compatibility with third-party instrumentation, examine security considerations, and understand why latencies reported by Java agents may differ from those reported by eBPF instrumentation. Investigate how underlying Kubernetes platforms and service meshes affect instrumentation choices, explore recent advances in eBPF instrumentation such as trace ID propagation, and evaluate the performance impact of both technologies. Gain insights into future development plans and innovative approaches for combining both technologies to maximize their respective advantages in OpenTelemetry implementations.