Automatic tracing for AWS SDK for JavaScript

[dreamorosi]

Problem statement
The Python version of Powertools automatically traces for AWS SDK clients (and other modules). This is possible thanks to the fact that X-Ray SDK for Python supports checking which modules are imported.

On the other hand AWS currently offers two versions of the AWS SDK for JavaScript (v2 & v3) with only the former bundled in the Javascript runtime and with the latter implementing a modular architecture.

This discussion aims at finding (& documenting) an agreement about the direction that this version of Powertools should take.

Current behaviour
Tracer allows Customers to opt-in into patching all clients using the method captureAWS (only for v2) or specific clients using the methods captureAWSClient and captureAWSv3Client.

These methods are lifted directly from the X-Ray SDK for JavaScript:

• captureAWS API doc - source
• captureAWSClient API doc - source
• captureAWSv3Client source

Potential paths forward

Option 1
Leave the decision to Customers and let them decide which client to patch. This would also be the easiest path forward as Tracer wouldn't have to know whether v2 and/or v3 is being used.

Option 2
Automatically patch all AWS SDK v2 clients by using the captureAWS method and relying on the fact that a version of v2 should always be present in the execution environment. Customers that are using v3 would still have to explicitly patch all clients.

[flochaz]

From my point of view, we should not make this decision and let the customer do it with X-Ray SDK already providing an easy enough usable API.

[dreamorosi]

Agree with you but happy to hear also other opinions; if we all agree then let's go this way.

[heitorlessa]

As TS isn’t as clear cut as Python, I’d vote for option 1 — letting them decide. This will change either way when the X-Ray team officially makes an announcement they told me today — I’ll share in tomorrow’s sync

…

On Thu, 9 Dec 2021 at 17:41, Andrea Amorosi ***@***.***> wrote: Agree with you but happy to hear also other opinions; if we all agree then let's go this way. — You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#276 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAZPQBENI3FTPPRDKZEHDPDUQDL3VANCNFSM5JUESB7A> .

[saragerion]

Conclusion: we are not going to do it.