feat: Ability to disable log collection at the tracer level

README.md

@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ Another interesting feature is the usage of additional packages located under [i
 1. [Tracing an application running on Azure Container Apps](docs/azure_container_apps.md)
 1. [Tracing Other Go Packages](docs/other_packages.md)
 1. [Instrumenting Code Manually](docs/manual_instrumentation.md)
+1. [Disabling Spans by Category](docs/disabling_spans.md)
 1. [Generic Serverless Agent](/docs/generic_serverless_agent.md)
 
 <!-- Links section -->

agent.go

@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ type agentResponse struct {
 	} `json:"secrets"`
 	ExtraHTTPHeaders []string `json:"extraHeaders"`
 	Tracing          struct {
-		ExtraHTTPHeaders []string `json:"extra-http-headers"`
+		ExtraHTTPHeaders []string          `json:"extra-http-headers"`
+		Disable          []map[string]bool `json:"disable"`
 	} `json:"tracing"`
 }
 

agent_test.go

@@ -128,7 +128,8 @@ func Test_agentApplyHostSettings(t *testing.T) {
 		Pid:    37892,
 		HostID: "myhost",
 		Tracing: struct {
-			ExtraHTTPHeaders []string `json:"extra-http-headers"`
+			ExtraHTTPHeaders []string          `json:"extra-http-headers"`
+			Disable          []map[string]bool `json:"disable"`
 		}{
 			ExtraHTTPHeaders: []string{"my-unwanted-custom-headers"},
 		},

docs/disabling_spans.md

@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# Disabling Log Spans
+
+The Instana Go Tracer allows you to disable log spans to reduce the amount of data being collected and processed. This can be useful in high-volume environments or when you want to focus on specific types of traces.
+
+## Supported Span Categories
+
+Currently, only the following span category can be disabled:
+
+| Category  | Description | Affected Instrumentations |
+| --------- | ----------- | ------------------------- |
+| `logging` | Log spans   | `logrus`                  |
+
+## Configuration Methods
+
+There are four ways to disable log spans:
+
+### 1. Using Code
+
+You can disable log spans when initializing the tracer:
+
+```go
+col := instana.InitCollector(&instana.Options{
+    Service: "My Service",
+    Tracer: instana.TracerOptions{
+        DisableSpans: map[string]bool{
+            "logging": true, // Disable log spans
+        },
+    },
+})
+```
+
+### 2. Using Environment Variables
+
+You can disable log spans using the `INSTANA_TRACING_DISABLE` environment variable:
+
+```bash
+# Disable log spans
+export INSTANA_TRACING_DISABLE="logging"
+
+# Disable all tracing
+export INSTANA_TRACING_DISABLE=true
+```
+
+### 3. Using Configuration File
+
+You can create a YAML configuration file and specify its path using the `INSTANA_CONFIG_PATH` environment variable:
+
+```yaml
+# config.yaml
+tracing:
+  disable:
+    - logging
+```
+
+```bash
+export INSTANA_CONFIG_PATH=/path/to/config.yaml
+```
+
+### 4. Using Instana Agent Configuration
+
+You can configure the Instana agent to disable log spans for all applications monitored by this agent:
+
+1. Locate your Instana agent configuration file.
+2. Add the following configuration to the agent's configuration file:
+```yaml
+com.instana.tracing:
+  disable:
+    - logging
+```
+3. Restart the Instana agent:
+
+## Priority Order
+
+When multiple configuration methods are used, they are applied in the following order of precedence:
+
+1. Configuration file (`INSTANA_CONFIG_PATH`)
+2. Environment variable (`INSTANA_TRACING_DISABLE`)
+3. Code-level configuration
+4. Agent configuration 
+
+## Use Cases
+
+- **Performance Optimization**: In high-throughput applications, disabling log spans can reduce the overhead of tracing.
+- **Cost Management**: Reduce the volume of trace data sent to Instana to manage costs.
+- **Focus on Specific Areas**: Disable log spans to focus on the parts of your application that need attention.
+- **Testing**: Temporarily disable log spans during testing or development.

docs/options.md

@@ -66,7 +66,13 @@ IncludeProfilerFrames is whether to include profiler calls into the profile or n
 
 **Type:** [TracerOptions](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/instana/go-sensor#TracerOptions)
 
-Tracer contains tracer-specific configuration used by all tracers
+Tracer contains tracer-specific configuration used by all tracers. Key options include:
+
+- **Disable**: A map of span categories to disable. Currently, only the "logging" category is supported. See [Disabling Log Spans](disabling_spans.md) for details.
+- **DropAllLogs**: Turns log events on all spans into no-ops when set to true.
+- **MaxLogsPerSpan**: Maximum number of log records that can be attached to a span.
+- **Secrets**: A secrets matcher used to filter out sensitive data from HTTP requests, database connection strings, etc.
+- **CollectableHTTPHeaders**: A list of HTTP headers to be collected from requests.
 
 #### AgentClient
 
@@ -97,3 +103,4 @@ Go Tracer only captures log spans with severity `warn` or higher.
 [Tracing SQL Driver Databases](sql.md) |
 [Tracing Other Go Packages](other_packages.md) |
 [Instrumenting Code Manually](manual_instrumentation.md)
+

example/disable-log-spans/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+# Disabling Log Spans Example
+
+This example demonstrates how to disable log spans in an Instana-instrumented Go application using four different methods:
+1. Using Code
+2. Using Environment Variables
+3. Using Configuration File
+4. Using Instana Agent Configuration
+
+The application uses logrus for logging and GORM with SQLite for database operations. It creates a simple HTTP server with two endpoints:
+- `/start` - Creates a database table and inserts a record
+- `/error` - Deliberately causes a database error
+
+Both endpoints generate log entries that would normally create log spans in Instana.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+- Go 1.23 or later
+- The Instana Agent should either be running locally or accessible via the network. If no agent is available, a serverless endpoint must be configured.
+
+## Setup
+
+1. Clone the repository:
+   ```bash
+   git clone https://github.com/instana/go-sensor.git
+   cd go-sensor/example/disable-log-spans
+   ```
+
+2. Install dependencies:
+   ```bash
+   go mod tidy
+   ```
+
+## Running the Example
+
+### Scenario 1: Disable Log Spans Using Code
+
+In this scenario, we'll disable log spans directly in the code by modifying the Instana tracer options.
+
+1. Edit `main.go` and update the `init()` function to include the `Disable` option:
+
+```go
+func init() {
+    c = instana.InitCollector(&instana.Options{
+        Service: "logrus-example",
+        Tracer: instana.TracerOptions{
+            DisableSpans: map[string]bool{
+                "logging": true,
+            },
+        },
+    })
+    connectDB()
+}
+```
+
+2. Run the application:
+```bash
+go run main.go
+```
+
+3. Expected output:
+   - The application will start and make requests to both endpoints
+   - You'll see log messages in the console
+   - In the Instana UI, you'll see HTTP and database spans, but no log spans
+
+### Scenario 2: Disable Log Spans Using Environment Variables
+
+In this scenario, we'll disable log spans using the `INSTANA_TRACING_DISABLE` environment variable.
+
+1. Revert any changes made to `main.go` for Scenario 1.
+
+2. Run the application with the environment variable:
+```bash
+INSTANA_TRACING_DISABLE=logging go run main.go
+```
+
+3. Expected output:
+   - The application will start and make requests to both endpoints
+   - You'll see log messages in the console
+   - In the Instana UI, you'll see HTTP and database spans, but no log spans
+
+### Scenario 3: Disable Log Spans Using Configuration File
+
+In this scenario, we'll disable log spans using a YAML configuration file.
+
+1. Ensure the `config.yaml` file contains:
+```yaml
+tracing:
+  disable:
+    - logging: true
+```
+
+2. Run the application with the configuration file path:
+```bash
+INSTANA_CONFIG_PATH=./config.yaml go run main.go
+```
+
+3. Expected output:
+   - The application will start and make requests to both endpoints
+   - You'll see log messages in the console
+   - In the Instana UI, you'll see HTTP and database spans, but no log spans
+
+### Scenario 4: Disable Log Spans Using Instana Agent Configuration
+
+In this scenario, we'll configure the Instana agent to disable log spans for all applications monitored by this agent.
+
+1. Locate your Instana agent configuration file:
+
+2. Add the following configuration to the agent's configuration file:
+```yaml
+com.instana.tracing:
+  disable:
+    - logging: true
+```
+3. Restart the Instana agent.
+
+4. Run the application without any special configuration:
+```bash
+go run main.go
+```
+
+1. Expected output:
+   - The application will start and make requests to both endpoints
+   - You'll see log messages in the console
+   - In the Instana UI, you'll see HTTP and database spans, but no log spans
+   - All applications monitored by this agent will have log spans disabled
+
+## Verifying Results
+
+To verify that log spans are being disabled:
+
+1. Run the application without disabling log spans:
+```bash
+go run main.go
+```
+
+2. Check the Instana UI - you should see log spans along with HTTP and database spans.
+
+3. Run the application using one of the four methods to disable log spans.
+
+4. Recheck the Instana UI - you should see HTTP and database spans, but no log spans.
+
+## Priority Order
+
+When multiple configuration methods are used, they are applied in the following order of precedence:
+
+1. Configuration file (`INSTANA_CONFIG_PATH`)
+2. Environment variable (`INSTANA_TRACING_DISABLE`)
+3. Code-level configuration
+4. Agent configuration 

example/disable-log-spans/config.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+tracing:
+  disable:
+    - logging: true

example/disable-log-spans/go.mod

@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+module github.com/instana/go-sensor/example/disable_log_spans
+
+go 1.23.0
+
+replace github.com/instana/go-sensor => ../../../go-sensor
+
+require (
+	github.com/instana/go-sensor v1.70.0
+	github.com/instana/go-sensor/instrumentation/instagorm v1.32.0
+	github.com/instana/go-sensor/instrumentation/instalogrus v1.34.0
+	github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.9.3
+	gorm.io/driver/sqlite v1.6.0
+	gorm.io/gorm v1.31.0
+)
+
+require (
+	github.com/google/pprof v0.0.0-20250630185457-6e76a2b096b5 // indirect
+	github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0 // indirect
+	github.com/jinzhu/inflection v1.0.0 // indirect
+	github.com/jinzhu/now v1.1.5 // indirect
+	github.com/looplab/fsm v1.0.3 // indirect
+	github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.14.28 // indirect
+	github.com/opentracing/opentracing-go v1.2.0 // indirect
+	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.10.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.34.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/text v0.27.0 // indirect
+	gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 // indirect
+)

example/disable-log-spans/go.sum

@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
+github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
+github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
+github.com/google/pprof v0.0.0-20250630185457-6e76a2b096b5 h1:xhMrHhTJ6zxu3gA4enFM9MLn9AY7613teCdFnlUVbSQ=
+github.com/google/pprof v0.0.0-20250630185457-6e76a2b096b5/go.mod h1:5hDyRhoBCxViHszMt12TnOpEI4VVi+U8Gm9iphldiMA=
+github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0 h1:NIvaJDMOsjHA8n1jAhLSgzrAzy1Hgr+hNrb57e+94F0=
+github.com/google/uuid v1.6.0/go.mod h1:TIyPZe4MgqvfeYDBFedMoGGpEw/LqOeaOT+nhxU+yHo=
+github.com/instana/go-sensor/instrumentation/instagorm v1.32.0 h1:fjkWMVv7gAZQfQ5bq5jUNvOEGQmVw8EIExS+fYn0u0c=
+github.com/instana/go-sensor/instrumentation/instagorm v1.32.0/go.mod h1:b5wq180zXUeoybZx0jm8MQEvpdIuVTng3tUfQXvAAHk=
+github.com/instana/go-sensor/instrumentation/instalogrus v1.34.0 h1:0Q51nXZWeILrNKVcoUSP4IykuSW+DAQmsbRs2T/ad/M=
+github.com/instana/go-sensor/instrumentation/instalogrus v1.34.0/go.mod h1:inMNLws8h6E+kHQzelvNmPr6AClopwi9mTqXJs1TOA8=
+github.com/jinzhu/inflection v1.0.0 h1:K317FqzuhWc8YvSVlFMCCUb36O/S9MCKRDI7QkRKD/E=
+github.com/jinzhu/inflection v1.0.0/go.mod h1:h+uFLlag+Qp1Va5pdKtLDYj+kHp5pxUVkryuEj+Srlc=
+github.com/jinzhu/now v1.1.5 h1:/o9tlHleP7gOFmsnYNz3RGnqzefHA47wQpKrrdTIwXQ=
+github.com/jinzhu/now v1.1.5/go.mod h1:d3SSVoowX0Lcu0IBviAWJpolVfI5UJVZZ7cO71lE/z8=
+github.com/looplab/fsm v1.0.3 h1:qtxBsa2onOs0qFOtkqwf5zE0uP0+Te+wlIvXctPKpcw=
+github.com/looplab/fsm v1.0.3/go.mod h1:PmD3fFvQEIsjMEfvZdrCDZ6y8VwKTwWNjlpEr6IKPO4=
+github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.14.28 h1:ThEiQrnbtumT+QMknw63Befp/ce/nUPgBPMlRFEum7A=
+github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.14.28/go.mod h1:Uh1q+B4BYcTPb+yiD3kU8Ct7aC0hY9fxUwlHK0RXw+Y=
+github.com/opentracing/opentracing-go v1.2.0 h1:uEJPy/1a5RIPAJ0Ov+OIO8OxWu77jEv+1B0VhjKrZUs=
+github.com/opentracing/opentracing-go v1.2.0/go.mod h1:GxEUsuufX4nBwe+T+Wl9TAgYrxe9dPLANfrWvHYVTgc=
+github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 h1:4DBwDE0NGyQoBHbLQYPwSUPoCMWR5BEzIk/f1lZbAQM=
+github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=
+github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.9.3 h1:dueUQJ1C2q9oE3F7wvmSGAaVtTmUizReu6fjN8uqzbQ=
+github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.9.3/go.mod h1:naHLuLoDiP4jHNo9R0sCBMtWGeIprob74mVsIT4qYEQ=
+github.com/stretchr/objx v0.1.0/go.mod h1:HFkY916IF+rwdDfMAkV7OtwuqBVzrE8GR6GFx+wExME=
+github.com/stretchr/testify v1.3.0/go.mod h1:M5WIy9Dh21IEIfnGCwXGc5bZfKNJtfHm1UVUgZn+9EI=
+github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0/go.mod h1:6Fq8oRcR53rry900zMqJjRRixrwX3KX962/h/Wwjteg=
+github.com/stretchr/testify v1.10.0 h1:Xv5erBjTwe/5IxqUQTdXv5kgmIvbHo3QQyRwhJsOfJA=
+github.com/stretchr/testify v1.10.0/go.mod h1:r2ic/lqez/lEtzL7wO/rwa5dbSLXVDPFyf8C91i36aY=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20220715151400-c0bba94af5f8/go.mod h1:oPkhp1MJrh7nUepCBck5+mAzfO9JrbApNNgaTdGDITg=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.34.0 h1:H5Y5sJ2L2JRdyv7ROF1he/lPdvFsd0mJHFw2ThKHxLA=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.34.0/go.mod h1:BJP2sWEmIv4KK5OTEluFJCKSidICx8ciO85XgH3Ak8k=
+golang.org/x/text v0.27.0 h1:4fGWRpyh641NLlecmyl4LOe6yDdfaYNrGb2zdfo4JV4=
+golang.org/x/text v0.27.0/go.mod h1:1D28KMCvyooCX9hBiosv5Tz/+YLxj0j7XhWjpSUF7CU=
+gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405 h1:yhCVgyC4o1eVCa2tZl7eS0r+SDo693bJlVdllGtEeKM=
+gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.0-20200313102051-9f266ea9e77c/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 h1:fxVm/GzAzEWqLHuvctI91KS9hhNmmWOoWu0XTYJS7CA=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
+gorm.io/driver/sqlite v1.6.0 h1:WHRRrIiulaPiPFmDcod6prc4l2VGVWHz80KspNsxSfQ=
+gorm.io/driver/sqlite v1.6.0/go.mod h1:AO9V1qIQddBESngQUKWL9yoH93HIeA1X6V633rBwyT8=
+gorm.io/gorm v1.31.0 h1:0VlycGreVhK7RF/Bwt51Fk8v0xLiiiFdbGDPIZQ7mJY=
+gorm.io/gorm v1.31.0/go.mod h1:XyQVbO2k6YkOis7C2437jSit3SsDK72s7n7rsSHd+Gs=