---
name: phoenix-tracing
description: OpenInference semantic conventions and instrumentation for Phoenix AI observability. Use when implementing LLM tracing, creating custom spans, or deploying to production.
license: Apache-2.0
compatibility: Requires Phoenix server. Python skills need arize-phoenix-otel; TypeScript skills need @arizeai/phoenix-otel.
metadata:
  author: oss@arize.com
  version: "1.0.0"
  languages: "Python, TypeScript"
---

# Phoenix Tracing

Comprehensive guide for instrumenting LLM applications with OpenInference tracing in Phoenix. Contains reference files covering setup, instrumentation, span types, and production deployment.

## When to Apply

Reference these guidelines when:

- Setting up Phoenix tracing (Python or TypeScript)
- Creating custom spans for LLM operations
- Adding attributes following OpenInference conventions
- Deploying tracing to production
- Querying and analyzing trace data

## Reference Categories

| Priority | Category        | Description                    | Prefix                     |
| -------- | --------------- | ------------------------------ | -------------------------- |
| 1        | Setup           | Installation and configuration | `setup-*`                  |
| 2        | Instrumentation | Auto and manual tracing        | `instrumentation-*`        |
| 3        | Span Types      | 9 span kinds with attributes   | `span-*`                   |
| 4        | Organization    | Projects and sessions          | `projects-*`, `sessions-*` |
| 5        | Enrichment      | Custom metadata                | `metadata-*`               |
| 6        | Production      | Batch processing, masking      | `production-*`             |
| 7        | Feedback        | Annotations and evaluation     | `annotations-*`            |

## Quick Reference

### 1. Setup (START HERE)

- [setup-python](references/setup-python.md) - Install arize-phoenix-otel, configure endpoint
- [setup-typescript](references/setup-typescript.md) - Install @arizeai/phoenix-otel, configure endpoint

### 2. Instrumentation

- [instrumentation-auto-python](references/instrumentation-auto-python.md) - Auto-instrument OpenAI, LangChain, etc. (also covers OTel GenAI native instrumentation)
- [instrumentation-auto-typescript](references/instrumentation-auto-typescript.md) - Auto-instrument supported frameworks
- [instrumentation-manual-python](references/instrumentation-manual-python.md) - Custom spans with decorators
- [instrumentation-manual-typescript](references/instrumentation-manual-typescript.md) - Custom spans with wrappers
- [instrumentation-atif-python](references/instrumentation-atif-python.md) - Import ATIF agent trajectories (Claude Code, OpenHands, Codex, etc.)

### 3. Span Types (with full attribute schemas)

- [span-llm](references/span-llm.md) - LLM API calls (model, tokens, messages, cost)
- [span-chain](references/span-chain.md) - Multi-step workflows and pipelines
- [span-retriever](references/span-retriever.md) - Document retrieval (documents, scores)
- [span-tool](references/span-tool.md) - Function/API calls (name, parameters)
- [span-agent](references/span-agent.md) - Multi-step reasoning agents
- [span-embedding](references/span-embedding.md) - Vector generation
- [span-reranker](references/span-reranker.md) - Document re-ranking
- [span-guardrail](references/span-guardrail.md) - Safety checks
- [span-evaluator](references/span-evaluator.md) - LLM evaluation

### 4. Organization

- [projects-python](references/projects-python.md) / [projects-typescript](references/projects-typescript.md) - Group traces by application
- [sessions-python](references/sessions-python.md) / [sessions-typescript](references/sessions-typescript.md) - Track conversations

### 5. Enrichment

- [metadata-python](references/metadata-python.md) / [metadata-typescript](references/metadata-typescript.md) - Custom attributes

### 6. Production (CRITICAL)

- [production-python](references/production-python.md) / [production-typescript](references/production-typescript.md) - Batch processing, PII masking

### 7. Feedback

- [annotations-overview](references/annotations-overview.md) - Feedback concepts
- [annotations-python](references/annotations-python.md) / [annotations-typescript](references/annotations-typescript.md) - Add feedback to spans

### Reference Files

- [fundamentals-overview](references/fundamentals-overview.md) - Traces, spans, attributes basics
- [fundamentals-required-attributes](references/fundamentals-required-attributes.md) - Required fields per span type
- [fundamentals-universal-attributes](references/fundamentals-universal-attributes.md) - Common attributes (user.id, session.id)
- [fundamentals-flattening](references/fundamentals-flattening.md) - JSON flattening rules

## Common Workflows

- **Quick Start**: setup-{lang} → instrumentation-auto-{lang} → Check Phoenix
- **Custom Spans**: setup-{lang} → instrumentation-manual-{lang} → span-{type}
- **Session Tracking**: sessions-{lang} for conversation grouping patterns
- **Production**: production-{lang} for batching, masking, and deployment

## How to Use This Skill

**Navigation Patterns:**

```bash
# By category prefix
references/setup-*              # Installation and configuration
references/instrumentation-*    # Auto and manual tracing
references/span-*               # Span type specifications
references/sessions-*           # Session tracking
references/production-*         # Production deployment
references/fundamentals-*       # Core concepts

# By language
references/*-python.md          # Python implementations
references/*-typescript.md      # TypeScript implementations
```

**Reading Order:**
1. Start with setup-{lang} for your language
2. Choose instrumentation-auto-{lang} OR instrumentation-manual-{lang}
3. Reference span-{type} files as needed for specific operations
4. See fundamentals-* files for attribute specifications

## References

**Phoenix Documentation:**

- [Phoenix Documentation](https://docs.arize.com/phoenix)
- [OpenInference Spec](https://github.com/Arize-ai/openinference/tree/main/spec)

**Python API Documentation:**

- [Python OTEL Package](https://arize-phoenix.readthedocs.io/projects/otel/en/latest/) - `arize-phoenix-otel` API reference
- [Python Client Package](https://arize-phoenix.readthedocs.io/projects/client/en/latest/) - `arize-phoenix-client` API reference

**TypeScript API Documentation:**

- [TypeScript Packages](https://arize-ai.github.io/phoenix/) - `@arizeai/phoenix-otel`, `@arizeai/phoenix-client`, and other TypeScript packages
