One of the most persistent and popular feature requests for Java OpenTelemetry over the past couple of years has been the ability to efficiently drop spans for health check endpoints – or any other low-value, cost-driving endpoints. This issue was first raised in August 2020, yet a comprehensive solution remained elusive for a surprisingly long time. Why did it take us five years to address this seemingly straightforward problem? The answer lies in the fundamental principles of OpenTelemetr...
