Overview

Code Origins captures the exact locations in your codebase where APM spans are created. When enabled on a compatible service, it automatically adds file path, line number, and function name to each service entry span, making it easier to:

• Debug performance issues
• Understand code execution flow
• Identify performance bottlenecks

In Trace Explorer, select a span from an enabled service to see Code Origin details on the Overview tab:

Getting started

Prerequisites

• Datadog APM is configured to capture spans.
• Source Code Integration is enabled (required for code previews).
• Your service meets the compatibility requirements.

Compatibility requirements

Enable Code Origins

Run your service with the following environment variable:

export DD_CODE_ORIGIN_FOR_SPANS_ENABLED=true

Using Code Origins

In the Trace Explorer

1. Navigate to the Trace Explorer.

2. Search for “Service Entry Spans” from your Code Origins-enabled services.

3. Click on a span to view its details.

4. In the trace details side panel, look for the “Code Origin” section.

5. From the Code Origin section:

   • Kick off a Live Debugger session on the running service by clicking “Start Debug Session” to capture logs at the Code Origin method location. Or, select a breakpoint in the gutter of the code preview to capture logs at the selected line of code.

   • Click on source code variables to add them as attributes to future spans with Dynamic Instrumentation.

In your IDE

1. Set up your Datadog IDE Integration.

   • Supported IDEs: IntelliJ, VS Code
   • Supported Languages: Java, Python

2. View RED metrics (Requests, Errors, and Duration) as inline annotations above your endpoint methods.

Troubleshooting

Code Origin section is missing

• Verify Code Origins is enabled in your tracing library configuration.

• Confirm that your service meets all compatibility requirements (that is, service language, supported frameworks, and minimum tracer version).

• For most services, Code Origins data is captured for service entry spans only. You can filter to “Service Entry Spans” in the APM Trace Explorer.

• To search for all spans that include Code Origins, use the query @_dd.code_origin.type:* in the APM Trace Explorer.

Code preview is not visible

• Ensure that all Source Code Integration setup requirements are met.
• For transpiled Node.js applications (for example, Typescript), make sure to generate and publish source maps with the deployed application, and to run Node.js with the --enable-source-maps flag. Otherwise, code previews do not work. See the Node.js Source Code Integration documentation for more details.

Further Reading

Additional helpful documentation, links, and articles:

Learn about APM terms and conceptsDOCUMENTATION Learn how to set up APM tracing with your applicationDOCUMENTATION Learn more about services in DatadogDOCUMENTATION Dive into your resource performance and tracesDOCUMENTATION Learn how to debug production services with Live DebuggerDOCUMENTATION Learn how to add custom spans with Dynamic InstrumentationDOCUMENTATION