How to instrument a FastAPI python application with Elastic APM

fastAPI_python_app_instrumentation_elastic_APM.md

How to instrument a FastAPI python application with Elastic APM

1. Create an Elasticsearch deployment

Either in ECH or in other platforms (ECK, ECE, etc).

It should have an APM server.

2. Go to the APM page

Capture the following information from the Elastic APM page from Kibana:

SERVICE_NAME=<YOUR_SERVICE_NAME>
SERVER_URL=<APM_SERVER_ENDPOINT>
SECRET_TOKEN=<APM_TOKEN>

3. Install apm python library

In your virtualenv run:

pip install elastic-apm

4. Go to your python app

Inside your app.py file add:

from elasticapm.contrib.starlette import ElasticAPM
app = FastAPI() # this should already exist
app.add_middleware(ElasticAPM) # APM

5. Set environment variables

In a CLI write:

 export ELASTIC_APM_SERVICE_NAME=<YOUR_SERVICE_NAME>
 export ELASTIC_APM_SERVER_URL=<APM_SERVER_ENDPOINT>
 export ELASTIC_APM_SECRET_TOKEN=<APM_TOKEN>

6. Run app

python3 app.py

And send some responses.

7. Check APM

Go to Observability > Aoplications > Service Inventory and see your service.