How to Add Logging, Metrics, and Distributed Tracing to .NET HttpClient
Developers using .NET's IHttpClientFactory can enable built-in HTTP logging by configuring log levels for the System.Net.Http.HttpClient namespace, capturing request and response details at both logical and network levels. For greater control, a custom DelegatingHandler can be built to log request IDs, HTTP methods, status codes, elapsed time, and errors. .NET 8 introduced native metrics support, allowing developers to track request duration and count using IMeterFactory with OpenTelemetry-compatible tags such as HTTP method, host, and status code. These metrics can be exported via OpenTelemetry by registering AddHttpClientInstrumentation alongside ASP.NET Core instrumentation in the application's service configuration. Together, these three pillars — logs, metrics, and traces — give developers comprehensive visibility into outbound HTTP call behavior in production environments.
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