---
package: "@opentelemetry/instrumentation-pg"
version: "^0.50.0"
tier: core
decision: approved
date: 2026-05-14
deciders: [Danijel Martinek]
adr: adr-017
filter-results:
  license: Apache-2.0
  types: native
  maintenance: active
  boundary-fit: pass
  shadow-check: pass
  eu-residency: n/a
  cve-scan: clean
  named-consumer: pass
verification-commands:
  - npm view @opentelemetry/instrumentation-pg license
  - npm view @opentelemetry/instrumentation-pg version
  - pnpm audit --audit-level=moderate
accepted-cves: []
---

## Filter: license

<!-- Result: Apache-2.0 -->

`npm view @opentelemetry/instrumentation-pg license` returns `Apache-2.0`. Apache-2.0 is on the allowlist.

## Filter: types

<!-- Result: native -->

`@opentelemetry/instrumentation-pg` is authored in TypeScript and ships its own `.d.ts` declaration files. No separate `@types/` package is needed.

## Filter: maintenance

<!-- Result: active -->

Actively maintained by the OpenTelemetry community as the first-party PostgreSQL (`pg`) instrumentation plugin. The 0.50.x line is current and tracks the OTel SDK release cycle.

## Filter: boundary-fit

<!-- Result: pass -->

ADR-017 §11 explicitly enables pg auto-instrumentation in `initOtelServerNode` with `enhancedDatabaseReporting: false` to prevent SQL statement capture (PII protection for WHERE clauses). Restricted to `core-shared/instrumentation/otel/` init paths.

## Filter: shadow-check

<!-- Result: pass -->

`@opentelemetry/instrumentation-pg` is the standard OTel PostgreSQL auto-instrumentation. No competing database span emitter is present in the workspace.

## Filter: eu-residency

<!-- Result: n/a -->

`@opentelemetry/instrumentation-pg` is a pure instrumentation plugin with no independent data transmission. Spans are routed through the configured OTel exporter. EU residency is governed by the exporter configuration.

## Filter: cve-scan

<!-- Result: clean -->

`pnpm audit --audit-level=moderate` reports no advisories against `@opentelemetry/instrumentation-pg` at the time of this trace.

## Filter: named-consumer

<!-- Result: pass -->

`packages/core-shared/src/instrumentation/otel/init-otel-server-node.ts` registers `PgInstrumentation` with `enhancedDatabaseReporting: false` (ADR-017 §11, R32). This emits database spans for every Payload CMS PostgreSQL query without capturing full SQL text that may contain PII.

## Prompt: replaces

Manual database span wrapping around every `pg` query call site. The auto-instrumentation patches the `pg` module to emit spans automatically, including connection pooling and query timing data.

## Prompt: migration-cost-out

Low. `PgInstrumentation` is registered in one init file. Removing it means disabling the plugin and optionally adding manual spans at `pg` query call sites — localized to the SDK init.

## Prompt: alternatives-considered

1. **Manual pg spans** — No plugin needed, but requires wrapping every Payload CMS / pg query explicitly. Rejected: Payload's query layer abstracts away direct `pg` calls, making manual wrapping impractical without forking Payload internals.
2. **`pg-monitor` or query logging middleware** — Log-based approach with no OTel integration. Rejected: produces log entries outside the trace pipeline, losing span correlation.

See ADR-017 for the full decision rationale.
