---
package: "@opentelemetry/context-async-hooks"
version: "^1.28.0"
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/context-async-hooks license
  - npm view @opentelemetry/context-async-hooks version
  - pnpm audit --audit-level=moderate
accepted-cves: []
---

## Filter: license

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

`npm view @opentelemetry/context-async-hooks license` returns `Apache-2.0`. Apache-2.0 is on the allowlist.

## Filter: types

<!-- Result: native -->

`@opentelemetry/context-async-hooks` 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. Versioned with the OTel JS SDK at 1.x; the package tracks Node.js async_hooks API stability and receives updates alongside the SDK.

## Filter: boundary-fit

<!-- Result: pass -->

ADR-017 mandates OTel as the instrumentation substrate. `@opentelemetry/context-async-hooks` provides the Node.js `AsyncLocalStorage`-based context manager required for automatic span propagation across async boundaries. It lives exclusively in `core-shared/instrumentation/otel/` and `core-audit` init paths.

## Filter: shadow-check

<!-- Result: pass -->

`@opentelemetry/context-async-hooks` is the standard OTel context manager for Node.js. No competing context propagation mechanism is present in the workspace.

## Filter: eu-residency

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

`@opentelemetry/context-async-hooks` is a pure context propagation adapter with no network communication or data transmission. EU residency does not apply.

## Filter: cve-scan

<!-- Result: clean -->

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

## Filter: named-consumer

<!-- Result: pass -->

`packages/core-shared/src/instrumentation/otel/` registers `AsyncLocalStorageContextManager` from this package during OTel SDK init to enable automatic trace context propagation across Node.js async operations. `packages/core-audit` depends on it for span context in audit records.

## Prompt: replaces

Replaces the manual context threading that would otherwise be required to pass span context through async call chains. Without this package, every async function would need to explicitly forward a context argument — defeating the automatic propagation guarantee of OTel.

## Prompt: migration-cost-out

Low. `@opentelemetry/context-async-hooks` is registered in one place during OTel SDK initialization. Swapping to a different context manager (e.g., `@opentelemetry/context-zone` for browser) is a one-line change in the SDK init file.

## Prompt: alternatives-considered

1. **`@opentelemetry/context-zone`** — Zone.js-based context manager designed for Angular/browser environments. Not applicable for a Node.js server; `async_hooks` is the correct primitive for server-side async context.
2. **Manual context passing** — Thread context explicitly through every function signature. Rejected: error-prone at scale and defeats the auto-instrumentation value of the OTel SDK.

See ADR-017 for the full decision rationale.
