open-telemetry · lmolkova · Dec 10, 2025 · Dec 9, 2025 · Dec 9, 2025 · Dec 9, 2025
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+change_type: enhancement
+component: rpc
+note: Use consistent set of attributes between RPC spans and metrics
+issues: [2922, 3197]
+subtext: |
+  - Use `rpc.response.status_code` on common metrics and spans.
+  - Make `error.type` note consistent between metrics and spans.
+  - Promote notes on `rpc.method` and `rpc.service` to attribute definition.
@@ -18,31 +18,35 @@ This document defines attributes for remote procedure calls.
 | <a id="rpc-message-id" href="#rpc-message-id">`rpc.message.id`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | int | MUST be calculated as two different counters starting from `1` one for sent messages and one for received message. [1] | |
 | <a id="rpc-message-type" href="#rpc-message-type">`rpc.message.type`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | Whether this is a received or sent message. | `SENT`; `RECEIVED` |
 | <a id="rpc-message-uncompressed-size" href="#rpc-message-uncompressed-size">`rpc.message.uncompressed_size`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | int | Uncompressed size of the message in bytes. | |
-| <a id="rpc-method" href="#rpc-method">`rpc.method`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective. | `exampleMethod` |
-| <a id="rpc-request-metadata" href="#rpc-request-metadata">`rpc.request.metadata.<key>`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string[] | RPC request metadata, `<key>` being the normalized RPC metadata key (lowercase), the value being the metadata values. [2] | `["1.2.3.4", "1.2.3.5"]` |
-| <a id="rpc-response-metadata" href="#rpc-response-metadata">`rpc.response.metadata.<key>`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string[] | RPC response metadata, `<key>` being the normalized RPC metadata key (lowercase), the value being the metadata values. [3] | `["attribute_value"]` |
-| <a id="rpc-response-status-code" href="#rpc-response-status-code">`rpc.response.status_code`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | Status code of the RPC returned by the RPC server or generated by the client [4] | `OK`; `DEADLINE_EXCEEDED`; `-32602` |
-| <a id="rpc-service" href="#rpc-service">`rpc.service`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | The full (logical) name of the service being called, including its package name, if applicable. | `myservice.EchoService` |
-| <a id="rpc-system-name" href="#rpc-system-name">`rpc.system.name`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | The Remote Procedure Call (RPC) system. [5] | `grpc`; `dubbo`; `connectrpc` |
+| <a id="rpc-method" href="#rpc-method">`rpc.method`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective. [2] | `exampleMethod` |
+| <a id="rpc-request-metadata" href="#rpc-request-metadata">`rpc.request.metadata.<key>`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string[] | RPC request metadata, `<key>` being the normalized RPC metadata key (lowercase), the value being the metadata values. [3] | `["1.2.3.4", "1.2.3.5"]` |
+| <a id="rpc-response-metadata" href="#rpc-response-metadata">`rpc.response.metadata.<key>`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string[] | RPC response metadata, `<key>` being the normalized RPC metadata key (lowercase), the value being the metadata values. [4] | `["attribute_value"]` |
+| <a id="rpc-response-status-code" href="#rpc-response-status-code">`rpc.response.status_code`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | Status code of the RPC returned by the RPC server or generated by the client [5] | `OK`; `DEADLINE_EXCEEDED`; `-32602` |
+| <a id="rpc-service" href="#rpc-service">`rpc.service`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | The full (logical) name of the service being called, including its package name, if applicable. [6] | `myservice.EchoService` |
+| <a id="rpc-system-name" href="#rpc-system-name">`rpc.system.name`</a> | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | string | The Remote Procedure Call (RPC) system. [7] | `grpc`; `dubbo`; `connectrpc` |
 
 **[1] `rpc.message.id`:** This way we guarantee that the values will be consistent between different implementations.
 
-**[2] `rpc.request.metadata.<key>`:** Instrumentations SHOULD require an explicit configuration of which metadata values are to be captured.
+**[2] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub method on the client side.
+
+**[3] `rpc.request.metadata.<key>`:** Instrumentations SHOULD require an explicit configuration of which metadata values are to be captured.
 Including all request metadata values can be a security risk - explicit configuration helps avoid leaking sensitive information.
 
 For example, a property `my-custom-key` with value `["1.2.3.4", "1.2.3.5"]` SHOULD be recorded as
 `rpc.request.metadata.my-custom-key` attribute with value `["1.2.3.4", "1.2.3.5"]`
 
-**[3] `rpc.response.metadata.<key>`:** Instrumentations SHOULD require an explicit configuration of which metadata values are to be captured.
+**[4] `rpc.response.metadata.<key>`:** Instrumentations SHOULD require an explicit configuration of which metadata values are to be captured.
 Including all response metadata values can be a security risk - explicit configuration helps avoid leaking sensitive information.
 
 For example, a property `my-custom-key` with value `["attribute_value"]` SHOULD be recorded as
 the `rpc.response.metadata.my-custom-key` attribute with value `["attribute_value"]`
 
-**[4] `rpc.response.status_code`:** Usually it represents an error code, but may also represent partial success, warning, or differentiate between various types of successful outcomes.
+**[5] `rpc.response.status_code`:** Usually it represents an error code, but may also represent partial success, warning, or differentiate between various types of successful outcomes.
 Semantic conventions for individual RPC frameworks SHOULD document what `rpc.response.status_code` means in the context of that system and which values are considered to represent errors.
 
-**[5] `rpc.system.name`:** The client and server RPC systems may differ for the same RPC interaction. For example, a client may use Apache Dubbo or Connect RPC to communicate with a server that uses gRPC since both protocols provide compatibility with gRPC.
+**[6] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub class on the client side.
+
+**[7] `rpc.system.name`:** The client and server RPC systems may differ for the same RPC interaction. For example, a client may use Apache Dubbo or Connect RPC to communicate with a server that uses gRPC since both protocols provide compatibility with gRPC.
 
 ---
 

@@ -80,9 +80,9 @@ Consider always setting the transport when setting a port number, since
 a port number is ambiguous without knowing the transport. For example
 different processes could be listening on TCP port 12345 and UDP port 12345.
 
-**[9] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to store the latter (e.g., method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub method on the client side).
+**[9] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub method on the client side.
 
-**[10] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.namespace` attribute may be used to store the latter (despite the attribute name, it may include a class name; e.g., class with method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub class on the client side).
+**[10] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub class on the client side.
 
 **[11] `rpc.request.metadata.<key>`:** Instrumentations SHOULD require an explicit configuration of which metadata values are to be captured.
 Including all request metadata values can be a security risk - explicit configuration helps avoid leaking sensitive information.
@@ -203,9 +203,9 @@ Consider always setting the transport when setting a port number, since
 a port number is ambiguous without knowing the transport. For example
 different processes could be listening on TCP port 12345 and UDP port 12345.
 
-**[11] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to store the latter (e.g., method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub method on the client side).
+**[11] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub method on the client side.
 
-**[12] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.namespace` attribute may be used to store the latter (despite the attribute name, it may include a class name; e.g., class with method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub class on the client side).
+**[12] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub class on the client side.
 
 **[13] `rpc.request.metadata.<key>`:** Instrumentations SHOULD require an explicit configuration of which metadata values are to be captured.
 Including all request metadata values can be a security risk - explicit configuration helps avoid leaking sensitive information.

@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ for the details on which values classify as errors.
 | [`rpc.request.metadata.<key>`](/docs/registry/attributes/rpc.md) | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | `Opt-In` | string[] | RPC request metadata, `<key>` being the normalized RPC metadata key (lowercase), the value being the metadata values. [11] | `["1.2.3.4", "1.2.3.5"]` |
 | [`rpc.response.metadata.<key>`](/docs/registry/attributes/rpc.md) | ![Development](https://img.shields.io/badge/-development-blue) | `Opt-In` | string[] | RPC response metadata, `<key>` being the normalized RPC metadata key (lowercase), the value being the metadata values. [12] | `["attribute_value"]` |
 
-**[1] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to store the latter (e.g., method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub method on the client side).
+**[1] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub method on the client side.
 
 **[2] `rpc.response.status_code`:** All status codes except `OK` SHOULD be considered errors.
 
-**[3] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.namespace` attribute may be used to store the latter (despite the attribute name, it may include a class name; e.g., class with method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub class on the client side).
+**[3] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub class on the client side.
 
 **[4] `server.address`:** May contain server IP address, DNS name, or local socket name. When host component is an IP address, instrumentations SHOULD NOT do a reverse proxy lookup to obtain DNS name and SHOULD set `server.address` to the IP address provided in the host component.
 
@@ -205,9 +205,9 @@ Consider always setting the transport when setting a port number, since
 a port number is ambiguous without knowing the transport. For example
 different processes could be listening on TCP port 12345 and UDP port 12345.
 
-**[11] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to store the latter (e.g., method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub method on the client side).
+**[11] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub method on the client side.
 
-**[12] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.namespace` attribute may be used to store the latter (despite the attribute name, it may include a class name; e.g., class with method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub class on the client side).
+**[12] `rpc.service`:** This is the logical name of the service from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing class. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub class on the client side.
 
 **[13] `rpc.request.metadata.<key>`:** Instrumentations SHOULD require an explicit configuration of which metadata values are to be captured.
 Including all request metadata values can be a security risk - explicit configuration helps avoid leaking sensitive information.

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ are considered errors.
 | [`network.protocol.version`](/docs/registry/attributes/network.md) | ![Stable](https://img.shields.io/badge/-stable-lightgreen) | `Recommended` | string | The actual version of the protocol used for network communication. [9] | `1.1`; `2` |
 | [`network.transport`](/docs/registry/attributes/network.md) | ![Stable](https://img.shields.io/badge/-stable-lightgreen) | `Recommended` | string | [OSI transport layer](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_layer) or [inter-process communication method](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter-process_communication). [10] | `tcp`; `udp` |
 
-**[1] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to store the latter (e.g., method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub method on the client side).
+**[1] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub method on the client side.
 
 **[2] `server.address`:** May contain server IP address, DNS name, or local socket name. When host component is an IP address, instrumentations SHOULD NOT do a reverse proxy lookup to obtain DNS name and SHOULD set `server.address` to the IP address provided in the host component.
 
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ are considered errors.
 | [`network.protocol.version`](/docs/registry/attributes/network.md) | ![Stable](https://img.shields.io/badge/-stable-lightgreen) | `Recommended` | string | The actual version of the protocol used for network communication. [11] | `1.1`; `2` |
 | [`network.transport`](/docs/registry/attributes/network.md) | ![Stable](https://img.shields.io/badge/-stable-lightgreen) | `Recommended` | string | [OSI transport layer](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_layer) or [inter-process communication method](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter-process_communication). [12] | `tcp`; `udp` |
 
-**[1] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to store the latter (e.g., method actually executing the call on the server side, RPC client stub method on the client side).
+**[1] `rpc.method`:** This is the logical name of the method from the RPC interface perspective, which can be different from the name of any implementing method/function. The `code.function.name` attribute may be used to record the fully-qualified method actually executing the call on the server side, or the RPC client stub method on the client side.
 
 **[2] `server.address`:** May contain server IP address, DNS name, or local socket name. When host component is an IP address, instrumentations SHOULD NOT do a reverse proxy lookup to obtain DNS name and SHOULD set `server.address` to the IP address provided in the host component.