elastic · pierrehilbert · Nov 21, 2025 · Nov 20, 2025
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ components:
     doc_path: "/reference/edot-collector/components/elasticapmprocessor.md"
     title: "Elastic APM processor"
 
+  # Connectors
+  elasticapmconnector:
+    doc_path: "/reference/edot-collector/components/elasticapmconnector.md"
+    title: "Elastic APM connector"
+
   # Add more components as documentation is created
-  # elasticapmconnector:
-  #   doc_path: "/reference/edot-collector/components/elasticapmconnector"
-  #   title: "Elastic APM connector"
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ These components are included in EDOT Collector version 9.2.0.
 | [tailsamplingprocessor](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/tree/main/processor/tailsamplingprocessor) | [OTel Contrib Repo](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib) | [Extended] | v0.137.0 |
 | [transformprocessor](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/tree/main/processor/transformprocessor) | [OTel Contrib Repo](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib) | [Core] | v0.137.0 |
 |***Connectors***||||
-| [elasticapmconnector](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/connector/elasticapmconnector) | [Elastic Repo](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components) | [Core] | v0.8.0 |
+| [elasticapmconnector](/reference/edot-collector/components/elasticapmconnector.md) | [Elastic Repo](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components) | [Core] | v0.8.0 |
 | [forwardconnector](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/tree/main/connector/forwardconnector) | [OTel Core Repo](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector) | [Extended] | v0.137.0 |
 | [profilingmetricsconnector](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/connector/profilingmetricsconnector) | [Elastic Repo](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components) | [Extended] | v0.1.0 |
 | [routingconnector](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/tree/main/connector/routingconnector) | [OTel Contrib Repo](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib) | [Core] | v0.137.0 |

@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+---
+navigation_title: Elastic {{product.apm}} connector
+description: The Elastic {{product.apm}} connector is an OpenTelemetry Collector component that generates pre-aggregated APM metrics from trace data.
+applies_to:
+  stack:
+  serverless:
+    observability:
+  product:
+    edot_collector:
+products:
+  - id: elastic-agent
+  - id: observability
+  - id: edot-collector
+---
+
+# Elastic {{product.apm}} connector
+
+The Elastic {{product.apm}} connector generates pre-aggregated metrics from OpenTelemetry trace data. These metrics enable key {{product.apm}} features like service maps, transaction histograms, and service-level indicators with fast query performance. Instead of calculating metrics on the fly from potentially millions of transactions, the {{product.apm}} UIs can query pre-computed metric documents for quick data visualization.
+
+The connector works together with the [Elastic {{product.apm}} processor](elasticapmprocessor.md), which enriches OpenTelemetry traces with Elastic-specific attributes to ensure optimal compatibility with Elastic {{product.apm}} UIs.
+
+## Default usage in EDOT
+
+The `elasticapm` connector is included by default in EDOT Collector deployments that ingest trace data directly into {{es}}. It's not needed when using the [{{motlp}}](opentelemetry://reference/motlp.md), as the metric aggregation happens server-side.
+
+### Standalone deployments
+
+In standalone deployments, the Elastic {{product.apm}} connector is used in both agent and gateway modes:
+
+* **Agent mode**: The connector is part of the default [application and traces collection pipeline](../config/default-config-standalone.md#application-and-traces-collection-pipeline). It receives trace data from the pipeline, generates metrics, and forwards them to {{es}}.
+
+* **Gateway mode**: The connector is part of the [Gateway mode pipeline](../config/default-config-standalone.md#gateway-mode), where it generates metrics from traces received from other collectors running in agent mode before ingesting them into {{es}}.
+
+
+### Kubernetes deployment
+
+In Kubernetes, the Elastic {{product.apm}} connector runs in the [Gateway collectors pipeline](../config/default-config-k8s.md#gateway-collectors-pipeline) when using direct ingestion to {{es}}. The Gateway receives traces from DaemonSet collectors, generates {{product.apm}} metrics, and writes both metrics and traces to {{es}}.
+
+For more details about the Kubernetes configuration, refer to [Default configuration (Kubernetes)](../config/default-config-k8s.md).
+
+## Example configuration
+
+The Elastic {{product.apm}} connector typically requires minimal configuration. Usually, an empty configuration block is sufficient:
+
+```yaml
+connectors:
+  elasticapm: {}
+```
+
+When combined with the `elasticapm` processor in a complete pipeline:
+
+```yaml
+receivers:
+  otlp:
+    protocols:
+      grpc:
+        endpoint: 0.0.0.0:4317
+      http:
+        endpoint: 0.0.0.0:4318
+
+connectors:
+  elasticapm: {}
+
+processors:
+  batch:
+    send_batch_size: 1000
+    timeout: 1s
+  elasticapm: {}
+
+exporters:
+  elasticsearch/otel:
+    endpoints:
+      - ${ELASTIC_ENDPOINT}
+    api_key: ${ELASTIC_API_KEY}
+    mapping:
+      mode: otel
+
+service:
+  pipelines:
+    traces:
+      receivers: [otlp]
+      processors: [batch, elasticapm]
+      exporters: [elasticapm, elasticsearch/otel]
+
+    metrics/aggregated-otel-metrics:
+      receivers: [elasticapm]
+      processors: []
+      exporters: [elasticsearch/otel]
+```
+
+In this configuration, the `elasticapm` connector appears as both an exporter in the traces pipeline to generate {{product.apm}} metrics and as a receiver in the metrics pipeline to forward those metrics to {{es}}.
+
+## Generated metrics
+
+The Elastic {{product.apm}} connector generates the following types of aggregated metrics from trace data:
+
+| Metric Type | Description |
+|------------|-------------|
+| Transaction metrics | Aggregated statistics about service transactions, including throughput, latency distributions, and success rates. These metrics power service overview pages and transaction group views. |
+| Service destination metrics | Metrics that track dependencies between services, showing how services communicate with databases, message queues, and other external systems. These metrics are used to build service maps. |
+| Span metrics | Detailed metrics about individual span operations, including database queries, HTTP calls, and other operations. These provide granular performance insights for specific operations. |
+| Service summary metrics | High-level service health metrics including error rates, throughput, and overall latency. These metrics enable quick health checks and alerting. |
+
+All metrics are generated with appropriate aggregation periods and follow Elastic's metric schema for seamless integration with {{product.apm}} UIs.
+
+## Aggregation intervals
+
+The connector aggregates metrics over multiple time intervals to provide different granularities for analysis. By default, metrics are aggregated at three intervals: 1 minute, 10 minutes, and 60 minutes.
+
+## Best practices
+
+Follow these recommendations when using the Elastic {{product.apm}} connector:
+
+* **Always pair with the elasticapm processor**: The connector and processor work together to provide the full Elastic {{product.apm}} experience. The processor enriches traces while the connector generates {{product.apm}} metrics. Include both in your pipeline configuration for complete functionality.
+
+* **Place the connector as an exporter in the traces pipeline**: Configure the Elastic {{product.apm}} connector as an exporter in your traces pipeline, alongside your final data destination. This ensures the connector receives processed trace data and can generate accurate metrics.
+
+* **Create a separate metrics pipeline for connector output**: Set up a dedicated metrics pipeline with the connector as the receiver. This isolates metric handling and makes it easier to apply metric-specific processing if needed.
+
+* **Use only for direct {{es}} ingestion**: If you're using the {{motlp}}, you don't need the Elastic {{product.apm}} connector, because the endpoint handles metric aggregation automatically. Using both can cause conflicts or duplicate metrics.
+
+* **Keep the connector updated**: The Elastic {{product.apm}} connector evolves with new Elastic {{product.apm}} features. Keep your EDOT Collector version current to benefit from the latest enhancements and compatibility improvements.
+
+* **Monitor connector performance**: The connector aggregates metrics in memory before flushing. For high-throughput environments, monitor memory usage and adjust the aggregation interval or deployment resources as needed.
+
+## Limitations
+
+Be aware of these constraints and behaviors when using the Elastic {{product.apm}} connector:
+
+* **Required for Elastic {{product.apm}} metrics**: Without the Elastic {{product.apm}} connector, you'll only have raw trace data in {{es}}. Service maps, transaction histograms, and other metric-driven {{product.apm}} features might require the pre-aggregated metrics that this connector generates.
+
+* **Not available in contrib OTel Collector**: The Elastic {{product.apm}} connector is an Elastic-specific component not included in the standard OpenTelemetry Collector or Collector Contrib distributions. To use it, you must either use EDOT Collector or [build a custom collector](../custom-collector.md) that includes Elastic's components.
+
+* **Memory usage scales with cardinality**: The connector maintains in-memory aggregations for unique combinations of service names, transaction names, and other dimensions. High-cardinality data (many unique values) increases memory requirements. Monitor memory usage in high-cardinality environments.
+
+* **Minimal configuration options**: Unlike some connectors, the Elastic {{product.apm}} connector operates with mostly fixed behavior and offers few configuration parameters. While this simplifies setup, it also means you have limited ability to customize the aggregation logic.
+
+
+## Resources
+
+* [Contrib component: elasticapmconnector](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/connector/elasticapmconnector)
+* [Elastic {{product.apm}} processor](elasticapmprocessor.md)
+* [Default configuration (Standalone)](../config/default-config-standalone.md#application-and-traces-collection-pipeline)
+* [Default configuration (Kubernetes)](../config/default-config-k8s.md)
+* [Build a custom collector with Elastic components](../custom-collector.md)
+
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ products:
 
 The Elastic {{product.apm}} processor enriches OpenTelemetry trace data with Elastic-specific attributes and metadata, ensuring optimal compatibility with Elastic {{product.apm}} UIs and functionality. It bridges the gap between OpenTelemetry's trace format and Elastic's expectations, enabling features like service maps, transaction groups, and enhanced trace visualization.
 
-The processor works together with the [Elastic {{product.apm}} connector](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/connector/elasticapmconnector), which generates pre-aggregated {{product.apm}} metrics from trace data.
+The processor works together with the [Elastic {{product.apm}} connector](elasticapmconnector.md), which generates pre-aggregated {{product.apm}} metrics from trace data.
 
 ## Default usage in EDOT
 
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ Be aware of these constraints and behaviors when using the Elastic APM processor
 ## Resources
 
 * [Contrib component: elasticapmprocessor](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/processor/elasticapmprocessor)
-* [Elastic {{product.apm}} connector](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/connector/elasticapmconnector)
+* [Elastic {{product.apm}} connector](elasticapmconnector.md)
 * [Default configuration (Standalone)](../config/default-config-standalone.md#application-and-traces-collection-pipeline)
 * [Default configuration (Kubernetes)](../config/default-config-k8s.md)
 * [Build a custom collector with Elastic components](../custom-collector.md)

@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ Data is exported directly to {{es}} using the [`elasticsearch`] exporter in `OTe
 
 The application pipeline in the EDOT Collector receives data from OTel SDKs through the [`OTLP`] receiver. While logs and metrics are exported verbatim into {{es}}, traces require two additional components.
 
-{applies_to}`edot_collector: ga 9.2` The [`elasticapm` processor](../components/elasticapmprocessor.md) enriches trace data with additional attributes that improve the user experience in the {{product.observability}} UIs. In addition, the [`elasticapm` connector](https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/connector/elasticapmconnector) generates pre-aggregated APM metrics from tracing data.
+{applies_to}`edot_collector: ga 9.2` The [`elasticapm` processor](../components/elasticapmprocessor.md) enriches trace data with additional attributes that improve the user experience in the {{product.observability}} UIs. In addition, the [`elasticapm` connector](../components/elasticapmconnector.md) generates pre-aggregated APM metrics from tracing data.
 
 Application-related OTel data is ingested into {{es}} in OTel-native format using the [`elasticsearch`] exporter.
 
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ The server expects incoming HTTP requests to include an API key with sufficient
 [`elasticinframetrics`]: https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/processor/elasticinframetricsprocessor
 [`elastictrace`]: https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/processor/elastictraceprocessor
 [`elasticapm` processor]: https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/processor/elasticapmprocessor
-[`elasticapm` connector]: https://github.com/elastic/opentelemetry-collector-components/tree/main/connector/elasticapmconnector
+[`elasticapm` connector]: ../components/elasticapmconnector.md
 [`resource`]: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/tree/main/processor/resourceprocessor
 [`resourcedetection`]: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/tree/main/processor/resourcedetectionprocessor
 [`OTLP`]: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/tree/main/receiver/otlpreceiver

@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 toc:
  - file: index.md
  - file: download.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
       - file: components/elasticapmintakereceiver.md
       - file: components/k8sclusterreceiver.md
       - file: components/elasticapmprocessor.md
+      - file: components/elasticapmconnector.md
       - file: components/filelogreceiver.md
       - file: components/k8sobjectsreceiver.md
       - file: components/hostmetricsreceiver.md