opentelemetry-metrics-api 0.9.0: Global Meter Provider Is Now Opt In

The OpenTelemetry Ruby project shipped opentelemetry-metrics-api 0.9.0 on October 5, 2026. It is a small release with one change that matters: the global meter provider is no longer loaded by default. You now need an explicit require to get it.

The full release notes are on the GitHub release page.

The breaking change

Version 0.9.0 moves the global meter provider behind an opt-in require, tracked as #2416. The release notes list this once, but flag it as both BREAKING CHANGE and ADDED: it changes existing behavior while making the new opt-in path available.

In practice, if your code or a gem you use calls anything that touches the global meter provider, you may need to add the opt-in require before it exists. This is the kind of change that breaks apps at boot rather than in review, so it is worth checking before you upgrade. The pull request is the best place to see what the require looks like.

Why this matters

Loading instrumentation automatically is convenient, but it pulls code into every process that requires the API gem. Opt-in requires give you control: you decide when the global meter provider loads and which apps get it. If you already configure meter providers explicitly, the new path is likely the cleaner one.

Upgrade notes

This release contains a breaking change:

  • Code that relied on the global meter provider being present by default will break until you add the opt-in require.
  • Check gem dependencies that wrap the metrics API; they may assume the provider is already loaded.
  • Read #2416 for the exact require and any migration detail.

Where to get it

The release is not a prerelease. Worth a look if you run OpenTelemetry instrumentation in Ruby and touch metrics.

← All updates