OpenLIT
OpenTelemetry-based CLI tracing for Claude Code, Cursor and Codex sessions, showing what the agent actually did and what it cost
Medium risk
We rate an entry medium when the tool runs code, makes network calls or reads project files. Check what exactly it does before installing.
Why this level
- Collects and stores traces of agent calls, including request content
- Requires a self-hosted backend with a database
Install
In your terminal, with SkillFoxx CLI
npx skillfoxx add cli/openlitDetects the agents on your machine, checks the risk and pins the version.
Other ways to install
Install the tool
pipx install openlitWithout pipx, pip install openlit works too.
Bring up the stack: git clone https://github.com/openlit/openlit.git, then cd openlit and docker compose up -d. Install the CLI: curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/openlit/openlit/main/cli/scripts/install.sh | sh. Configure the endpoint: openlit configure --endpoint http://127.0.0.1:4318, then enable agent tracing: openlit coding install --vendor=all.
Other ways from the author
git clone https://github.com/openlit/openlit.git
cd openlit
docker compose up -dBrings up the dashboard and trace storage locally
This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.
What it does
OpenLIT runs locally via docker compose (including ClickHouse for trace storage) and shows a dashboard at localhost:3000. A separate CLI, installed via install.sh, enables coding-agent tracing with openlit coding install --vendor=all for Claude Code, Cursor and Codex. Traces are sent to a configured OTLP endpoint and show LLM calls, tool calls, prompts, cost and errors for a session. Separate Python and TypeScript SDKs (openlit.init()) instrument your own AI applications outside of coding agents.
Who it is for. For developers and teams running coding agents on real projects who want visibility into what the agent did and what it cost.
Good fit when
- You need to trace tool calls and LLM calls in a coding-agent session
- You want to track cost and errors across several agents at once
- You need to evaluate LLM, tool and retrieval steps in your own AI application
Not a fit when
- You do not want to run your own docker compose stack with ClickHouse just for basic stats
- The logs already provided by the agent or its vendor are enough
Example request
Show me the trace of the last Claude Code session: which tools were called and what it costLimitations
The dashboard backend is a self-hosted docker compose stack that you need to host yourself. CLI instrumentation covers specific coding-agent vendors; --vendor=all wires up whatever is supported at install time. Both the CLI and the SDK need to be pointed at the same OTLP endpoint separately.
How to disable. Stop the stack: docker compose down, remove the CLI and coding-agent tracing configuration, and remove openlit.init() calls from your code.
Security check
- Collects and stores traces of agent calls, including request content
- Requires a self-hosted backend with a database
README in short
The README describes OpenLIT as an open-source observability and evaluation platform for AI applications and coding agents built on OpenTelemetry. A five-minute quickstart brings up the stack via docker compose plus an SDK for regular applications, and a separate section explains installing a CLI that specifically instruments Claude Code, Cursor and Codex sessions and sends traces to the same endpoint. The project also ships as a plugin marketplace entry for Claude Code, Codex and Cursor.
FAQ
Do you need a separate server?
Yes, the dashboard and trace storage run locally via docker compose, including ClickHouse.
Does this work for regular AI applications, not just coding agents?
Yes, separate Python and TypeScript SDKs instrument LLM providers and frameworks in any AI application through openlit.init().
Related
An MCP server built into the Netdata agent: metrics, logs, alerts and live process, service and container data for an AI assistant
GitHub's official MCP server: code, issues, pull requests, Actions and security alerts straight from the agent
Agent Skills for Google products
Agent Skills for Google products and technologies
Official Google skill collection for working with Google Cloud, BigQuery, GKE, ads and analytics from an agent
AWS's official MCP server suite: docs, IaC, containers, serverless, databases, cost and monitoring