> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.usekindred.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart with OTel

> Use a coding agent to onboard your agent with kindred-tracing and OpenTelemetry.

Use this path when you want the fastest Kindred setup and do not want to wire trace code by hand. Your coding agent will use Kindred's public skills repo to register your agent, install `kindred-tracing`, instrument the real turn path, verify traces, and add replay when possible.

Use Langfuse if your team already has Langfuse tracing in production. Use OTel when you want a direct Kindred integration that a coding agent can add quickly.

## Overview

You will:

1. Create a Kindred account.
2. Create a `KINDRED_API_KEY`.
3. Give your coding agent the Kindred skills prompt.
4. Let the coding agent register and instrument your agent.
5. Open Kindred to inspect traces, replay, and other features.

## Step 1: Create a Kindred account

Sign in to Kindred or create an account in the Kindred web app.

## Step 2: Create an API key

In Kindred, open **Settings → API Management** and create or copy your API key.

Make the key available in the shell where your coding agent can use it:

```bash theme={null}
export KINDRED_API_KEY=kindred_api_...
```

The coding agent can use this key with `npx kindred-cli`. You do not need to install the CLI manually.

## Step 3: Open your agent repo

Open the codebase that contains your AI agent in Codex, Cursor, Claude Code, or another coding agent.

Then paste this prompt:

```text theme={null}
Install and use the Kindred coding-agent skills in this repo.

Skills repo:
https://github.com/aryanmundre/usekindred

Goal:
Onboard this AI agent project into Kindred using kindred-tracing / OpenTelemetry.

Context:
- Trace source: otel
- KINDRED_API_KEY is available.

Do as much as possible automatically:
1. Fetch or reference the Kindred skills.
2. Use the Kindred CLI through `npx kindred-cli` unless `kindred` is already installed.
3. Register a Kindred OTEL agent.
4. Install kindred-tracing.
5. Instrument the real agent turn with one root trace per user turn.
6. Record LLM calls and tool calls as child spans.
7. Run one real prompt.
8. Verify traces in Kindred.
9. Add /replay if possible.
10. Report the agent id, session id, trace id, replay result, and product links.

Ask me only for missing secrets, package install approval, tunnel/deploy approval,
or destructive actions.
```

## Step 4: Let the coding agent work

The coding agent should do the rest:

* Use `npx kindred-cli` or an installed `kindred` binary.
* Register your agent with `--trace-source otel`.
* Install `kindred-tracing`.
* Add `KINDRED_AGENT_ID` and `KINDRED_API_KEY` to env docs.
* Find the real agent turn entrypoint.
* Wrap one user turn in one root OpenTelemetry trace.
* Record LLM calls and tool calls as child spans.
* Run one real prompt.
* Verify the trace appears in Kindred.
* Add `POST /replay` if your app has an HTTP server.

## Step 5: Open Kindred

When the coding agent finishes, it should give you:

* Agent ID
* Session ID
* Trace ID
* Replay result, if replay was configured
* Product links

Click the links the coding agent provides, or open Kindred and select the registered agent.

Start with **Behavior Search** to inspect the traced session. From there, you can:

* Use **Replay** to rerun a turn and compare behavior.
* Use **Expectations** to define behavior rules.
* Use **Clustering** to find recurring patterns once the agent has enough traces.

## Quick check

Before you consider setup complete, confirm:

* The agent is registered with trace source `otel`.
* A real prompt created a Kindred session.
* The session has at least one turn.
* The turn includes LLM generation spans, and tool spans if your agent uses tools.
* Replay is configured if your agent has a public `/replay` endpoint.