In this post I provide an introduction to the System.Diagnostics.Metrics API, and show how to create a custom metric and read it with dotnet-coutners

Andrew Lock's blog focuses on ASP.NET Core development, web APIs, and software architecture. Readers can find tutorials, code samples, and explanations covering topics such as RESTful API design, authentication, and authorization in ASP.NET Core. Additionally, they can learn about dependency injection, middleware, and performance optimization techniques.

.NET Escapades

System.Diagnostics.Metrics APIs provide a standardized way to create and consume application metrics in .NET. The APIs support various instrument types including counters, gauges, and histograms, organized into logical groupings called Meters. The dotnet-counters tool enables local monitoring of these metrics during development. Creating custom metrics involves defining a Meter for logical grouping, creating specific Instruments to track values, and optionally adding metadata like units and descriptions. The APIs integrate seamlessly with OpenTelemetry for production monitoring scenarios.

Creating and consuming metrics with System.Diagnostics.Metrics APIs