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This guide provides step-by-step instructions for configuring Elastic APM in Python, Java, and Node.js applications.

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Installing APM Agents

### Python
>> bash
# For Flask applications
pip install elastic-apm[flask]

# For Django applications
pip install elastic-apm[django]

# For FastAPI applications
pip install elastic-apm[starlette]

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Java

Download the agent JAR from Maven Central. Do not add the agent as a dependency to your application. 
>> bash
# Download latest version from Maven Central
wget https://search.maven.org/remotecontent?filepath=co/elastic/apm/elastic-apm-agent/1.36.0/elastic-apm-agent-1.36.0.jar
Note: try download from the Kibana > integrations > APM > Elastic APM in Fleet > java

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nodeJS

>> bash
# Using npm
npm install elastic-apm-node --save

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Configuring APM Agents

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Python

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Flask Applications

>> python
from flask import Flask
from elasticapm.contrib.flask import ElasticAPM

app = Flask(__name__)

# Method 1: Direct configuration
app.config['ELASTIC_APM'] = {
   'SERVICE_NAME': 'my-service-name',
   'SERVER_URL': 'http://localhost:8200',
   'ENVIRONMENT': 'development',
   'CAPTURE_BODY': 'all',
   'TRANSACTION_SAMPLE_RATE': 1.0,
   'COLLECT_LOCAL_VARIABLES': 'all'
}
apm = ElasticAPM(app)

​
Using environment variables

# Set environment variables:
# ELASTIC_APM_SERVICE_NAME=my-service-name
# ELASTIC_APM_SERVER_URL=http://localhost:8200
# ELASTIC_APM_ENVIRONMENT=development
apm = ElasticAPM(app)

​
Django Applications

>> python
# settings.py
INSTALLED_APPS = [
   'elasticapm.contrib.django',
   # ... other apps
]

ELASTIC_APM = {
   'SERVICE_NAME': 'my-service-name',
   'SERVER_URL': 'http://localhost:8200',
   'ENVIRONMENT': 'development',
   'DJANGO_TRANSACTION_NAME_FROM_ROUTE': True,
   'CAPTURE_BODY': 'all'
}

MIDDLEWARE = [
   'elasticapm.contrib.django.middleware.TracingMiddleware',
   # ... other middleware
]

​
Java

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Command Line Configuration

java -javaagent:/path/to/elastic-apm-agent-1.36.0.jar \
-Delastic.apm.service_name=my-service-name \
-Delastic.apm.server_urls=http://localhost:8200 \
-Delastic.apm.environment=development \
-Delastic.apm.application_packages=com.example \
-Delastic.apm.transaction_sample_rate=1.0 \
-jar my-application.jar

​
Spring Boot Configuration

// src/main/resources/elasticapm.properties
elastic.apm.service_name=my-service-name
elastic.apm.server_urls=http://localhost:8200
elastic.apm.environment=development
elastic.apm.application_packages=com.example
elastic.apm.transaction_sample_rate=1.0

​
Programmatic Configuration

@Configuration
public class ApmConfig {
   @PostConstruct
   public void init() {
       Map<String, String> apmProps = new HashMap<>();
       apmProps.put("service_name", "my-service-name");
       apmProps.put("server_urls", "http://localhost:8200");
       apmProps.put("environment", "development");
       apmProps.put("application_packages", "com.example");
       ElasticApmAttacher.attach(apmProps);
   }
}

​
Node.js

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Add labels to transaction

const transaction = apm.startTransaction('operation-name');
transaction.addLabels({
   'user.id': userId,
   'tenant.id': tenantId,
   'operation.type': operationType,
   'operation.status': status
});

​
Add labels to span

const span = apm.startSpan('span-name');
span.addLabels({
   'user.id': userId,
   'tenant.id': tenantId,
   'custom.label': value
});

​
Adding Transaction Spans

Python
# Method 1: Using decorator
from elasticapm import capture_span

@capture_span()
def my_function():
   # your code here
Using context manager
from elasticapm import capture_span

with capture_span('operation_name', 'operation_type'):
   # your code here
Manual span
import elasticapm
span = elasticapm.capture_span('operation_name')
try:
   # your code here
finally:
   span.end()

​
Java

Using annotation
import co.elastic.apm.api.CaptureSpan;

@CaptureSpan
public void myMethod() {
   // your code here
}
Manual span
import co.elastic.apm.api.ElasticApm;

Span span = ElasticApm.startSpan();
try {
   span.setName("operation-name")
       .setType("operation-type");
   // your code here
} finally {
   span.end();
}

​
Node.js

Simple span 
const span = apm.startSpan('operation-name');
try {
   // your code here
} finally {
   span.end();
}
Async span 
async function operationWithSpan() {
   const span = apm.startSpan('operation-name');
   try {
       await someAsyncOperation();
   } finally {
       span.end();
   }
}
Span with labels 
const span = apm.startSpan('operation-name');
span.addLabels({
   'operation.type': 'database',
   'operation.details': 'query-users'
});
try {
   // your code here
} finally {
   span.end();
}