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Global Attributes

Global attributes are automatically attached to all telemetry data (events, errors, spans) throughout your application's lifecycle.

Automatic Attributes​

The Pulse Android SDK automatically includes the following attributes in all telemetry:

Device Information​

  • device.model.name - Device model name (e.g., "Pixel 7")
  • device.model.identifier - Device model identifier
  • device.manufacturer - Device manufacturer (e.g., "Google")

Operating System​

  • os.name - Always "Android"
  • os.type - Always "linux"
  • os.version - Android version (e.g., "13")
  • os.description - Full OS description
  • os.api_level - Android API level

Service Information​

  • service.name - Application name (from AndroidManifest)
  • service.version - App version (e.g., "1.0.0_123")
  • rum.sdk.version - Pulse SDK version

Network Information​

Network attributes are automatically added when network monitoring is enabled:

  • network.connection.type - Connection type (e.g., "wifi", "cellular")
  • network.connection.subtype - Connection subtype (e.g., "LTE", "5G") - requires permission
  • network.carrier.name - Carrier name (e.g., "Verizon") - requires permission
  • network.carrier.mcc - Mobile country code - requires permission
  • network.carrier.mnc - Mobile network code - requires permission
  • network.carrier.icc - ISO country code - requires permission

Note: To get detailed network information (subtype, carrier name, etc.), add READ_PHONE_STATE or READ_BASIC_PHONE_STATE (API 33+) permission to your AndroidManifest.xml.

Session Information​

  • session.id - Unique session identifier

Custom Global Attributes​

You can add custom global attributes that will be merged with the automatic attributes:

PulseSDK.INSTANCE.initialize(
    application = this,
    endpointBaseUrl = "https://your-backend.com",
    globalAttributes = {
        Attributes.builder()
            .put("deployment.environment", "production")
            .put("service.version", BuildConfig.VERSION_NAME)
            .put("device.type", "mobile")
            .build()
    }
)

Note: Custom global attributes are merged with automatic attributes. Event/span-specific attributes override global attributes when keys conflict.

Practical Example​

Set global attributes during SDK initialization:

PulseSDK.INSTANCE.initialize(
    application = this,
    endpointBaseUrl = "https://your-backend.com",
    globalAttributes = {
        Attributes.builder()
            .put("deployment.environment", if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) "development" else "production")
            .put("app.build.type", BuildConfig.BUILD_TYPE)
            .put("app.version.code", BuildConfig.VERSION_CODE.toString())
            .put("app.version.name", BuildConfig.VERSION_NAME)
            .build()
    }
)

Attribute Priority​

Event/span-specific attributes override global attributes when keys conflict:

// Global attribute
PulseSDK.INSTANCE.initialize(
    application = this,
    endpointBaseUrl = "https://your-backend.com",
    globalAttributes = {
        Attributes.of(AttributeKey.stringKey("environment"), "production")
    }
)

// This event's 'environment' will be 'staging'
PulseSDK.INSTANCE.trackEvent(
    name = "test",
    observedTimeStampInMs = System.currentTimeMillis(),
    params = mapOf("environment" to "staging")
)

Best Practices​

  1. Set global attributes during initialization: Set static metadata (app version, environment, etc.) once during SDK initialization
  2. Use for static metadata: Global attributes are ideal for information that doesn't change during the session
  3. Avoid sensitive data: Don't include PII (Personally Identifiable Information) in global attributes

Common Use Cases for Custom Attributes​

  • Environment flags: Distinguish between development, staging, and production
  • Build metadata: Include build type, version code, and version name
  • Feature flags: Track which features are enabled
  • Deployment information: Add deployment-specific context
  • Custom metadata: Add any application-specific context

Note: Device and OS information are already automatically included, so you don't need to set them manually.

Next Steps​