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feat(telemetry): add complete adapter-function lifecycle observability #1466

Description

@planetf1

Status

Deferred on 2026-08-27. This is now independent backlog work, not an active Epic #929 deliverable.

The reviewed draft PR #1558 implemented LocalFile activation/deactivation spans through the hook/plugin pattern, but that is only one slice of adapter observability. It was closed rather than merged because the broader capability needs a coherent lifecycle and metric contract across adapter realities.

Problem

Mellea needs useful, truthful observability for adapter-function work across LocalFile, Embedded, ServerMediated, and future bindings. The existing phase-duration metrics and any future spans must describe the same lifecycle without counting setup work as function invocation or fabricating an outcome before one exists.

Scope when resumed

  • Define lifecycle boundaries and invocation semantics for each adapter reality.
  • Add spans only where a real invocation outcome is available.
  • Preserve existing metric-only events where no matching invocation exists.
  • Cover LocalFile setup, activation, generation, parsing, and release as appropriate.
  • Add equivalent observability for Embedded and future adapter realities when their real outcome paths are known.
  • Decide whether content capture and metric exemplars are worth supporting, then make their trace context explicit.

Out of scope

  • A LocalFile-only activation/deactivation slice.
  • Treating setup work as an adapter-function invocation merely to create a span.
  • Inventing spans for metric-only request edits.

Acceptance criteria

  • Each supported adapter reality has documented lifecycle and invocation semantics.
  • Spans and metrics agree on what counts as an invocation and a phase.
  • No backend imports telemetry.tracing; plugins own span creation.
  • Metric-only producers remain valid without fabricated trace correlation.
  • Tests cover each supported adapter reality and its failure paths.

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area/adapter-functionsGranite adapter functions: framework and adaptiers including RAG, Guardian, Corearea/telemetryOTel spans, metrics, tracing, semconvenhancementNew feature or requestp1High: important bugs (workaround exists) or high-value core features. Do soon, not on fire.

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