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robustmq-metrics

DevOps & Security
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Designs and implements minimal, high-value metrics for RobustMQ services and dashboards. Use when the user asks to add metrics, improve observability, or update Grafana panels for core processing pipelines.

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How to use this skill

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  2. Copy the prompt below and paste it into your agent.
  3. Review the proposed files and risks before you approve installation.
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Source SKILL.md: https://github.com/robustmq/robustmq/blob/HEAD/.claude/skills/robustmq-metrics/SKILL.md

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RobustMQ Metrics

Purpose

Add observability with minimal but complete coverage of a target pipeline:

  • process count and process duration
  • retry and terminal outcomes (if applicable)
  • key failure points in read/process/write path
  • liveness/health

Do not over-instrument. Prefer compact metrics that support operations and debugging.

Metric Design Rules

  1. Cover chain, not everything:

    • success/failure + duration
    • retry/terminal path (when strategy exists)
    • read/commit/write failures
    • up/down

  2. Always include count and latency for processing path.

  3. Label policy:

    • required: stable low-cardinality dimensions only
    • optional only when bounded enum (for example result, strategy, protocol)
    • service/entity name labels are optional and must pass cardinality review
    • forbidden high-cardinality labels: topic, error_message, payload-derived labels

  4. Naming:

    • use module prefix (for example mqtt_, raft_, handler_)
    • counters end with _total
    • duration histogram uses _ms
    • liveness gauge uses _up

Minimal Metric Set Template

Adapt this template to the target module:

  • <module>_messages_processed_success_total{...}
  • <module>_messages_processed_failure_total{...}
  • <module>_process_duration_ms{...} (histogram)
  • <module>_retry_total{...,strategy} (if retry exists)
  • <module>_terminal_total{...,result} (discard/dlq/drop etc., if applicable)
  • <module>_critical_step_failure_total{...} (read/write/commit/etc.)
  • <module>_up{...} (gauge)

Implementation Workflow

  1. Define metrics in src/common/metrics

    • register counters/histogram/gauge
    • add record helper APIs
    • keep API signatures consistent with chosen low-cardinality labels

  2. Insert runtime instrumentation

    • add metrics at success, failure, retry, terminal, and liveness points

  3. Fix call sites impacted by signature changes

    • update all metric helper users
    • ensure compile passes across dependent crates

  4. Validation

    • run targeted cargo check for impacted crates
    • run lints for touched files

Grafana Decision Rule

After metrics are added, decide whether to update grafana/robustmq-broker.json:

  • Update dashboard if metrics are operationally critical and stable.
  • Skip dashboard only when user explicitly says not to update or metrics are temporary.

When updating dashboard:

  • add/extend compact row
  • prioritize low-cardinality dimensions and trend panels
  • avoid panel explosion; 4-6 panels for first iteration

Output Format

Return:

  1. Metrics added/changed (names + labels)
  2. Instrumentation points (files/functions)
  3. Whether Grafana was updated and why
  4. Validation commands and results

Guardrails

  • Do not add metrics without clear operational use.
  • Do not introduce high-cardinality labels.
  • Do not duplicate semantically equivalent metrics.
  • Do not break existing metric names unless migration is requested.