appinsights-instrumentation▌
microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure · updated Apr 8, 2026
MDX-style export adds YAML metadata + attribution linking explainx.ai and this canonical listing URL.
Guidance and reference material for instrumenting webapps with Azure Application Insights.
- ›Covers SDK setup, telemetry patterns, and configuration for ASP.NET Core, Node.js, and Python applications hosted in Azure
- ›Distinguishes between this skill (reference and guidance) and azure-prepare (which orchestrates actual instrumentation changes)
- ›Recommends auto-instrumentation for C# ASP.NET Core apps on Azure App Service; provides manual instrumentation paths for other stacks
- ›Includes
AppInsights Instrumentation Guide
This skill provides guidance and reference material for instrumenting webapps with Azure Application Insights.
⛔ ADDING COMPONENTS?
If the user wants to add App Insights to their app, invoke azure-prepare instead. This skill provides reference material—azure-prepare orchestrates the actual changes.
When to Use This Skill
- User asks how to instrument (guidance, patterns, examples)
- User needs SDK setup instructions
- azure-prepare invokes this skill during research phase
- User wants to understand App Insights concepts
When to Use azure-prepare Instead
- User says "add telemetry to my app"
- User says "add App Insights"
- User wants to modify their project
- Any request to change/add components
Prerequisites
The app in the workspace must be one of these kinds
- An ASP.NET Core app hosted in Azure
- A Node.js app hosted in Azure
Guidelines
Collect context information
Find out the (programming language, application framework, hosting) tuple of the application the user is trying to add telemetry support in. This determines how the application can be instrumented. Read the source code to make an educated guess. Confirm with the user on anything you don't know. You must always ask the user where the application is hosted (e.g. on a personal computer, in an Azure App Service as code, in an Azure App Service as container, in an Azure Container App, etc.).
Prefer auto-instrument if possible
If the app is a C# ASP.NET Core app hosted in Azure App Service, use AUTO guide to help user auto-instrument the app.
Manually instrument
Manually instrument the app by creating the AppInsights resource and update the app's code.
Create AppInsights resource
Use one of the following options that fits the environment.
- Add AppInsights to existing Bicep template. See examples/appinsights.bicep for what to add. This is the best option if there are existing Bicep template files in the workspace.
- Use Azure CLI. See scripts/appinsights.ps1 for what Azure CLI command to execute to create the App Insights resource.
No matter which option you choose, recommend the user to create the App Insights resource in a meaningful resource group that makes managing resources easier. A good candidate will be the same resource group that contains the resources for the hosted app in Azure.
Modify application code
- If the app is an ASP.NET Core app, see ASPNETCORE guide for how to modify the C# code.
- If the app is a Node.js app, see NODEJS guide for how to modify the JavaScript/TypeScript code.
- If the app is a Python app, see PYTHON guide for how to modify the Python code.
SDK Quick References
- OpenTelemetry Distro: Python | TypeScript
- OpenTelemetry Exporter: Python | Java
How to use appinsights-instrumentation on Cursor
AI-first code editor with Composer
Prerequisites
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
- ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
- ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with
node --version) - ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add appinsights-instrumentation
Execute installation command
Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
The skills CLI fetches appinsights-instrumentation from GitHub repository microsoft/GitHub-Copilot-for-Azure and configures it for Cursor.
Select Cursor when prompted
The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:
Verify installation
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Reload or restart Cursor to activate appinsights-instrumentation. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /appinsights-instrumentation) or your agent's skill management interface.
Security & Verification Notice
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.
List & Monetize Your Skill
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Use Cases▌
Task Automation & Efficiency
Automate repetitive workflows and reduce manual effort
Example
Generate reports, summarize documents, draft communications
Save 3-5 hours per week on routine tasks
Knowledge Enhancement
Learn new skills, understand complex topics, get expert guidance
Example
Explain concepts, provide examples, suggest learning resources
Accelerate learning and skill development by 2x
Quality Improvement
Enhance output quality through reviews, suggestions, and refinements
Example
Review drafts, suggest improvements, catch errors
Improve work quality by 30-40% with less effort
Implementation Guide▌
Prerequisites
- ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client with skill support
- ›Clear understanding of task or problem to solve
- ›Willingness to iterate and refine outputs
Time Estimate
15-45 minutes depending on use case complexity
Installation Steps
- 1.Install skill using provided installation command
- 2.Test with simple use case relevant to your work
- 3.Evaluate output quality and relevance
- 4.Iterate on prompts to improve results
- 5.Integrate into regular workflow if valuable
Common Pitfalls
- ⚠Expecting perfect results without iteration
- ⚠Not providing enough context in prompts
- ⚠Using skill for tasks outside its intended scope
- ⚠Accepting outputs without review and validation
Best Practices▌
✓ Do
- +Start with clear, specific prompts
- +Provide relevant context and constraints
- +Review and refine all outputs before using
- +Iterate to improve output quality
- +Document successful prompt patterns
✗ Don't
- −Don't use without understanding skill limitations
- −Don't skip validation of outputs
- −Don't share sensitive information in prompts
- −Don't expect skill to replace human judgment
💡 Pro Tips
- ★Be specific about desired format and style
- ★Ask for multiple options to choose from
- ★Request explanations to understand reasoning
- ★Combine AI efficiency with human expertise
When to Use This▌
✓ Use When
Use when skill capabilities match your task, clear ROI on time saved, and you can validate outputs. Best for repetitive tasks, learning, and quality improvement.
✗ Avoid When
Avoid when task requires deep expertise you can't validate, involves sensitive decisions, or when learning process is more valuable than speed of completion.
Learning Path▌
- 1Familiarize yourself with skill capabilities and limitations
- 2Start with low-risk, non-critical tasks
- 3Progress to more complex and valuable use cases
- 4Build expertise through regular use and experimentation
Discussion
Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)- No comments yet — start the thread.
Ratings
4.6★★★★★45 reviews- ★★★★★Emma Mensah· Dec 24, 2024
appinsights-instrumentation is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
- ★★★★★Shikha Mishra· Dec 12, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: appinsights-instrumentation is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
- ★★★★★Liam Taylor· Dec 4, 2024
Registry listing for appinsights-instrumentation matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.
- ★★★★★Tariq Menon· Dec 4, 2024
Keeps context tight: appinsights-instrumentation is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
- ★★★★★Amina Harris· Nov 15, 2024
Useful defaults in appinsights-instrumentation — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
- ★★★★★Rahul Santra· Nov 3, 2024
We added appinsights-instrumentation from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
- ★★★★★Pratham Ware· Oct 22, 2024
appinsights-instrumentation fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Ren Verma· Oct 6, 2024
I recommend appinsights-instrumentation for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
- ★★★★★Tariq Harris· Sep 25, 2024
appinsights-instrumentation fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.
- ★★★★★Liam Li· Sep 13, 2024
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: appinsights-instrumentation is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
showing 1-10 of 45