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Add service to glossary #2111

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Add service to glossary #2111

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Add Service to glossary.md
svrnm Nov 8, 2021
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revert changes from glossary toc
svrnm Nov 8, 2021
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Merge branch 'main' of https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetr…
svrnm Nov 12, 2021
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update service and service instance definitions
svrnm Nov 12, 2021
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Merge branch 'main' of https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetr…
svrnm Nov 22, 2021
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link from service in semconv to glossary
svrnm Nov 22, 2021
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Merge branch 'main' of https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetr…
svrnm Nov 24, 2021
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Update specification/glossary.md
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9 changes: 9 additions & 0 deletions specification/glossary.md
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Expand Up @@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ Some other fundamental terms are documented in the [overview document](overview.
* [Instrumented Library](#instrumented-library)
* [Instrumentation Library](#instrumentation-library)
* [Tracer Name / Meter Name](#tracer-name--meter-name)
* [Service](#service)
- [Logs](#logs)
* [Log Record](#log-record)
* [Log](#log)
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -153,6 +154,14 @@ This refers to the `name` and (optional) `version` arguments specified when
creating a new `Tracer` or `Meter` (see [Obtaining a Tracer](trace/api.md#tracerprovider)/[Obtaining a Meter](metrics/api.md#meterprovider)).
The name/version pair identifies the [Instrumentation Library](#instrumentation-library).

### Service
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A `service` is a component of a larger distributed `application`. A service logically represents a repeatable business activity with a specified outcome. A service exchanges information with other services via some form of inter-process communication mechanism, such as network or shared storage.
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If we feel that service is not self-explanatory, then we cannot define it via application, which itself is not defined.

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That's a good point. A proposal how service defines the word application:

A service is a component of a larger distributed application. A service logically represents a repeatable business activity with a specified outcome. A service exchanges information with other services via some form of inter-process communication mechanism, such as network or shared storage. A group of services are forming an application.

Note: we have to pay attention with the word "application" since it is heavily overloaded, see the conversation around service vs frontend app(lication). Distributed Application would make this more clear, but as per your other comment, this would not make sense for an application only having a single service.

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Let's not correlate at all with "application" to avoid confusion as you suggested:

A service logically represents a repeatable business activity with a specified outcome. A service exchanges information with other services via some form of inter-process communication mechanism, such as network or shared storage.

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I don't understand what "logically represents a repeatable business activity with a specified outcome" means. That doesn't sound like a service to me. Also, why does a service need to exchange information with other services? That seems like something a service might do, but it's certainly not a requirement.

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"logically represents a repeatable business activity with a specified outcome"
See #2111 (comment): this comes from the service definition of SOA. What alternative would you suggest?

Also, why does a service need to exchange information with other services? That seems like something a service might do, but it's certainly not a requirement.
Would adding a "may", i.e. "A service may exchange..." help?

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Higher level answer provided as a comment on the PR itself, for broader visibility.

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Is distributed important here? If my application is not distributed, then I don't have any services by this definition?

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See my note above, if we remove distributed it can be confused much more easily with a frontend application. Maybe there is a better term.

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See my note, let's remove any reference to "application" for the moment.


A `service instance` is a physical manifestation of a service, usually running in its own operating system process. Multiple service instances are typically deployed at the same time for high availability and scalability.
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See [Resource Semantic Conventions - Service](resource/semantic_conventions/README.md#service) for more details and naming requirements.

## Logs

### Log Record
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