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Metrics API: Rename Cumulative to Counter #47

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23 changes: 23 additions & 0 deletions text/0000-cumulative-to-counter.md
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# Rename "Cumulative" to "Counter" in the metrics API

**Status:** `proposed`

Prefer the name "Counter" as oppose to "Cumulative".

## Motivation

Informally speaking, it seems that OpenTelemetry community members would prefer to call Cumulative metric instruments "Counters". During conversation (e.g., in the 8/21 working session), this has become clear.

Counter is a noun, like the other kinds Gauge and Measure. Cumulative is an adjective, so while "Cumulative instrument" makes sense, it describes a "Counter".
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## Explanation

This will eliminate the cognitive cost of mapping "counter" to "cumulative" when speaking about these APIs.

## Internal details

Simply replace every "Cumulative" with "Counter", then edit for grammar.

## Prior art and alternatives

In a survey of existing metrics libraries, Counter is far more common.