> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://asymptotelabs-claude-cursor-token-usage-6sui0o.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Next.js And Serverless

> Initialize Asymptote Observe in Next.js and short-lived serverless runtimes

## Serverless Setup

Initialize `Observe` once in the earliest Node-only entrypoint. In Next.js, use `instrumentation.ts` and guard against the edge runtime:

## Prerequisites

* Node.js 20 or newer.
* A Next.js app or another serverless Node.js runtime.
* `@asymptote/sdk` installed.
* Any agent SDKs used by your route handlers, such as Vercel AI SDK.
* `ASYMPTOTE_API_KEY` set for Asymptote Managed hosted Observe, or `OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT` set for customer-managed OTLP export. To get an Asymptote Managed API key, [reach out for a demo](https://asymptotelabs.ai/contact).

```bash title="Install the SDK and Vercel AI SDK" theme={null}
npm install @asymptote/sdk ai @ai-sdk/openai
```

## Next.js Instrumentation

```typescript title="Initialize in instrumentation.ts" lines theme={null}
export async function register() {
  if (process.env.NEXT_RUNTIME === "nodejs") {
    const { Observe } = await import("@asymptote/sdk");

    Observe.initialize({
      apiKey: process.env.ASYMPTOTE_API_KEY,
    });
  }
}
```

This keeps SDK initialization out of edge runtimes while ensuring Node.js routes, server actions, and background work share the same tracing setup.

## Serverless Handlers

For short-lived serverless invocations, call `Observe.flush()` before returning if traces are created immediately before the process may terminate.

```typescript title="Flush traces in a serverless handler" lines theme={null}
import { openai } from "@ai-sdk/openai";
import { generateText } from "ai";
import { Observe } from "@asymptote/sdk";

export async function POST(request: Request) {
  const prompt = await request.text();
  const result = await generateText({
    model: openai("gpt-4.1-mini"),
    prompt,
    experimental_telemetry: {
      isEnabled: true,
      tracer: Observe.getTracer(),
    },
  });

  await Observe.flush();

  return Response.json({ text: result.text });
}
```

If the runtime owns a long-lived process, reserve `Observe.shutdown()` for graceful process shutdown rather than calling it after every request.

## Customer-Managed OTLP

Serverless and preview environments can send to a customer-managed collector by setting `OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT` instead of Asymptote Managed hosted Observe credentials.

```bash title="Set the OTLP endpoint" theme={null}
export OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT=https://otel.example.com
```

```typescript title="Initialize with a customer-managed OTLP endpoint" lines theme={null}
import { Observe } from "@asymptote/sdk";

Observe.initialize({
  otlpEndpoint: process.env.OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT,
});
```

Explicit OTLP export does not require an Asymptote Managed `ASYMPTOTE_API_KEY`.