# Distributed tracing for CI pipelines without touching a single workflow file

DevFeed: [Distributed tracing for CI pipelines without touching a single workflow file](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/distributed-tracing-for-ci-pipelines-without-touching-a-single-workflow-file-4598.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.cncf.io/blog/2026/09/08/distributed-tracing-for-ci-pipelines-without-touching-a-single-workflow-file/>)

Author: George Sims, downtherabbithole.dev

Published: 2026-09-08T11:00:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Cloud Native Computing Foundation](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/cloud-native-computing-foundation.md>)

Topics: [ci](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ci.md>)

Tags: [blog](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/blog.md>), [ci](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ci.md>), [github](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/github.md>), [github-actions](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/github-actions.md>), [instrumentation](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/instrumentation.md>), [jobs](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/jobs.md>), [opentelemetry](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/opentelemetry.md>), [tracing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tracing.md>), [workflow](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/workflow.md>), [workflows](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/workflows.md>)

## AI overview

The article describes collecting GitHub Actions events at the organization level and converting them into OpenTelemetry spans to trace CI workflows without editing individual workflow files.

## Source excerpt

You've probably felt this one: GitHub Actions usage creeps up across your org, and your actual visibility into it doesn't keep pace. Which workflows are slow? Which are flaky? How long are jobs sitting queued for...