Tracetest Monthly Newsletter - September 2023

*[Join the Community Slack here](https://dub.sh/tracetest-community) to talk all things Tracetest, get instant support from our team, or simply say hi! If you like what we're doing, and haven't already, [leave us a ⭐ on GitHub](https://github.com/kubeshop/tracetest). Thank you for being part of the community. Your support and feedback are invaluable! ❤️*

Hello, Tracetest Community! 👋

We’re excited to share with you the latest updates and news from the world of Tracetest. From new product releases to integrations and community contributions, there is a lot happening. So, let's take off and explore! 🚀

## Hot tip of the day!

### Use filters to assert on a field in a JSON object

Filters are functions that are executed using the value obtained by the expression. They are useful to transform the data. Multiple filters can be chained together. The output of the previous filter will be used as the input to the next until all filters are executed.

The `json_path` filter allows you to filter a JSON string and obtain only data that is relevant. **[Read more in the docs.](https://docs.tracetest.io/concepts/expressions#json-path)**

```yaml
attr:user = '{ "name": "Jorge", "age": 27, "email": "jorge@company.com" }'

- selector: span[tracetest.span.type="..."]
   name: Validate user age
   assertions:
   - attr:user | json_path 'age' = 27
```

## What's New with Tracetest 🎉

- [**Introducing Tracetest Open Beta**](https://app.tracetest.io/): To reduce the burden on your infrastructure, we have introduced Tracetest SaaS to simplify the process of running Tracetest. With just one command, `tracetest start`, you can quickly get started and enjoy a streamlined developer experience. Tracetest Saas simplifies networking by utilizing an agent that can be deployed wherever it is needed. Whether you choose to run the Tracetest Agent locally or in ephemeral CI environments, Tracetest SaaS ensures that your data is persistently stored.

**Check out Oscar’s hands-on demo of Tracetest SaaS Open Beta!**

- [**Tracetest Core v0.13.10 Released**](https://github.com/kubeshop/tracetest/releases/tag/v0.13.10): Our latest release is here! Tracetest v0.13.9 comes packed with performance improvements for k6 load tests and Kafka!
- [**k6 Performance Improvements**](https://github.com/kubeshop/xk6-tracetest/issues/5): Our team has been hard at work enhancing Tracetest’s performance with k6 load tests. A special thanks to our community member, Vlad, for opening the issue!
- **Kafka [Examples](https://docs.tracetest.io/live-examples/pokeshop/use-cases/import-pokemon-from-stream) and [Recipes](https://docs.tracetest.io/examples-tutorials/recipes/testing-kafka-go-api-with-opentelemetry-tracetest)**: We've added official guides and code examples for using Kafka test triggers!

## Integrations 🤝

- [**New Docs Examples & Tutorials**](https://docs.tracetest.io/examples-tutorials/overview): You wanted a more intuitive layout to access all the guides, tutorials, and recipes in the Tracetest docs. We listened and delivered!
- [**Dynatrace Announcement**](https://tracetest.io/blog/tracetest-dynatrace-unified-observability-for-testing): Last month we released the integration with Dynatrace. Now, it’s officially announced!
- [**Tekton Integration**](https://tekton.dev/blog/2023/08/15/distributed-traces-for-testing-with-tekton-pipelines-and-tracetest/): Check out this new blog post for a hands-on guide of using Tekton + Tracetest for trace-based testing in a CI pipeline.

## From the Community 🎙️

- **Contributions to CNCF the Community**: We are proud to have contributed to the [Cloud Native Live stream](https://community.cncf.io/events/details/cncf-cncf-online-programs-presents-cloud-native-live-the-power-of-traces-why-opentelemetry-embraced-trace-based-testing/):
   - The stream focused on the addition of trace-based tests to the OpenTelemetry Demo. This addresses the challenge of maintaining and expanding the demo while ensuring seamless functionality and telemetry integrity.
   - We focused on issues faced by maintainers when merging pull requests. Previously, this often resulted in breaking both features and telemetry.
   - The demo showed the journey from using black-box tests to integrating trace-based tests. The live coding samples showcased how to add new trace-based tests to the OpenTelemetry Demo on top of those already in the testing harness.
   - The goal was to teach the community how to add code instrumentation and add tests to confidently integrate new features.
- **Conference Talks**: Our team has been active on the conference circuit. While the videos of our past talks are in the works, here's a sneak peek at what's in store:
   - **Ken's talk at [OpenSearchCon 23](https://opensearchcon2023.splashthat.com/)**
   - **Adnan's lightning talk at [KCD Austria](https://ti.to/dynatrace/kcd-austria-2023)**
   - **Looking ahead, catch Adnan’s talk at [Network 11 Conference](https://www.networkkonferencija.ba/en/2023/lectures/2922/distributed-tracing-is-awesome-testing-is-not-until-now) on October 18th**

## Like what we do?

**Do you have a specific use case you would like us to cover? Do you want to contribute to Tracetest?**

At Tracetest, we welcome all contributions!

Not sure where to start? You can:

- Visit our [Community Page](https://tracetest.io/community).
- Check out our contributing guidelines [here](https://github.com/kubeshop/tracetest/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md).
- [Book a meeting](https://calendly.com/ken-kubeshop/45min?month=2023-08) with us or chat with our team on [Slack](https://dub.sh/tracetest-community).

Thank you for being a part of the Tracetest community! We are committed to equipping you with the necessary tools, knowledge, and resources to succeed in the field of tracing and testing. Stay connected, continue exploring, and stay tuned for more exciting updates in the coming months.

See you next month...