Feature/env propagator

[Div95]

Description

Extended opentelemetry-python to develop a propagator that helps in inter-process propagation of trace/baggage details in a particular format (b3/w3c/any other) using environment dictionary as the carrier.

Using environment dictionary as the carrier will help to connect batch processes.
For example: The environment dictionary containing trace/baggage details can be passed to the next process
in the subprocess call, thereby propagating the trace/baggage details across processes.

The propagator has dependency on opentelemetry-api.

Relates to opentelemetry-specification issue #740

Type of change

Please delete options that are not relevant.

• New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
• This change requires a documentation update

How Has This Been Tested?

All the functions in the propagator have been tested using unittest library.

Following steps can be followed to run the tests:

1. cd opentelemetry-python/propagator/opentelemetry-propagator-env
2. Run the command to install the propagator in editable mode: pip install -e .[test]
   For z-shell, use the command: pip install -e ".[test]"
3. Run the tests: python3 -m unittest
   Then you can uninstall the project by using the command: pip uninstall opentelemetry-propagator-env
   you could also run individual test files by using the command format: python3 -m unittest tests.<test_file_name>.<test_file_class>

Does This PR Require a Contrib Repo Change?

Answer the following question based on these examples of changes that would require a Contrib Repo Change:

• The OTel specification has changed which prompted this PR to update the method interfaces of opentelemetry-api/ or opentelemetry-sdk/

• The method interfaces of opentelemetry-instrumentation/ have changed

• The method interfaces of test/util have changed

• Scripts in scripts/ that were copied over to the Contrib repo have changed

• Configuration files that were copied over to the Contrib repo have changed (when consistency between repositories is applicable) such as in

  • pyproject.toml
  • isort.cfg
  • .flake8

• When a new .github/CODEOWNER is added

• Major changes to project information, such as in:

  • README.md
  • CONTRIBUTING.md

• Yes. - Link to PR:

• No.

Checklist:

• Followed the style guidelines of this project
• Changelogs have been updated
• Unit tests have been added
• Documentation has been updated

[linux-foundation-easycla]

The committers are authorized under a signed CLA.

• ✅ Divya Sharma (7327b80, 5815a7b, b48d1c2, b544aad, fc1d6f4, 1206d88)

[owais]

Thanks @Div95. We'll have to wait till this is added to the spec.

[Div95]

Thanks @Div95. We'll have to wait till this is added to the spec.

Ok sure. Is it ok to leave this PR open till then?

[owais]

@Div95 I moved this to drafts. You can re-open this when it is ready for review.

[StephenWithPH]

@owais @Div95 at long last, the spec PR merged (open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification#4454) and the issue is closed (open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification#740).

Do you have time to revive this PR?

Note that this may cross over with #4609 , which is linked from https://opentelemetry.io/docs/specs/otel/context/env-carriers/#approach-2-using-the-carriers-directly-through-setters-and-getters

[carlosalberto]

As #4609 as been merged and using a dedicated Propagator has been removed as an option to support env vars propagation, I suggest this is closed @open-telemetry/python-maintainers

[ocelotl]

I asked Claude to review this PR and Claude suggests it be closed with this explanation:

The env-var propagation this PR adds has already shipped through a different, spec-aligned approach. #4609 ("[carriers] add env carrier") was merged on 2026-02-11, and the dedicated-Propagator approach this PR implements was removed as a supported option from the specification in open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification#5003.

To guard against a mistaken suggestion, Claude then independently re-verified this conclusion:

Verified against current main: #4609 is merged (the env carrier implementation is present) and spec PR open-telemetry/opentelemetry-specification#5003 (removing the dedicated-propagator option) is merged. A maintainer (@carlosalberto) has already explicitly requested closure on exactly this basis in this thread (2026-06-26).

Claude evaluated this PR with high confidence that it can be closed.

Claude has classified this PR as superseded — the feature shipped via a different, spec-aligned approach and the approach in this PR was removed from the spec.

The intention of this comment is to make it easier for a human being to review this PR before making a decision.

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