[connector/routing] Add feature gate to change default error_mode to ignore (#48433)

The `error_mode` in the routing connector determines how errors during
OTTL condition processing are handled. The current default is
`propagate`, which can drop valid data when a condition error occurs.

This PR adds a feature gate `connector.routing.defaultErrorModeIgnore`
that when enabled changes the default to `ignore`. In this mode, errors
are logged for visibility but valid data is preserved and processing
continues with the next condition.

The feature gate allows gradual rollout of this breaking change.

Fixes #48418

---------

Co-authored-by: Edmo Vamerlatti Costa <11836452+edmocosta@users.noreply.github.com>

Author: singhvishalkr

.chloggen/routing-default-error-mode-ignore.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Use this changelog template to create an entry for release notes.
+
+# One of 'breaking', 'deprecation', 'new_component', 'enhancement', 'bug_fix'
+change_type: enhancement
+
+# The name of the component, or a single word describing the area of concern, (e.g. receiver/filelog)
+component: connector/routing
+
+# A brief description of the change.  Surround your text with quotes ("") if it needs to start with a backtick (`).
+note: Add `connector.routing.defaultErrorModeIgnore` feature gate to change default `error_mode` from `propagate` to `ignore`
+
+# Mandatory: One or more tracking issues related to the change. You can use the PR number here if no issue exists.
+issues: [48418]
+
+# (Optional) One or more lines of additional information to render under the primary note.
+# These lines will be padded with 2 spaces and then inserted directly into the document.
+# Use pipe (|) for multiline entries.
+subtext:
+
+# If your change doesn't affect end users or the exported elements of any package,
+# you should instead start your pull request title with [chore] or use the "Skip Changelog" label.
+# Optional: The change log or logs in which this entry should be included.
+# e.g. '[user]' or '[user, api]'
+# Include 'user' if the change is relevant to end users.
+# Include 'api' if there is a change to a library API.
+# Default: '[user]'
+change_logs: [user]

connector/routingconnector/config.go

@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	// condition has an error then the payload will be routed to the default exporter. `propagate`
 	// means the processor returns the error up the pipeline.  This will result in the payload being
 	// dropped from the collector.
-	// The default value is `propagate`.
+	// The default value is `propagate`, but when the `connector.routing.defaultErrorModeIgnore`
+	// feature gate is enabled, the default changes to `ignore`.
 	ErrorMode ottl.ErrorMode `mapstructure:"error_mode"`
 	// DefaultPipelines contains the list of pipelines to use when a more specific record can't be
 	// found in the routing table.

connector/routingconnector/config.schema.yaml

@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ properties:
     items:
       $ref: go.opentelemetry.io/collector/pipeline.id
   error_mode:
-    description: ErrorMode determines how the processor reacts to errors that occur while processing an OTTL condition. Valid values are `ignore` and `propagate`. `ignore` means the processor ignores errors returned by conditions and continues on to the next condition. This is the recommended mode. If `ignore` is used and a statement's condition has an error then the payload will be routed to the default exporter. `propagate` means the processor returns the error up the pipeline.  This will result in the payload being dropped from the collector. The default value is `propagate`.
+    description: ErrorMode determines how the processor reacts to errors that occur while processing an OTTL condition. Valid values are `ignore` and `propagate`. `ignore` means the processor ignores errors returned by conditions and continues on to the next condition. This is the recommended mode. If `ignore` is used and a statement's condition has an error then the payload will be routed to the default exporter. `propagate` means the processor returns the error up the pipeline.  This will result in the payload being dropped from the collector. The default value is `propagate`, but when the `connector.routing.defaultErrorModeIgnore` feature gate is enabled, the default changes to `ignore`.
     $ref: /pkg/ottl.error_mode
   table:
     description: Table contains the routing table for this processor. Required.

connector/routingconnector/documentation.md

@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[comment]: <> (Code generated by mdatagen. DO NOT EDIT.)
+
+# routing
+
+## Feature Gates
+
+This component has the following feature gates:
+
+| Feature Gate | Stage | Description | From Version | To Version | Reference |
+| ------------ | ----- | ----------- | ------------ | ---------- | --------- |
+| `connector.routing.defaultErrorModeIgnore` | alpha | When enabled, the default error_mode is `ignore` instead of `propagate`. | v0.155.0 | N/A | [Link](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/issues/48418) |
+
+For more information about feature gates, see the [Feature Gates](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector/blob/main/featuregate/README.md) documentation.

connector/routingconnector/factory.go

@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/pkg/ottl"
 )
 
+func defaultErrorMode() ottl.ErrorMode {
+	if metadata.ConnectorRoutingDefaultErrorModeIgnoreFeatureGate.IsEnabled() {
+		return ottl.IgnoreError
+	}
+	return ottl.PropagateError
+}
+
 // NewFactory returns a ConnectorFactory.
 func NewFactory() connector.Factory {
 	return connector.NewFactory(
@@ -30,7 +37,7 @@ func NewFactory() connector.Factory {
 // createDefaultConfig creates the default configuration.
 func createDefaultConfig() component.Config {
 	return &Config{
-		ErrorMode: ottl.PropagateError,
+		ErrorMode: defaultErrorMode(),
 	}
 }
 

connector/routingconnector/factory_test.go

@@ -7,13 +7,16 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/connector"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/connector/connectortest"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/consumer"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/consumer/consumertest"
+	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/featuregate"
 	"go.opentelemetry.io/collector/pipeline"
 
 	"github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/connector/routingconnector/internal/metadata"
+	"github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/pkg/ottl"
 )
 
 func TestConnectorCreatedWithValidConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
@@ -60,3 +63,36 @@ func TestCreationFailsWithIncorrectConsumer(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, errUnexpectedConsumer)
 	assert.Nil(t, conn)
 }
+
+func TestDefaultErrorModeWithFeatureGate(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name               string
+		featureGateEnabled bool
+		expectedErrorMode  ottl.ErrorMode
+	}{
+		{
+			name:               "feature gate disabled",
+			featureGateEnabled: false,
+			expectedErrorMode:  ottl.PropagateError,
+		},
+		{
+			name:               "feature gate enabled",
+			featureGateEnabled: true,
+			expectedErrorMode:  ottl.IgnoreError,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			previousValue := metadata.ConnectorRoutingDefaultErrorModeIgnoreFeatureGate.IsEnabled()
+			require.NoError(t, featuregate.GlobalRegistry().Set(metadata.ConnectorRoutingDefaultErrorModeIgnoreFeatureGate.ID(), tt.featureGateEnabled))
+			defer func() {
+				require.NoError(t, featuregate.GlobalRegistry().Set(metadata.ConnectorRoutingDefaultErrorModeIgnoreFeatureGate.ID(), previousValue))
+			}()
+
+			factory := NewFactory()
+			cfg := factory.CreateDefaultConfig().(*Config)
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.expectedErrorMode, cfg.ErrorMode)
+		})
+	}
+}

connector/routingconnector/go.mod

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ require (
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/connector/connectortest v0.154.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/consumer v1.60.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/consumer/consumertest v0.154.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650
+	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/featuregate v1.60.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/pdata v1.60.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/pipeline v1.60.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650
 	go.uber.org/goleak v1.3.0
@@ -59,7 +60,6 @@ require (
 	go.opentelemetry.io/auto/sdk v1.2.1 // indirect
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/connector/xconnector v0.154.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650 // indirect
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/consumer/xconsumer v0.154.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650 // indirect
-	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/featuregate v1.60.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650 // indirect
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/internal/componentalias v0.154.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650 // indirect
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/internal/fanoutconsumer v0.154.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650 // indirect
 	go.opentelemetry.io/collector/pdata/pprofile v0.154.1-0.20260612191519-af182d232650 // indirect

connector/routingconnector/internal/metadata/generated_feature_gates.go

@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@ status:
     emeritus: [jpkrohling]
     seeking_new: true
 
+feature_gates:
+  - id: connector.routing.defaultErrorModeIgnore
+    description: When enabled, the default error_mode is `ignore` instead of `propagate`.
+    stage: alpha
+    from_version: v0.155.0
+    reference_url: https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/issues/48418
+
 tests:
   skip_lifecycle: true
   skip_shutdown: true