---
title: "Connect your first app"
description: "Pick a source inside Loggerhead, or point an app that speaks OpenTelemetry at the root receiver."
source: "https://getloggerhead.com/docs/getting-started/connect-your-first-app/"
---

# Connect your first app

> Pick a source inside Loggerhead, or point an app that speaks OpenTelemetry at the root receiver.

Loggerhead receives telemetry in two ways. An app or a collector **pushes** it to the root receiver. Or Loggerhead **pulls** it from a place you choose. Both start from the Collectors page.

## Pick a source in the app

1. Open **Collectors** in the sidebar.
2. Click **Add source**.
3. Pick the kind of source:
   - **This Mac**: an app on this Mac that sends OpenTelemetry. Loggerhead shows the address to use.
   - **Docker**: run a branch collector in Docker. Loggerhead shows a Compose service to copy. See [Docker branch example](/docs/collectors/docker-branch-example/).
   - **Kubernetes**: run a branch collector in the cluster. See [Kubernetes branch](/docs/collectors/kubernetes-branch/).
   - **Scrape a URL**: read metrics from a `/metrics` page on a schedule.
4. Click **Test** to run one check without saving.
5. Click **Save**. The source starts at once.

Loggerhead picks a free port for the root receiver. You do not choose a port. The Collectors page shows the port in use under **Loggerhead receiver → Connection**.

## Point an app at the root receiver

Many frameworks send OpenTelemetry with one setting. Give the app the address from the Collectors page. The default is:

| Protocol | Address |
| --- | --- |
| gRPC | `http://127.0.0.1:4317` |
| HTTP | `http://127.0.0.1:4318` |

If another program holds the default port, Loggerhead moves to the next free port on a fixed ladder. Read [Ports and the effective port](/docs/getting-started/ports-and-the-effective-port/) before you copy an address into a config file.

## See the first records

Open **Logs**. New records appear at the top while the page is live. Click a log line that carries a trace ID, then click the trace ID in the detail to open the trace.