> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://braintrust.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Logger and experiment span parent type mismatch error

export const plans_0 = "Any"

export const deployments_0 = "Any"

export const data_plane_version_0 = undefined

export const use_case_0 = "Use case - Applications that use both init_logger for production logging and braintrust.init() for experiments, especially with BraintrustCallbackHandler or multi-tenant setups"

<Note>
  **Applies to:**

  * Plan - {plans_0}
  * Deployment - {deployments_0}
  * {data_plane_version_0}
  * {use_case_0}
</Note>

## Summary

**Issue:** The error `Mismatch between expected span parent object type project_logs and provided type experiment` occurs when mixing logger and experiment contexts in the same trace hierarchy.

**Cause:** `init_logger()` creates `project_logs` spans while `braintrust.init()` creates `experiment` spans — these cannot be mixed as parent/child spans in the same trace.

**Resolution:** Use separate instances for logging and experiments, ensuring child spans match their parent's container type.

***

## Why this happens with multiple projects

When using a single project with `set_current=True`, Braintrust uses one global context for all spans. The error occurs with multiple projects because:

* **Multiple loggers require `set_current=False`** to prevent overwriting each other's state
* **Without a global context**, spans need explicit parent-child relationships
* **Parent spans from `init_logger()` export as `project_logs` type**
* **Child spans from experiments expect `experiment` type parents**
* **The type mismatch triggers the assertion error**

## Resolution steps

### If you only need logging

#### Step 1: Initialize with login

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark-dimmed"}}
import braintrust

braintrust.login()

logger_a = braintrust.init_logger(project="project-a", set_current=False)
logger_b = braintrust.init_logger(project="project-b", set_current=False)
```

#### Step 2: Use logger instances directly

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark-dimmed"}}
with logger_a.start_span(name="request") as span:
    span.log(input="Hello", output="Response")

braintrust.flush()
```

### If you only need experiments

#### Step 1: Use init for experiments

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark-dimmed"}}
import braintrust

braintrust.login()

exp_a = braintrust.init(project="project-a", experiment="my-experiment", set_current=False)
exp_b = braintrust.init(project="project-b", experiment="my-experiment", set_current=False)
```

#### Step 2: Create experiment spans

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark-dimmed"}}
with exp_a.start_span(name="eval") as span:
    span.log(input="What is 2+2?", output="4", expected="4", scores={"exact_match": 1.0})

braintrust.flush()
```

### If you need both logging and experiments

#### Step 1: Maintain separate instances per context type

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark-dimmed"}}
braintrust.login()

# For production logging
log_instance = braintrust.init_logger(project="project-a", set_current=False)

# For experiment runs
exp_instance = braintrust.init(project="project-a", experiment="my-experiment", set_current=False)
```

#### Step 2: Route to correct instance at runtime

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark-dimmed"}}
def get_instance(is_experiment: bool):
    return exp_instance if is_experiment else log_instance
```

> **Warning:** `BraintrustCallbackHandler` attaches to the active parent context. If the parent originated from `init_logger()` but you're inside an experiment trace, the mismatch error will occur.

### Alternative: Use single logger only

If experiment tracking isn't required, use one `init_logger()` with `set_current=True`:

```python theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"github-dark-dimmed"}}
braintrust.login()
braintrust.init_logger(project="project-a", set_current=True)
```