update docs

Author: jeremydvoss

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -325,10 +325,14 @@ Below is a checklist of things to be mindful of when implementing a new instrume
 ### Update supported instrumentation package versions
 
 - Navigate to the **instrumentation package directory:**
-  - Update **`pyproject.toml`** file by modifying _instruments_ entry in the `[project.optional-dependencies]` section with the new version constraint
-  - Update `_instruments` variable in instrumentation **`package.py`** file with the new version constraint
+  - Update **`pyproject.toml`** file by modifying _instruments_ or _instruments_either_ entry in the `[project.optional-dependencies]` section with the new version constraint
+  - Update `_instruments` or `_instruments-either` variable in instrumentation **`package.py`** file with the new version constraint
 - At the **root of the project directory**, run `tox -e generate` to regenerate necessary files
 
+Please note that _instruments_either_ is an optional field that can be used instead of or in addition to _instruments_. While _instruments_ is a list of dependencies, _all_ of which are expected by the instrumentation, _instruments_either_ is a list _any_ of which but not all are expected.
+
+<!-- See https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-python-contrib/pull/3610 for details on instruments_either -->
+
 If you're adding support for a new version of the instrumentation package, follow these additional steps:
 
 - At the **instrumentation package directory:** Add new test-requirements.txt file with the respective package version required for testing

scripts/generate_instrumentation_bootstrap.py

@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ def main():
                     values=[ast.Str(target_pkg), ast.Str(pkg["requirement"])],
                 )
             )
+        # _instruments_either is an optional field that can be used instead of or in addition to _instruments. While _instruments is a list of dependencies, all of which are expected by the instrumentation, _instruments_either is a list any of which but not all are expected.
         for target_pkg in pkg["instruments_either"]:
             libraries.elts.append(
                 ast.Dict(

scripts/generate_instrumentation_readme.py

@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ def main(base_instrumentation_path):
             exec(fh.read(), pkg_info)
 
         instruments_and = pkg_info.get("_instruments", ())
+        # _instruments_either is an optional field that can be used instead of or in addition to _instruments. While _instruments is a list of dependencies, all of which are expected by the instrumentation, _instruments_either is a list any of which but not all are expected.
         instruments_either = pkg_info.get("_instruments_either", ())
         supports_metrics = pkg_info.get("_supports_metrics")
         semconv_status = pkg_info.get("_semconv_status")

scripts/otel_packaging.py

@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ def get_instrumentation_packages(
             "optional-dependencies"
         ]
         instruments = optional_dependencies.get("instruments", [])
+        # _instruments_either is an optional field that can be used instead of or in addition to _instruments. While _instruments is a list of dependencies, all of which are expected by the instrumentation, _instruments_either is a list any of which but not all are expected.
         instruments_either = optional_dependencies.get(
             "instruments_either", []
         )