Session Replay
Capture visual recordings of user sessions for debugging.
When to Use
- Reproducing hard-to-debug issues
- Understanding user confusion
- QA and support investigations
Privacy Requirements (Must Do)
Mask by default:
- All text input fields
- Passwords and sensitive data
- User-generated content
- Financial information
- User photos/documents
Performance Budget
| Resource | Limit |
|---|---|
| CPU | <5% additional |
| Memory | <20MB additional |
| Network | Batch on WiFi |
| Battery | Pause when low |
Capture Strategies
| Strategy | Fidelity | Overhead |
|---|---|---|
| Screenshots (1-2 fps) | Lower | Lower |
| View hierarchy recording | Higher | Moderate |
| Hybrid (screenshots + events) | Best | Moderate |
Best Practice
Don't record everything. Target:
- Error sessions only (rolling buffer)
- Key user journeys
- 1-10% sampling for general insights
Implementation
See references/session-replay.md for:
- Platform-specific setup
- Privacy masking patterns
- Vendor configurations (Sentry, Datadog)