Heatmaps & Session Recordings
Heatmaps and session recordings are user behavior analytics tools that visualize how users interact with websites or applications. Heatmaps aggregate click, scroll, and movement data into color-coded visual overlays, while session recordings capture individual user sessions as video-like replays. These tools help developers and product teams understand user experience, identify usability issues, and optimize interfaces.
Developers should use heatmaps and session recordings when building or refining web applications to gain insights into real user behavior, such as detecting unclickable elements, analyzing navigation patterns, or troubleshooting bugs reported by users. They are particularly valuable for A/B testing, improving conversion rates, and ensuring accessibility, as they provide empirical data beyond traditional analytics like page views or bounce rates.