Synthetic Transactions
Synthetic transactions are automated scripts or tools that simulate user interactions with an application or system to monitor performance, availability, and functionality from an external perspective. They mimic real user behavior, such as logging in, navigating pages, or completing transactions, to proactively detect issues before actual users are affected. This methodology is commonly used in performance monitoring, uptime testing, and quality assurance to ensure systems meet service-level agreements (SLAs).
Developers should use synthetic transactions to monitor critical user journeys in production environments, especially for e-commerce, banking, or SaaS applications where downtime or performance degradation directly impacts revenue and user trust. They are essential for detecting issues like slow page loads, broken links, or API failures in geographically distributed systems, enabling teams to address problems before they escalate. This approach complements real user monitoring (RUM) by providing controlled, repeatable tests that validate system health under predictable conditions.