What Is Real User Monitoring?
Real user monitoring, or RUM, collects telemetry from actual end-user sessions, recording metrics like load time, errors, and interactions as people use the service. It reflects the true diversity of devices, networks, and geographies in the user base. RUM measures lived experience rather than a controlled probe.
Why it matters
Lab tests and synthetic probes cannot capture the full spread of real-world conditions that shape user experience, from slow phones to distant networks. RUM surfaces what users actually encounter, including problems that only appear in specific segments. It pairs with synthetic monitoring, which covers the gaps RUM leaves during low traffic.
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