Real User Monitoring (RUM) is a method of monitoring the performance of a website or web application as experienced by actual users. This type of monitoring involves tracking various metrics, such as page load times, server response times, and JavaScript execution times, from the perspective of the user’s web browser.

This type of monitoring uses data collected from user interactions with the application to provide insight into how the application is performing in the real world.

RUM typically involves the use of JavaScript code that is added to the application’s web pages. This code is used to collect data on the performance of the application, including information about page load times, user interactions, and any errors that may occur. This data is then sent to a central server for analysis and can be used to identify potential performance issues and improve the overall user experience.

In the context of Application Performance Management (APM), RUM can be used to supplement traditional server-side monitoring techniques. By providing a more complete picture of how an application is performing from the user’s perspective, RUM can help organizations identify and resolve performance issues more quickly and effectively.

RUM is useful for performance testing because it provides valuable insights into how a website or web application is actually performing in the wild. By tracking metrics like page load times and server response times, RUM can help identify performance bottlenecks and other issues that may not be apparent when testing in a controlled environment. This can help organizations optimize the performance of their websites and web applications, leading to a better user experience.