Building Frontend Observability in Observe

Frontend observability has become crucial for modern web applications due to the complexity introduced by varied user environments, such as different devices and browsers, which can affect user experience despite a well-functioning backend. A customer requested a solution to this challenge, prompting the exploration of frontend observability using OpenTelemetry and a mature open-source browser monitoring library. This initiative led to the creation of custom dashboards in Observe that provide insights into key metrics like total page views, load-time distribution, error rates, and Core Web Vitals, which are essential for maintaining optimal user experience and improving Google search results. By correlating frontend data with backend traces, the solution offers a comprehensive view of the entire stack, enabling precise troubleshooting and performance optimization. Although the project required significant engineering effort and innovative problem-solving, it demonstrated the potential for achieving seamless observability from frontend to backend, with additional considerations for mobile applications and synthetic testing to preemptively address potential issues.