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Smart Events vs. Coded Events

Understanding the distinctions between smart events and coded events is crucial when it comes to event tracking in your application. In this article, we'll explore the differences between these two event types, and help you make an informed decision on when to use each.

Smart Events 

Smart events are designed to capture specific user interactions within your application, focusing on gestures and screen visits. Here are the key features of smart events:

  1. Gesture or Screen-Based: Smart events are limited to gestures on UI elements or screen visits. They are ideal for tracking actions like taps and  swipes on a UI element. 

  2. In-App Creation: Smart events are created directly within UXCam, making them easy to implement and manage.

  3. Element Properties: Smart events have element ID, element name, and element type as their core properties, providing detailed information about the UI elements involved.

  4. Retroactive Application: Smart events apply retroactively to past sessions, ensuring you can analyze historical data for these events.

When to Use Smart Events:

Smart events are well-suited for specific use cases:

  • When the event is based on a gesture on a UI element or screen visit.
  • When additional custom properties are not required for in-depth analysis.
  • For quick hypothesis testing where pinpoint accuracy is not a prerequisite.
  • When having access to past event occurrences is desirable, and coded events can't provide this historical data.

When Not to Use Smart Events:

Smart events may not be suitable in the following scenarios:

  • When additional custom properties are required as analysis parameters.
  • For events not related to gestures, such as tracking incorrect passwords, timeouts, and other non-gesture-based actions.
  • When precise quantitative data is essential, as smart events may not capture all instances.

Coded Events

In contrast to smart events, coded events offer more flexibility and customization. Here are the key characteristics of coded events:

  1. Event API Usage: Coded events use our event API to log events, allowing you to define and track a wide range of events, not limited to gestures or screen visits.

  2. External Creation: They cannot be created within the app itself but are defined and implemented externally.

  3. Custom Properties: Coded events support custom properties, enabling in-depth analysis based on a variety of parameters.

  4. Non-Retroactive: Coded events do not apply retroactively to past sessions. They start tracking from the moment of implementation.

In Summary:

Understanding the differences between smart events and coded events is essential for effective event tracking in your app. Choose smart events for specific, gesture-based or screen visit events where custom properties are not a primary concern. Opt for coded events when you require more flexibility, support for custom properties, and the ability to track a broader range of event types. By selecting the right event type for your specific needs, you can harness the power of data analysis to improve your app's performance and user experience.