- Introduction
- Summary Bar
- Overview Tab
- Requests Tab
- Console Logs Tab
- Screenshots Tab
- Video Recording Tab
- User Journey Tab
- Lighthouse Insights Tab
- FAQ – Synthetic Test Details
Understanding the Synthetic Test Details Page
Who it's for: Engineers diagnosing synthetic test failures and performance regressions.
You’ll learn: How to navigate tabs, analyse requests, inspect console logs, and leverage Lighthouse insights.
Introduction
The Synthetic Test Details Page provides a deep dive into each test execution, allowing you to analyze performance metrics, request details, console logs, and security insights.
Whenever you click on a test from the Synthetic Test Dashboard, you’ll be taken to this page, where you can explore different tabs for granular insights.
Summary Bar
The Summary Bar at the top displays key details about the test execution:
- Test Name – Displays the name of the test.
- Execution Time – Shows the exact date and time the test was executed.
- Total Requests Summary – A breakdown of all requests categorized as:
- 200 Responses – Successful requests.
- 300 Responses – Redirects.
- 400 Responses – Client errors (e.g., 404 Not Found).
- 500 Responses – Server errors.
- Console Logs – JavaScript warnings and errors.
Overview Tab
The Overview Tab gives a high-level summary of the test execution, including response breakdowns, performance metrics, and security insights.
Key Information Displayed
Performance Metrics
- Average Response Time – The average time taken for all requests in the test.
- Total Responses – The count of all responses.
- Security Insights – Detects security issues, such as HSTS not being enforced.
Performance Breakdown Chart
A sideways bar chart visualizes response times for each request, including:
- Page Response Time
- SSL Time
- DNS Lookup Time
- Connect Time
- Send Time
- Wait Time
- Receive Time
📌 Tip: Toggle specific response types on or off to filter out irrelevant data.
At the bottom of the Overview Tab, you’ll also find a list of all domains requested during the test execution.
Requests Tab
The Requests Tab provides a detailed breakdown of every request made during the test.
Request Table Includes:
- Name – The requested file or resource.
- Domain – The source of the request.
- Response Time – How long the request took to complete.
- Status – The HTTP response code (e.g., 200, 404, 500).
- Method – The HTTP request method (GET, POST, etc.).
Filtering Options:
- Request Name – Locate a specific request.
- Page the Request Was Made From – See where the request occurred.
- Request Type:
- Fetch
- JavaScript (JS)
- CSS
- Images (IMG)
- Font Files
Request Insights Panel
Click the three dots at the end of a request row to open detailed insights, including:
- DNS Lookup Time
- Initial Connection Time
- SSL/TLS Handshake Time
- Request & Response Headers
- Remote Details (IP, Port, Protocol)
Console Logs Tab
The Console Logs Tab helps debug JavaScript issues affecting the user experience.
Filtering Options:
- View All Console Logs
- Filter by Errors Only
- Filter by Warnings Only
Screenshots Tab
Displays a screenshot of the test execution at the moment it was captured.
📌 Useful for:
- Verifying page rendering issues.
- Checking UI layout changes.
Video Recording Tab
Provides a full playback of the test execution.
📌 Useful for:
- Identifying visual issues like slow-loading elements, broken buttons, or redirect loops.
- Combining with console logs and request details for better troubleshooting.
User Journey Tab
Displays each step of the test’s journey, highlighting failed steps for quick troubleshooting.
📌 Tip: Quickly pinpoint where the test failed in the user journey.
Lighthouse Insights Tab
Provides performance and accessibility insights using Google Lighthouse audits.
Insights Include:
- PWA Score & Recommendations
- Accessibility Score & Recommendations
- SEO Score & Recommendations
- Best Practices
📌 Tip: Optimize your page for speed, security, and usability with Lighthouse recommendations.
📌 FAQ – Synthetic Test Details
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the Synthetic Test Details Page? | It provides detailed insights into test executions, including performance, security, and request breakdowns. |
| What should I check first if a test fails? | Start with the Summary Bar, then review the Requests Tab, Console Logs, and Video Recording for insights. |
| Can I analyze individual HTTP requests? | Yes, the Requests Tab provides detailed insights on response times, status codes, and request headers. |
| Why are some pages loading slower in synthetic tests? | Synthetic tests bypass cached data, ensuring a fresh load every time, which may highlight real-world performance issues. |
| How do I use Lighthouse Insights? | Go to the Lighthouse Insights Tab for performance, SEO, and accessibility recommendations. |
| Can I watch a recording of my test execution? | Yes, the Video Recording Tab lets you replay the test step by step. |
Workflow Tips
- Tag Runs: Add notes (e.g., deployment IDs, experiment IDs) so future viewers know why a run was executed.
- Compare Runs: Open two tabs side by side—one for a passing run, one for a failing run—to spot metric differences quickly.
- Download Assets: Export console logs, HAR files, screenshots, and video for incident postmortems or bug reports.
- Link to Tickets: Drop run URLs into Jira, Linear, or Trello cards to provide engineers with immediate context.
Troubleshooting Checklist
- Repeated JavaScript Errors: Validate that required third-party scripts are accessible and not blocked by CSP or ad-blocking rules.
- Slow Wait Times: Use the Requests tab to identify requests with high TTFB or large payloads; consider performance budgets.
- Missing Screenshots or Video: Ensure the journey is not blocked by modal dialogs or unexpected authentication prompts.
- Lighthouse Warnings: Follow the remediation advice inside the Lighthouse Insights tab, then rerun the test to confirm improvements.
- Inconsistent Failures: Check the Locations filter to see if issues occur only in specific regions or on certain devices.