View device or application vitals

Scriptless Mobile collects useful performance data (vitals) for the frontmost application on an open mobile device by default and in real time. If you have many devices open, Scriptless Mobile collects vitals for each of them. Vitals include information on central processing unit (CPU) usage, power, memory, and combined network usage (in/out), all of which measure the general performance of the device and determine how efficiently resources are used.

Performance metrics can provide valuable insights into an application's behavior, user experience, and overall efficiency. The metrics deliver actionable data that you can use to enhance the overall quality of your mobile app.

To learn how vitals collection works across the Perfecto platform, watch this video or review the instructions in Work with the Vitals pane.

Requirements

Vitals collection requires devices running iOS 15 or later and Android 12 or later. Earlier versions may work as well but are not officially supported.

Restrictions

Vitals collection is not supported:

  • In hybrid clouds

  • For system apps and desktop web apps

Additionally, to reduce the strain on the device, vitals collection is temporarily paused when an application is being installed.

Vitals data

The following table describes the vitals collected and explains when absolute and relative performance incidents are logged.

Vital Description Absolute performance incident Relative performance incident (Report Library/STR only)

CPU

The total CPU usage as derived from the OS, in percentage (%). The value takes into account all processes available on the device.

Reported when the usage exceeded 95% for more than 2 consecutive seconds

Reported when CPU usage is at least 20% above the average of the previous 10 executions

Memory Used

The overall memory consumption, in megabyte (MB).

N/A

Reported when the maximum memory usage in this execution is at least 20% above the average of the previous 10 executions

Network In

The amount of data received from either the wireless or the mobile network, in megabits (Mbit) per second.

N/A

Reported when the maximum network in is at least 20% above the average of the previous 10 executions

Network Out

The amount of data sent to either the wireless or the mobile network, in megabits (Mbit) per second.

N/A

Reported when the maximum network out is at least 20% above the average of the previous 10 executions

Power Score

The grade at which the application under test uses energy, between 1 and 100.

Reported when the power score exceeded 80 for more than 2 consecutive seconds

Reported when both of the following are true: 

  • The power score is at least 20% above the average of the previous 10 executions

  • The difference in the number of power-score related performance incidents between the average of the last 10 executions and the current execution is at least 5.

    Example: If the average number of times that the power score passed the threshold in the previous executions is 4 and the number of times a power score-related performance incident occurred in the current execution is 6, then the difference is only 2, which is minor. If, however, in this execution 10 power score-related performance incidents occurred, then the difference is 6, which is greater than 5.

Relative performance incidents are logged as part of vitals data collection, but the incidents are displayed in the Report Library or in single test reports. To access the data, see Report Library and Single test report (execution report).

Work with the Vitals pane

For an open device, the Vitals pane can be viewed on the right, below the widgets pane. The Vitals pane includes a graph along with an option to download vitals as a CSV file for use in a spreadsheet program.

If no application is running in the foreground, the vitals shown are for the Home screen (on Android devices) or for the system (on iOS devices).

In the title and the tooltip, the graph shows the name of the frontmost application.

Each metric in the graph comes with a color-coded line and a unique shape, as displayed in the legend below the graph.

The downloaded CSV file includes all vitals from the start of the session until the current time. The interval shown is in seconds.

Scriptless Mobile starts collecting vitals as soon as a device is connected. At all times, the graph shows data for up to 3 minutes. Data collected more than 3 minutes ago moves off the screen to the left.

If an incident occurs, for example when CPU usage exceeds 95%, the vitals graph displays an incident indicator at the specific point on the timeline.

Moving the pointer over the graph displays a tooltip with information on the following items:

  • The frontmost application

  • The time that elapsed since the session started

  • CPU, memory, network in, network out, and power scores

  • An incident indicator, if applicable

If vitals are not supported for a device, if only partial vitals are collected for a device, or if vitals collection was missed for one or more intervals, the issue is indicated by a note displayed below the vitals graph.

Vitals information is also available in the Report Library, in the single test report (STR), and on the Insights dashboard.

  • In the Vitals pane, at the top right, click the download button .

    A success message appears when the download is complete.

  • In the Vitals pane, at the top right, click the close button . Alternatively, click the vitals button at the bottom of the widgets pane.

  • If the Vitals pane is collapsed, click the vitals button at the bottom of the widgets pane.