Real‑time Data Collection SDK Visualization: Architecture, Implementation and Usage Guide

Background – The collection SDK is widely used in the company’s apps to gather massive data via code‑based instrumentation, offering precise control and custom data formats, but the complexity of custom data structures and high reporting volume make data inspection and verification difficult.

Existing data‑inspection methods

Packet‑capture tools require a test app or disabling security restrictions, cannot view production data due to compression/encryption, and need manual formatting.

Log‑based inspection relies on exported platform data, which is delayed and forces a second round of verification.

To address these issues, a real‑time visual inspection feature was built on top of the existing SDK and the in‑development collection platform.

Implementation principle and specific usage

Basic principle – A new entry point is added to the existing SDK with an independent reporting path, ensuring that enabling visualization does not affect the normal data‑collection flow.

The SDK adds a new method for reporting visualization data; the payload is compressed and encrypted before being sent to a backend service that decrypts, decompresses, and forwards it to the web client.

Real‑time display is achieved via a WebSocket connection. A dynamic code (QR‑generated scheme) links the SDK, backend, and web client, forming a complete data pipeline.

Historical records are stored in Elasticsearch to support efficient filtering of large volumes of data.

The WebSocket workflow works as follows: the web client generates a dynamic code and QR‑code, the SDK scans the QR‑code to obtain the code, then reports data together with the code to the server; the server parses the code, routes the data to the appropriate front‑end page, and the client displays it in real time.

Usage method

Enter the visualization feature via the OA search for the collection platform and select the service.

If the app already integrates the SDK, upgrade to the latest version; detailed integration docs are available on the platform.

Two activation methods are provided: Scan a QR‑code to obtain the scheme and automatically open the visualization control page. For apps without scanning capability, call an API to open the control page and log in with the displayed dynamic code.

After login, the dashboard shows the connected device, app name, and real‑time data streams categorized as pv, click, show, and other; clicking an item reveals the full JSON payload, formatted for easy copying.

Historical data can be filtered by time, type, etc., and exported for further analysis.

Summary – The visualization feature simplifies and accelerates the inspection of SDK‑collected data, offering real‑time, searchable, and exportable views; future enhancements include single‑type focus mode, real‑time filtering, data export, and comparison tools.