Heatmaps and session recordings both come from the same trick: log DOM mutations and mouse/scroll events, replay them later. That trick is well-documented and open-source libraries already do the hard part — the weekend goes into storage and a decent playback UI.
VIBE SCORE 93/100
The parts this build actually needs, each rated on its own — the average is the Vibe Score above.
| Landing page | 99 |
| CRUD database | 95 |
| Search | 86 |
Don't feel like building it? These are already made, open-source, and free.
Borderline. Heatmaps and session recordings both come from the same trick: log DOM mutations and mouse/scroll events, replay them later. That trick is well-documented and open-source libraries already do the hard part — the weekend goes into storage and a decent playback UI.
Hotjar costs $32/mo (about $384/yr) as of 2026-08. That's what a working rebuild would save you.
Recordings at real traffic volume generate a lot of data fast — storage and retention policy need real thought Masking sensitive fields (never record what someone typed in a password or card field) has to be correct, not just present Their survey and feedback-widget features are a second product bolted onto the recording engine
Yes — PostHog, OpenReplay are open-source options worth trying before you build your own. Details are in the standard parts section on this page.