Skip to main content

Instant Replay

Test Designer Instant Replay

Overview

Test Designer Instant Replay allows you to capture network activity in the background while recording or playing back UX test cases in Test Designer.

While a test case is being recorded or executed, Instant Replay captures the network traffic generated by the browser. The captured traffic can then be reviewed, saved, compared against another recording, or exported in multiple formats for further analysis and testing.

Instant Replay can export recorded traffic as:

  • HAR — Includes the recorded network calls and the associated page content.
  • CSV — Contains details such as HTTP method, port, virtual host, URI, and response status. The CSV can also be used as a log in Appvance AIQ.
  • JS — Generates an executable JavaScript file containing the recorded HTTP requests, such as GET and POST calls.

This functionality is particularly useful when a UX test needs to be analyzed at both the browser level and the protocol/API level. The same traffic captured during a Test Designer execution can be used as a starting point for creating or extending performance tests.
image.png

API and Network Traffic Capture

When an API request is generated during a Test Designer recording or playback, Test Designer instructs the browser to perform the request. Instant Replay captures the resulting network activity by injecting the required header information into the browser requests.

This allows Instant Replay to capture the HTTP traffic generated by the application without requiring the user to manually identify each API request.

The captured information can then be reviewed directly in the Instant Replay interface or exported for additional processing.

Excluding Requests

Instant Replay provides the following option:

Exclude requests matching the following regular expressions (comma separated)

The default expression excludes common static resources:

.*\.(jpeg|png|gif|bmp|svg|css|js|woff2|jpg).*

These filters are useful when the objective is to focus on API or application traffic rather than static resources.

The expression can be modified according to the requirements of the test. You can:

  • Add additional file extensions.
  • Remove extensions from the default expression.
  • Modify the regular expression to exclude specific resources.
  • Configure the filter according to the type of traffic that needs to be analyzed.

Note: Review the exclusion expression carefully before recording. Overly broad filters may remove network requests that are relevant to the test.

Navigation

To open Instant Replay:

  1. Open the Appvance AIQ dashboard.
  2. Navigate to Record.
  3. Select Test Designer Instant Replay.

The Instant Replay interface provides access to the recorded network traffic, file operations, playback controls, and export functionality.

File Menu

The File menu provides options for opening, saving, comparing, and exporting Instant Replay recordings.

1. Open

File > Open allows you to open an existing Instant Replay recording.

Instant Replay recordings are stored as .zip files.

A previously saved recording can therefore be opened from the local machine by selecting its .zip file.

Typical use cases

  • Reviewing previously captured traffic.
  • Reusing a recording as a baseline.
  • Comparing a previous recording with a new recording.
  • Continuing work with an existing Instant Replay file.

2. Save

File > Save saves the current Instant Replay recording.

Use this option when:

  • You have created a new recording.
  • You have modified an existing recording.
  • You want to save the current state of the recording.

The recording is saved as a .zip file.

3. Save As

File > Save As allows you to save the currently opened Instant Replay recording using a different file name.

This is useful when you want to preserve the original recording while creating another version.

For example, you could maintain separate recordings for:

  • QA
  • UAT
  • Production
  • Different users
  • Different application versions
  • Different test scenarios

4. Comparison Report

The Comparison Report feature allows two Instant Replay recordings to be compared.

This is particularly useful when the same workflow is executed under different conditions and you need to identify changes in the generated network traffic.

For example, you can compare:

  • The same workflow using different login credentials.
  • The same workflow in different environments.
  • Different application versions.
  • Different configurations.
  • Baseline and current test executions.

The comparison can identify differences in:

  • Response bodies
  • Request and response headers
  • Payloads

Generating a Comparison Report

To generate a comparison report:

  1. Open Instant Replay.
  2. Select File > Open.
  3. Open the Instant Replay .zip file that will be used as the current recording.
  4. Open the File menu.
  5. Select Comparison Report.

An API Comparison dialog will appear.

  1. Use Browse to select the baseline Instant Replay .zip file.
  2. Configure Maximum payload size (chars) if required.
  3. Click Start Comparison.

The default maximum payload size is 4096 characters. The value can be modified as required and accepts numerical values.

After the comparison is completed, a .zip file containing the generated reports will be downloaded.

Viewing the Comparison Report

The generated comparison .zip file must be extracted before viewing the report.

After extracting the files:

  1. Locate the generated .html file.
  2. Open the HTML file in a web browser.
  3. Review the comparison results.

The report provides information about:

  • The comparison report file name.
  • The files used for the comparison.
  • The configured maximum data size.
  • The requests included in the comparison.
  • Response body differences.
  • Header differences.
  • Payload differences.

Understanding the Comparison Results

The report displays the recorded requests and their associated data.

Rows can be expanded or collapsed to inspect additional information.

The comparison includes the following areas:

Requests

The request section provides information about the recorded requests and their corresponding data.

Response Body

The response body section highlights differences between the baseline and current recording.

Headers

Header differences can be expanded to inspect individual request and response header changes.

Payload

Payload differences can be expanded to compare request data between the two recordings.

Difference Indicators

The comparison report uses visual indicators to make differences easier to identify.

  • - — No data was found.
  • Green — Data was added or is present in the current recording but not in the baseline.
  • Red — Data was removed or is missing from the current recording.

These indicators make it easier to identify changes without manually reviewing every request.

Report Display Options

The comparison report also provides options to customize the information displayed.

You can:

  • Show or hide row numbers.
  • Select which columns are displayed.
  • Expand or collapse individual comparison sections.
  • Select specific differences, such as Response Headers Diff, for detailed inspection.

5. Export

The recorded traffic can be exported into three formats:

  1. HAR
  2. CSV
  3. JS

Each format serves a different purpose.

5.1 HAR Export

The HAR export contains the recorded HTTP traffic in a format suitable for analyzing browser network activity.

The export is provided as a .zip file containing:

  • Record.har
  • Recorded history and associated resources.

Depending on the application traffic, the archive may contain files such as:

  • .jpg
  • .html
  • .txt
  • .dat
  • .json
  • Other resources captured during the recording.

HAR is useful when you need to preserve the network activity together with the resources associated with the recorded page.

5.2 CSV Export

The CSV export provides a tabular representation of the captured traffic.

The CSV includes information such as:

  • HTTP method
  • Port
  • Virtual host
  • URI
  • HTTP status

The CSV can be useful for:

  • Reviewing captured traffic.
  • Filtering requests.
  • Analyzing network activity.
  • Creating logs.
  • Using the captured information as a log in Appvance AIQ.
  • Performing additional processing with spreadsheet or data-analysis tools.

5.3 JS Export

The JS export generates an executable JavaScript file containing the recorded HTTP requests.

The generated script can include requests such as:

  • GET
  • POST
  • Other HTTP requests captured during the recording.

This export can be useful when the captured API traffic needs to be reused as part of an automated or protocol-level test.

Actions Menu

The Actions menu provides the controls used to record and manage network traffic.

1. Start Recording

Actions > Start Recording starts capturing network traffic.

After recording starts, Instant Replay captures the HTTP traffic generated by the application while you record or execute a test in Test Designer.

2. Re/Start Playback

Re/Start Playback clears the historical traffic and starts a fresh recording for the playback operation.

This is useful when you want to ensure that the traffic displayed belongs only to the current playback.

Use this option when you want to:

  • Remove previously recorded traffic.
  • Start with a clean history.
  • Execute a Test Designer script.
  • Capture the traffic generated by that execution.

3. Stop

Actions > Stop stops the current network traffic recording.

After recording is stopped, no additional traffic is captured until a new recording is started.

4. Clear History

Actions > Clear History removes the traffic currently displayed in the Instant Replay recording area.

This allows you to start a new recording without previously captured traffic remaining in the current view.

5. Show Calls

Actions > Show Calls refreshes the displayed network traffic.

Use this option while a recording is in progress to update the Instant Replay interface with newly captured requests.

It is useful when traffic is being generated in another window, such as the Test Designer IDE.

Status

The current recording state is displayed in the upper-right area of the Instant Replay interface.

The status changes according to the current operation.

Standard

The initial state of Instant Replay.

No active network recording is in progress.

Record

Displayed after Start Recording is selected.

Instant Replay is actively capturing network traffic.

Standard after Stop

When Stop is selected, the status returns to Standard, indicating that the recording has ended.

Using Test Designer Instant Replay

Recording a New Test Case

Follow these steps to capture network traffic while recording a new UX test case.

Step 1 — Start Instant Replay

Open Test Designer Instant Replay and select:

Actions > Start Recording

Instant Replay begins capturing network traffic.

Step 2 — Record the UX Test

Return to the Test Designer IDE.

Select:

Record > Browser

Choose the required browser and perform the actions that make up the UX test case.

As the browser interacts with the application, Instant Replay captures the generated network traffic.

Step 3 — Display the Captured Traffic

Return to Instant Replay.

Select:

Actions > Show Calls

The captured network calls will be displayed.

You can repeat Show Calls while recording to refresh the displayed traffic and view newly captured requests.

Step 4 — Complete the Recording

When the UX recording is complete:

  1. Return to Instant Replay.
  2. Select Actions > Stop.
  3. Review the captured traffic.
  4. Save the recording as a .zip file or export it to HAR, CSV, or JS as required.

Capturing Traffic During Test Playback

Instant Replay is not limited to recording new test cases.

It can also capture network traffic generated when an existing Test Designer script is played back.

To capture playback traffic:

  1. Open an existing Test Designer script.
  2. Open Test Designer Instant Replay.
  3. Select Actions > Start Recording.
  4. Return to the Test Designer IDE.
  5. Execute or play back the existing script.
  6. Return to Instant Replay.
  7. Select Actions > Show Calls.
  8. Review the network traffic generated during playback.
  9. Select Stop when playback is complete.
  10. Save or export the captured traffic as required.

This allows you to analyze the actual network activity generated by an existing UX test without manually identifying each API call.

Recording and Playback Workflow

The typical workflow is:

Test Designer Instant Replay
        |
        | Start Recording
        v
Test Designer IDE
        |
        | Record or Playback
        v
Browser
        |
        | HTTP / HTTPS traffic
        v
Instant Replay
        |
        +------------------+
        |                  |
        v                  v
     Review             Export
                           |
             +-------------+-------------+
             |             |             |
             v             v             v
            HAR           CSV            JS

This workflow makes it possible to associate a browser-level UX test with the network/API activity generated by that test.

Using Captured Traffic for Performance Testing

One of the primary benefits of Instant Replay is the ability to use captured network traffic as a starting point for protocol-level performance testing.

A Test Designer script operates at the browser/UX level, while the exported API traffic can be used to generate traffic at the protocol level.

This makes it possible to analyze or reproduce the same application workflow at different levels.

For example:

UX Test
   |
   | Test Designer
   v
Browser-level execution
   |
   | Instant Replay
   v
Captured network traffic
   |
   +----> HAR
   |
   +----> CSV
   |
   +----> JS
             |
             v
      Protocol/API testing
             |
             v
      Performance testing

The captured traffic can therefore complement the original Test Designer script.

For example, a performance test may use:

  • The original Test Designer script to validate the browser-level user experience.
  • Captured API traffic to generate higher volumes of protocol-level traffic.

This approach can help separate UX validation from backend/API scalability testing while maintaining a relationship between the two test levels.

Recommended Use Cases

Test Designer Instant Replay can be useful in several scenarios.

API Discovery

Capture the network calls generated by an application while recording a UX workflow.

This can help identify:

  • API endpoints.
  • HTTP methods.
  • Request sequences.
  • Response statuses.
  • Application resources.

Troubleshooting

Capture network activity generated by a failing UX test and inspect the requests and responses associated with the failure.

Environment Comparison

Record the same workflow in different environments and use Comparison Report to identify differences in:

  • Responses.
  • Headers.
  • Payloads.
  • API behavior.

Version Comparison

Capture the same workflow before and after an application change and compare the resulting network traffic.

Performance Test Preparation

Use captured API traffic as a starting point for protocol-level performance testing.

Regression Analysis

Compare a baseline recording with a new execution to identify unexpected changes in application traffic.

Example: Comparing Two Environments

Suppose a login and checkout workflow is executed in QA and UAT.

The workflow is:

Login
  |
  v
Search Product
  |
  v
Add Product to Cart
  |
  v
Checkout
  |
  v
Logout

The workflow can be recorded in QA and then repeated in UAT.

The resulting Instant Replay files can be compared to identify differences in:

  • API responses.
  • Request payloads.
  • Response payloads.
  • Headers.
  • HTTP status codes.

This can help determine whether an environment behaves differently even when the UX workflow appears to be identical.

Example: Comparing Different User Accounts

Instant Replay can also be used to compare the network behavior of the same workflow with different credentials.

For example:

Baseline
User A
   |
   v
Test Designer workflow
   |
   v
Instant Replay A


Comparison
User B
   |
   v
Same Test Designer workflow
   |
   v
Instant Replay B

The two recordings can then be compared to determine whether the application returns different:

  • Response bodies.
  • Headers.
  • Payloads.
  • Requests.

This can be particularly useful when investigating role-based behavior or differences between user accounts.

Best Practices

Start with a Clean Recording

Before capturing a new workflow, use Clear History or Re/Start Playback when appropriate.

This helps prevent unrelated traffic from previous recordings from being included in the results.

Configure Request Exclusions Carefully

Use the request exclusion regular expression to remove unnecessary static resources, but make sure that required API traffic is not accidentally excluded.

Save Baselines

When performing comparisons, preserve the original recording as a baseline.

Use Save As to create separate recordings rather than overwriting the baseline.

Use Consistent Workflows

For meaningful comparisons, use the same Test Designer workflow whenever possible.

Changes in user actions can generate legitimate differences in network traffic and make the comparison more difficult to interpret.

Compare Equivalent Environments

When comparing environments, keep the following conditions as consistent as possible:

  • Test workflow.
  • User permissions.
  • Test data.
  • Browser.
  • Application version.
  • Configuration.

This makes differences in the captured traffic easier to attribute to the environment itself.

Review API Traffic Before Performance Testing

Captured traffic should be reviewed before being used for performance testing.

Verify:

  • URLs.
  • HTTP methods.
  • Headers.
  • Payloads.
  • Authentication information.
  • Dynamic values.
  • Correlation requirements.

Sensitive or environment-specific information should be handled according to the organization's security requirements.

Summary

Test Designer Instant Replay provides a way to capture and analyze the network activity generated during Test Designer recording and playback.

The captured traffic can be:

  • Recorded and reviewed in real time.
  • Saved as an Instant Replay .zip file.
  • Compared against another recording.
  • Exported as HAR.
  • Exported as CSV.
  • Exported as executable JS.
  • Used as input or reference for protocol-level testing and performance testing.

The key workflow is:

Record the UX → Capture the network traffic → Review the API calls → Compare or export the traffic → Reuse the captured traffic for additional testing.

This makes Instant Replay a useful bridge between browser-level UX automation and API/protocol-level testing, allowing teams to understand not only what the user does in the application, but also the network activity generated behind those actions.

Last updated: August 12, 2026

For feedback or questions about this documentation, contact the appropriate Appvance documentation or support team.

Back to top