private async compressSession(session: SessionRecording): Promise<any> // Implement compression (e.g., using CompressionStream API) const jsonString = JSON.stringify(session.events); const compressed = await this.gzipCompress(jsonString); return compressed: true, algorithm: 'gzip', data: Array.from(new Uint8Array(compressed)), ;
What you plan to use for your storage (S3, BigQuery, local database, etc.)?
This proxy intercepts the incoming /e/ (events) and /s/ (session recording) endpoints from posthog-js .
However, the concept of portability is not without its technical challenges. A session replay is complex, consisting of a DOM snapshot and a stream of incremental updates. Making this data lightweight enough to be easily moved and stored, while still being high-fidelity enough to reproduce the user’s experience, is a difficult engineering feat. PostHog addresses this through efficient compression and a decoupled architecture, where the ingestion pipeline and the storage layer can scale independently. posthog session replay portable
Recognizing the need for better portability, PostHog has acknowledged plans to build a dedicated session replay batch export mechanism to remove the need to use the current API for large-scale data transfers. This is a clear sign that "portability" is a priority on their product roadmap.
this.isRecording = false; if (this.flushInterval) clearInterval(this.flushInterval); this.flushInterval = null;
PostHog Session Replay enables portability by allowing teams to export recordings, share links, and embed sessions directly into tools like Zendesk or Slack. This approach enhances troubleshooting by providing immediate access to console logs, network activity, and technical context, including mobile-specific replays for iOS and Android. Read the full article on using PostHog session replays for support at A session replay is complex, consisting of a
Before diving into the how , it is essential to understand the what . PostHog, inspired by , serializes the DOM and user interactions into a structured, non-video format. Instead of capturing pixel-heavy video files, it records incremental JSON snapshots—a lightweight and highly queryable data format. This commitment to data portability is also evident in PostHog's open-source foundation and its transparent pricing, which includes a generous free tier. The goal is to give you maximum visibility and control over your most valuable asset: your user data.
In conclusion, the "portability" of PostHog Session Replay is more than a technical feature; it is a statement about ownership. It rejects the idea that a vendor should own the user’s history. By making session replay data portable, PostHog empowers companies to treat their analytics as a permanent asset rather than a rented service. In a digital world where user behavior is the most valuable currency, the ability to take that insight with you—wherever you go—is the ultimate freedom.
By default, session replays are stored in PostHog’s cloud (or your self-hosted instance) and viewed in their UI. Making them "portable" implies: Recognizing the need for better portability, PostHog has
Having portable session replay data opens up a world of possibilities beyond simple analysis.
Whether you need to capture user sessions in an offline desktop application, maintain absolute data sovereignty on-premises, or build a lightweight testing setup on your local machine, creating a portable PostHog session replay environment gives you total control over your user data. What is PostHog Session Replay Portable?