Improving RUM Action Names in .NET MAUI

By default, Datadog RUM tracks user interactions in MAUI apps, but the action names can be cryptic and hard to understand. For example:

tap on BottomNavigationItemView(0x2) on crc646e722b0a9beeeae7.MainActivity

This document explains how to improve action naming for better observability.

The Problem

MAUI uses platform-specific renderers that generate technical class names. Without proper tagging, RUM actions show:

  • Android: Obfuscated class names like crc646e722b0a9beeeae7.MainActivity, BottomNavigationItemView(0x2)
  • iOS: Similar technical identifiers

These names make it difficult to:

  • Understand user behavior in RUM dashboards
  • Create meaningful funnels and analytics
  • Debug user experience issues

Solution 1: AutomationId Property

The AutomationId property in MAUI provides a way to tag UI elements with human-readable identifiers that Datadog RUM can capture.

How to Use AutomationId

Add the AutomationId property to any interactive MAUI element:

<Button
    x:Name="CheckoutButton"
    AutomationId="checkout_button"
    Text="Checkout"
    Clicked="OnCheckoutClicked" />

Naming Conventions

Use snake_case naming that describes the action:

<!-- Good Examples -->
<Button AutomationId="add_to_cart_button" ... />
<Button AutomationId="refresh_products_button" ... />
<Button AutomationId="clear_cart_button" ... />
<Button AutomationId="increase_quantity_button" ... />

<!-- Navigation Tabs -->
<ShellContent AutomationId="tab_products" ... />
<ShellContent AutomationId="tab_cart" ... />
<ShellContent AutomationId="tab_profile" ... />

<!-- Lists and Collections -->
<CollectionView AutomationId="products_list" ... />
<CollectionView AutomationId="cart_items_list" ... />

Benefits

  1. Readable RUM Actions: Instead of tap on BottomNavigationItemView(0x2), you get tap on checkout_button
  2. Better Analytics: Easier to create funnels and analyze user behavior
  3. Consistent Naming: Same identifier works on both Android and iOS
  4. UI Testing: AutomationId also improves automated testing

Solution 2: Manual RUM Action Tracking

For more control, manually track actions with custom names:

using Datadog.Maui.Rum;

private async void OnCheckoutClicked(object? sender, EventArgs e)
{
    // Track with custom name and attributes
    Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Tap, "checkout_button", new Dictionary<string, object>
    {
        { "item_count", cartService.ItemCount },
        { "total_amount", cartService.TotalAmount }
    });

    // Your logic here
    await ProcessCheckout();
}

When to Use Manual Tracking

  • Complex user flows that need context
  • Adding custom attributes to actions
  • Tracking non-UI interactions
  • Custom events that don’t correspond to UI elements

Combine both approaches for best results:

<!-- Use AutomationId for basic identification -->
<Button
    x:Name="CheckoutButton"
    AutomationId="checkout_button"
    Text="Proceed to Checkout"
    Clicked="OnCheckoutClicked" />

private async void OnCheckoutClicked(object? sender, EventArgs e)
{
    // Add manual tracking with rich context
    Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Tap, "checkout_initiated", new Dictionary<string, object>
    {
        { "item_count", _cartService.ItemCount },
        { "total_amount", _cartService.TotalAmount },
        { "payment_method", selectedPaymentMethod },
        { "has_coupon", !string.IsNullOrEmpty(couponCode) }
    });

    await ProcessCheckout();
}

This gives you:

  • Automatic tracking with readable names (via AutomationId)
  • Rich context for important actions (via manual tracking)
  • Comprehensive view of user behavior

Best Practices

1. Name Elements Consistently 

<!-- Pattern: {action}_{element_type} -->
<Button AutomationId="add_to_cart_button" />
<Button AutomationId="remove_item_button" />
<Button AutomationId="refresh_products_button" />

<!-- Pattern: {section}_{element_type} -->
<CollectionView AutomationId="products_list" />
<CollectionView AutomationId="cart_items_list" />

<!-- Pattern: tab_{tab_name} -->
<ShellContent AutomationId="tab_products" />
<ShellContent AutomationId="tab_cart" />

2. Add Context with Manual Tracking 

// Track with business context
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Tap, "add_to_cart", new Dictionary<string, object>
{
    { "product_id", product.Id },
    { "product_name", product.Name },
    { "product_price", product.Price },
    { "cart_item_count", _cartService.ItemCount },
    { "is_on_sale", product.IsOnSale }
});

3. Track Key User Flows

Focus on business-critical actions:

// Cart operations
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "add_to_cart", attributes);
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "remove_from_cart", attributes);
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "update_quantity", attributes);

// Checkout flow
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "checkout_initiated", attributes);
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "payment_submitted", attributes);
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "purchase_completed", attributes);

// Search and discovery
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "product_searched", attributes);
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "product_filtered", attributes);
Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Custom, "product_viewed", attributes);

4. Use Meaningful Attributes

Add attributes that help with analysis:

new Dictionary<string, object>
{
    // Business metrics
    { "item_count", 3 },
    { "total_amount", 149.97 },
    { "discount_applied", true },

    // User context
    { "is_authenticated", true },
    { "user_tier", "premium" },

    // Technical context
    { "network_type", "wifi" },
    { "app_version", "1.2.3" }
}

Example: Complete Cart Implementation

See the sample app for a complete implementation:

XAML (CartPage.xaml):

<Button
    AutomationId="checkout_button"
    Text="Proceed to Checkout"
    Clicked="OnCheckoutClicked" />

<Button
    AutomationId="clear_cart_button"
    Text="Clear Cart"
    Clicked="OnClearCartClicked" />

<Button
    AutomationId="increase_quantity_button"
    Clicked="OnIncreaseQuantityClicked" />

Code (CartPage.xaml.cs):

private async void OnCheckoutClicked(object? sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Rum.AddAction(RumActionType.Tap, "checkout_button", new Dictionary<string, object>
    {
        { "item_count", _cartService.ItemCount },
        { "total_amount", _cartService.TotalAmount }
    });

    await ProcessCheckout();
}

Verifying in Datadog

After implementation:

  1. Navigate to RUM > Actions in your Datadog dashboard
  2. Look for readable action names like:
    • tap on checkout_button
    • tap on add_to_cart_button
    • tap on tab_cart
  3. Click on an action to see custom attributes
  4. Create funnels using these named actions

Additional Resources

Related Guides: