A session is a period of continuous activity when a user is engaged with your website or app. At Hardal, we count and track sessions across your stack with a precise algorithm that handles session attribution, user journey tracking, and data segmentation—all using first-party data. A session starts from browser or app or even online/offline store, using server-to-server tracking when the user becomes active and ends after 30 minutes of inactivity, so you get a clear picture of how many distinct visits and journeys you have.
Session tracking runs entirely on first-party data and cookieless. Your dashboards show session counts that reflect real user engagement, with historical data recalculated for consistency.
Key benefits of session tracking
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Better session detection: More accurate identification of unique user sessions, especially across different entry points (web, app, campaigns).
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Smarter timeout handling: 30-minute inactivity windows are tracked with precision, so sessions are neither split too often nor merged incorrectly.
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Enhanced user journey tracking: Cleaner attribution across UserIDs and session transitions, so you see how users move through your product.
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Improved segmentation: More reliable breakdowns by device, location, and behavior patterns for reporting and audiences.
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Historical data aligned: Past data is recalculated with the same rules as current data, so trends and comparisons stay meaningful.
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Cookieless & privacy-first: Session counting uses only first-party data—no cookies or cross-site tracking—so it stays compliant and future-proof.
FAQ: Session
What is a session in analytics?
A session is a period of user activity that starts when they engage with your site or app and ends after 30 minutes of inactivity. It groups all events and interactions into a single visit for attribution and reporting.
How does session tracking work?
Sessions are detected from first-party events (page views, screen views, custom events). Activity extends the session; 30 minutes with no events ends it. The next interaction starts a new session. All of this runs server-side with no cookies.
When does a session end?
A session ends after 30 minutes of no tracked activity. If the user returns later, a new session begins. This gives consistent, comparable session counts across your dashboard and historical data.
Do I need to do anything to use session data?
No. Session tracking is already active in your dashboard. Log in to see session counts and trends; if counts look higher than before, that’s the improved accuracy capturing sessions that were previously missed.