Airbrake
Airbrake is an error monitoring and performance tracking platform. Its scripts capture JavaScript errors, stack traces, and performance metrics from visitor browsers, sending diagnostic data to Airbrake servers for analysis. This processing helps developers identify and resolve issues affecting site reliability.
Overview
Airbrake gives development teams real-time visibility into errors and performance issues affecting their web applications. When a JavaScript error occurs in a visitor's browser, Airbrake's script captures the error details — including the stack trace, browser environment, and the sequence of events leading up to the failure — and sends this diagnostic data to Airbrake's servers for analysis and alerting.
The platform focuses on application health rather than visitor behavior. Its data collection is oriented toward identifying bugs, performance bottlenecks, and reliability issues rather than building marketing profiles or tracking user journeys. Error reports are grouped and deduplicated to help developers prioritize fixes based on frequency and impact.
What This Script Does
- Captures JavaScript errors and unhandled exceptions as they occur in visitor browsers
- Collects stack traces, error messages, and browser environment details for each error
- Records performance metrics such as page load times and resource timing data
- Sends diagnostic error and performance data to Airbrake's servers for analysis
- Groups and deduplicates error reports to identify patterns and prioritize fixes
- May collect contextual information like the URL and user actions preceding an error
Consent & Compliance
Airbrake's scripts collect technical diagnostic data from visitor browsers, which may include IP addresses and browser characteristics that qualify as personal data under GDPR. However, the data collection serves a functional purpose — maintaining application reliability and fixing bugs that directly affect the visitor experience. The script does not set persistent tracking cookies, build visitor profiles, or share data with advertising networks. Under ePrivacy, scripts that are strictly necessary for providing the service may be exempt from consent requirements, and error monitoring often qualifies as necessary for maintaining a functional website.
Should You Block This Without Consent?
No. Airbrake is a functional error monitoring tool that collects technical diagnostic data to maintain site reliability. Its scripts serve the legitimate purpose of identifying and resolving issues that affect the visitor experience, without tracking behavior or setting marketing cookies.
Is Airbrake GDPR compliant?
Airbrake typically loads functional trackers, which are not strictly necessary for your site to work. Under the GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive, non-essential cookies and trackers must stay blocked until a visitor gives clear opt-in consent. So Airbrake can be fully GDPR compliant, but only if your site holds its scripts until consent is granted and lets visitors decline just as easily. Compliance depends on how your site loads Airbrake, not on Airbrake itself.
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airbrake.ioFunctionalairbrake.io is a functional domain operated by Airbrake, used to run site features like chat, video, embeds, and preferences.
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Manage consent for Airbrake
ConsentStack automatically detects and manages Airbrake trackers so your site stays compliant with global privacy regulations.