Clickstream

A clickstream is the recording of what a computer user clicks on while Web browsing or using another software application. As the user click]s on the [[web page or application, the action is logged on the Web server, as well as possibly the Web browser, routers, proxy servers, and ad servers. Clickstream analysis is useful for Web activity analysis, software testing, market research, and for analyzing employee productivity.

The use of clickstream data can raise privacy concerns, especially since some Internet service providers sell users' clickstream data to enhance their revenue.

Analyzing a user’s clickstream can reveal usage patterns, which in turn can allow the website owner to understanding the customer's behavior. This data can be used to create a user profile.

Clickstreams can also be used to allow a user to see where they have been and allow them to easily return to a Web page they have previously visited &mdash; a function that is already included in most browsers.