Beacon
01 Definition
Beacon meaning: A beacon is a small data transmission sent to a server to record user activity.
A beacon is a lightweight request that sends tracking data to a server, often using the browser Beacon API so the send does not delay page loading or unloading. Analytics and ad tools use beacons to log events, clicks, and page exits reliably.
Also called
Why it matters
How Beacon fits the work
Beacons let analytics capture last moment actions like a user leaving a page, data that older methods often dropped when the page closed too quickly.
In context
As the visitor closed the tab, the site used a beacon to send the final scroll depth before the page unloaded.
Practical note
The Beacon API does not guarantee delivery timing or let you read a response, so use it for fire and forget logging, not for requests that need a reply.