Telemetry that asks first
Usage telemetry is genuinely useful. Knowing which commands people actually run, where the errors cluster, whether anyone ever touched the feature you spent a fortnight on... that's the stuff that makes you a better maintainer. Wanting it is completely legitimate. The trouble is that the usual way of getting it, on by default and quietly hoovering up everything, is a small betrayal of the people…
Telemetry can be a valuable tool for developers, providing insights into how their software is used. Knowing which commands are frequently run, where errors commonly occur, and whether users engage with certain features can help improve the software and maintainers' effectiveness. However, the way telemetry is typically implemented raises concerns about user privacy and trust.
By default, many tools silently collect a vast amount of data, including command arguments, file paths, and IP addresses, without explicit user consent. This can be seen as a betrayal of the users who installed the tool to accomplish specific tasks.
In contrast, go-tool-base takes a different approach to telemetry. By default, telemetry is disabled, and users must actively enable it through clear and visible options. The framework ensures that no personally identifiable information is collected, even from opted-in users. Instead of recording data like command arguments or file contents, it focuses on thin events such as which command was run and how long it took. This approach minimizes the amount of data collected while still providing useful insights.
Additionally, go-tool-base allows developers to choose where the telemetry data is sent, up to and including not sending it at all. This flexibility enables the tool author to decide on the most appropriate backend, whether it's a noop backend that sends data nowhere or a custom backend that suits their needs. The framework provides the necessary plumbing without interfering with the developer's choice of destination.
Perhaps most importantly, go-tool-base includes a mechanism for users to withdraw their consent and delete any collected data. This one-way door ensures that consent is not a one-time action but can be easily revoked, reinforcing the trust between developers and tool users. By adhering to these principles, go-tool-base demonstrates that telemetry can be a valuable tool without compromising user privacy and trust.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
