Introduction to Sniffer
What is Sniffer
Sniffer is a visual feedback and bug tracking tool designed to enable developers, designers, QA testers, and clients to capture, annotate, and report bugs directly on live websites without leaving the browser. By pinning feedback to specific elements on a webpage, Sniffer eliminates the confusion and miscommunication that often occurs when reporting issues through traditional methods like email or spreadsheets.
At its core, Sniffer bridges the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders by providing a simple, intuitive interface for capturing visual feedback. When a user clicks on any element of a website, Sniffer automatically captures a screenshot, records browser and device information, and creates a task that can be tracked through to resolution.
Key Benefits
Sniffer transforms the way teams collect and manage website feedback. The platform offers several significant advantages that streamline the bug reporting and resolution process.
- Simplified Bug Reporting: Business users can report issues without needing to understand developer terminology. Simply click on the problem area, describe the issue, and submit. Sniffer handles the technical details automatically.
- Contextual Information: Every bug report includes automatic metadata such as browser type and version, operating system, screen resolution, and the exact URL where the issue was found. This eliminates back-and-forth communication asking for technical details.
- Visual Clarity: Screenshots and annotations ensure that developers understand exactly what the reporter is seeing. No more vague descriptions or misinterpreted bug reports.
- Streamlined Workflow: The built-in task board allows teams to track bugs from discovery through resolution. Assign tasks, set priorities, and monitor progress all in one place.
- Client Collaboration: Invite clients as guests to provide feedback directly on staging or production sites. Clients see only what they need to see, keeping the interface simple and focused.
- Integration Ecosystem: Connect Sniffer with your existing project management tools like Jira, Trello, Asana, and Slack to maintain your established workflows while gaining the benefits of visual bug tracking.
How Sniffer Works
Sniffer operates through a browser extension that adds an unobtrusive sidebar to your website. This sidebar is only visible to authorized team members and clients who have been granted access to your project.
The typical workflow begins when a user identifies an issue on your website. They activate the Sniffer sidebar and click on the problematic element. Sniffer then captures a screenshot of the current viewport and places a pin marker at the exact location of the click. The user can add annotations, write a description of the issue, set the severity level, and submit the bug report.
Once submitted, the bug appears on the Sniffer task board where team members can view, assign, prioritize, and track its progress. Developers can see the exact context of the issue, including all technical metadata, making it faster to reproduce and fix the problem. When the fix is deployed, the task can be marked as complete and archived.
Throughout this process, team members receive notifications about new bugs, assignments, and comments, ensuring everyone stays informed without constant check-ins.
Use Cases
Sniffer is versatile enough to support a wide range of web development scenarios and team structures.
Web Development Agencies: Agencies use Sniffer to collect feedback from clients during the design and development process. Clients can review staging sites and provide specific, actionable feedback without lengthy email chains or confusing spreadsheets. The visual nature of Sniffer makes it easy for clients who may not be technically savvy to communicate exactly what they want changed.
In-House Development Teams: Internal teams use Sniffer to coordinate between designers, developers, QA testers, and product managers. QA teams can log bugs with precise visual documentation, while developers get all the context they need to understand and fix issues quickly.
Quality Assurance and Testing: QA professionals rely on Sniffer to document bugs during testing cycles. The automatic capture of browser information, console logs, and network requests helps developers reproduce issues accurately.
Website Redesigns and Migrations: During major website overhauls, teams use Sniffer to track all the visual and functional issues that need to be addressed. The task board provides a clear overview of remaining work.
Ongoing Website Maintenance: Sniffer continues to be valuable for capturing and managing ongoing bug reports and feature requests from internal stakeholders or selected external users.
User Acceptance Testing: During UAT phases, business stakeholders can use Sniffer to validate that developed features meet requirements. Their feedback is captured in context, making it easier for development teams to address concerns.