Multiple modalities of data collection and analysis for real-time monitoring (RUM) in a microservices-based architecture

A method of persisting and querying Real User Monitoring (RUM) data comprises grouping together spans associated with a user-interaction with a webpage or application that are ingested during a given time duration. The method also comprises generating one or more data sets each associated with an analysis modality using the grouped spans, wherein each analysis modality extracts a different level of detail from the spans. Further, the method comprises selecting, based on a first user query, a first analysis modality for generating a response to the first user query and accessing a data set that is associated with the first analysis modality. The method also comprises generating the response to the first user query using the data set associated with the first analysis modality, wherein the first user query requests information pertaining to a performance of the application in response to the user-interaction.