What does the term "custom metric" mean in Datadog?

The term "custom metric" in Datadog refers to a metric that users define and send to Datadog from their applications. This capability allows organizations to track specific data points that are relevant to their unique business needs or application performance, rather than relying solely on standard metrics provided by Datadog. With custom metrics, users can tailor their monitoring and observability strategy to align closely with the operational requirements of their applications, making it an essential feature for gaining insights and improving performance.

For instance, if an organization wants to measure specific user interactions or application behaviors that are not captured by standard metrics, they can create and send these custom metrics to Datadog for analysis and visualization. This flexibility empowers teams to collect and correlate data that is vital for their specific context, allowing for more informed decision-making and enhanced operational efficiency.