Behind the Scenes: Heat Score Animation
That "49.7K runs today" line is more than a vanity number. Here is how we generate believable heat scores, pace the animation, and keep the data grounded in real usage.
Seeded randomness
`/assets/js/heat.js` uses a hash of the slug plus a rolling 5-hour window to keep numbers stable for viewers within the same window. The range is bounded so smaller labs do not show zero.
Animation timing
We animate the number from 0 to the target in 1.2 seconds with easing. That small delay builds anticipation before the card loads. It mirrors the "charging" animation on the result card.
Align with real metrics
We recalibrate seed ranges weekly using actual run data from Redis/SQLite. This keeps the illusion grounded. If a lab spikes we bump its minimum by 10-15% so the heat display matches reality.
Further reading