What is @segment/analytics-node?
@segment/analytics-node is a Node.js client for Segment, a customer data platform that helps you collect, clean, and control your customer data. This package allows you to send data from your Node.js applications to Segment, which can then route it to various analytics and marketing tools.
What are @segment/analytics-node's main functionalities?
Track
The `track` method allows you to record any actions your users perform. It is useful for tracking events like purchases, sign-ups, or any other user activity.
const Analytics = require('@segment/analytics-node');
const analytics = new Analytics('YOUR_WRITE_KEY');
analytics.track({
userId: 'user123',
event: 'Item Purchased',
properties: {
item: 'T-shirt',
price: 19.99
}
});
Identify
The `identify` method lets you tie a user to their actions and record traits about them. This is useful for associating user data like name, email, and other attributes.
const Analytics = require('@segment/analytics-node');
const analytics = new Analytics('YOUR_WRITE_KEY');
analytics.identify({
userId: 'user123',
traits: {
name: 'John Doe',
email: 'john.doe@example.com'
}
});
Group
The `group` method allows you to associate an individual user with a group, such as a company or organization. This is useful for B2B applications where you need to track users within the context of their organization.
const Analytics = require('@segment/analytics-node');
const analytics = new Analytics('YOUR_WRITE_KEY');
analytics.group({
userId: 'user123',
groupId: 'group123',
traits: {
name: 'Company Inc.',
industry: 'Technology'
}
});
Page
The `page` method is used to record page views on your website. This is useful for tracking which pages your users are visiting.
const Analytics = require('@segment/analytics-node');
const analytics = new Analytics('YOUR_WRITE_KEY');
analytics.page({
userId: 'user123',
category: 'Docs',
name: 'Node.js SDK',
properties: {
url: 'https://example.com/docs/nodejs-sdk'
}
});
Alias
The `alias` method is used to merge two user identities, effectively linking an anonymous user with an identified user. This is useful for scenarios where a user initially interacts anonymously and later signs up or logs in.
const Analytics = require('@segment/analytics-node');
const analytics = new Analytics('YOUR_WRITE_KEY');
analytics.alias({
previousId: 'temp_user123',
userId: 'user123'
});
Other packages similar to @segment/analytics-node
mixpanel
Mixpanel is an advanced analytics service that helps improve web and mobile applications by tracking how users interact and engage with them. It offers similar functionalities to @segment/analytics-node, such as tracking events, identifying users, and analyzing user behavior. However, Mixpanel is a standalone analytics platform, whereas Segment acts as a data hub that can route data to multiple analytics and marketing tools.
amplitude
Amplitude is a product analytics platform that provides insights into user behavior and helps drive product strategy. Like @segment/analytics-node, it allows you to track events and user actions. Amplitude focuses more on in-depth product analytics and user behavior insights, while Segment provides a broader data routing and integration service.
keen.io
Keen.io is a data analytics platform that allows you to collect, analyze, and visualize event data. It offers similar event tracking and user identification features as @segment/analytics-node. Keen.io is more focused on custom analytics and data visualization, whereas Segment provides a more comprehensive data integration and routing solution.
@segment/analytics-node
https://www.npmjs.com/package/@segment/analytics-node
OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION (FULL)
LEGACY NODE SDK MIGRATION GUIDE:
Runtime Support
- Node.js >= 14
- AWS Lambda
- Cloudflare Workers
- Vercel Edge Functions
- Web Workers (experimental)
Quick Start
Install library
npm install @segment/analytics-node
yarn add @segment/analytics-node
pnpm install @segment/analytics-node
Usage
Assuming some express-like web framework.
import { Analytics } from '@segment/analytics-node'
const { Analytics } = require('@segment/analytics-node')
const analytics = new Analytics({ writeKey: '<MY_WRITE_KEY>' })
app.post('/login', (req, res) => {
analytics.identify({
userId: req.body.userId,
previousId: req.body.previousId
})
res.sendStatus(200)
})
app.post('/cart', (req, res) => {
analytics.track({
userId: req.body.userId,
event: 'Add to cart',
properties: { productId: '123456' }
})
res.sendStatus(201)
});
Settings & Configuration
See the documentation: https://segment.com/docs/connections/sources/catalog/libraries/server/node/#configuration
You can also see the complete list of settings in the AnalyticsSettings interface.
Plugin Architecture
Usage in non-node runtimes
Usage in AWS Lambda
- AWS lambda execution environment is challenging for typically non-response-blocking async activites like tracking or logging, since the runtime terminates / freezes after a response is emitted.
Here is an example of using analytics.js within a handler:
const { Analytics } = require('@segment/analytics-node');
const analytics = () => new Analytics({
flushAt: 1,
writeKey: '<MY_WRITE_KEY>',
})
.on('error', console.error);
module.exports.handler = async (event) => {
...
await new Promise((resolve) =>
analytics().track({ ... }, resolve)
)
...
return {
statusCode: 200,
};
....
};
Usage in Vercel Edge Functions
import { Analytics } from '@segment/analytics-node';
import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from 'next/server';
export const analytics = new Analytics({
writeKey: '<MY_WRITE_KEY>',
flushAt: 1,
})
.on('error', console.error)
export const config = {
runtime: 'edge',
};
export default async (req: NextRequest) => {
await new Promise((resolve) =>
analytics.track({ ... }, resolve)
);
return NextResponse.json({ ... })
};
Usage in Cloudflare Workers
import { Analytics, Context } from '@segment/analytics-node';
export default {
async fetch(
request: Request,
env: Env,
ctx: ExecutionContext
): Promise<Response> {
const analytics = new Analytics({
flushAt: 1,
writeKey: '<MY_WRITE_KEY>',
}).on('error', console.error);
await new Promise((resolve, reject) =>
analytics.track({ ... }, resolve)
);
...
return new Response(...)
},
};