node-analytics

#node-analytics

node-analytics is an ExpressJS visitor analytic middleware.

Installation

$ npm install --save node-analytics

Prerequisites

Complete node-analytics functionality relies upon the following:

• MongoDB: a mongod instance must be running on the server for data storage
• a MaxMind GeoIP database for location data; the free GeoLite2 City database is available here
• an open WebSocket for client behaviour data collection; ensure port is open (default is 8080) or pass in server object

Though it will function without one, some, or all of the above.

Basic usage

app.js

In its current iteration node-analytics will process every server request, including static files. To restrict it to page loads call the middleware after the express.static middleware.

var express = require('express')
,   analytics = require('node-analytics')

var app = express();

// app middleware //
app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'public')));
app.use(analytics());   // beneath express.static

Client

The client script node-analytics-client.js must be included on the served webpage beneath the socket.io client script. Specify the client JS directory client_dir as an option and the file will be automatically copied, or disable this behaviour by client_copy: false.

<script type='text/javascript' src="https://cdn.socket.io/socket.io-1.4.5.js"></script>
<script type='text/javascript' src='/path/to/node-analytics-client.js'></script>

User behaviour

On the client side, node-analytics logs clicks, reaches, and reads of elements, each assigned their own class:

Event	Logged when element	Element class	Note
click	clicked (e.g. link)	na_click	Emits for every click
reach	scrolled to	na_reach	Emits once per page load
read	paused at and, presumptively, read	na_read	Tallies time spent paused within element bounds

Events will be associated with an element's id property, or will otherwise be assigned an index.

<section id="contact" class="na_read">      //id: contact
  
  <a href="mailto:me" class="na_click">     //id: reach_point_0
    Contact us
  </a>
  
  <span="fine_print" class="na_reach">      //id: read_section_0
    in exchange for your marbles
  </span>
  
</section>

Options

node-analytics may be adapted by the following options:

app.js

Key	Description	Default
db_host	MongoDB host	'localhost'
db_port	MongoDB port	27017
db_name	MongoDB database name	'node_analytics_db'
ws_port	WebSocket port; disabled if ws_server or s_io is set	8080
ws_server	Express server object; disabled if s_io is set	null
s_io	socket.io server object	null
geo_ip	Use GeoIP boolean	true
mmdb	MaxMind DB path	'GeoLite2-City.mmdb'
log	Output log boolean	true
error_log	Error log boolean	true
secure	Cookies: HTTPS only boolean	true
secret	Cookies: AES encryption key	'changeMe'

Example use with WebSocket server instead of port (see necessary client edit below):

var server = require('http').createServer(app);
server.listen(80);

app.use(analytics({
  ws_server:  server
}));

Example use with socket.io server:

var server = require('http').createServer(app);
server.listen(80);

var io = require('socket.io').listen(server);
// OR:
var io = require('socket.io').listen(8080);

app.use(analytics({
  s_io: io
}));

Client

Key	Description	Default
ws_host	Websocket host	location.hostname
ws_port	Websocket port; disable if using ws_server or s_io in app.js	8080
click_class	Click-log class	'na_click'
reach_class	Reach-log class	'na_reach'
read_class	Read-log class	'na_read'
force_protocol	Force 'http' or 'https' socket connection	null

Example use including server support (editing node-analytics-client.js):

var na_obj = {
    ws_port:        null          // must be disabled if server object is being used
  , click_class:    'clicked_me'
  , reach_class:    'reached_me'
  , read_class:     'read_me'
};