No JS tracker setup

HOME > SNOWPLOW SETUP GUIDE > Step 2: setup a Tracker > No-JS tracker

The No-JS tracker (pixel tracker) enables you to track page views of HTML pages where it is not possible to insert standard SnowPlow Javascript tracking tags: for example HTML emails or pages hosted with 3rd party service providers.

The tracker is effectively a wizard that generates an HTML tracking tag based on parameters that you pass into it via a webform. The sourcecode for the wizard is [available on the Github repo] no-js-tracker-repo. A hosted version of the wizard is available on the [SnowPlow Analytics website] no-js-wizard.

Using the No-JS tracker is a simple, three step process:

1. Identify the event you wish to track
2. Use the wizard to create the tracking code
3. Embed the code generated by the wizard on your page

In addition, in this guide, we cover:

• Considerations when using the No-JS tracker, especially with the Clojure collector
• Other sources of informatino on the No-JS tracker

## Setting up the No-JS tracker

1. Identify the event you wish to track

Identify the event you wish to track. This may be opening a particular email that is sent out via your email marketing system, or viewing a product you are selling on a 3rd party marketplace.

### 2. Use the wizard to create the tracking code

Navigate to the [wizard] no-js-wizard.

2.1. Enter an application ID. If you are running SnowPlow to track user behaviour across multiple applications, you may want to have a different application ID for each. Most SnowPlow users track behaviour across a single website or webapp. For those users, it probably makes sense to set the application ID to the same value they use on their core website.

2.2. Select http or https depending on the scheme used on the pageview you wish to track. If you are tracking a user opening an email, you should use https. If you're tracking a pageview on a 3rd party website where you're showing some content, you will need to check the scheme for the particular page you wish to track.

2.3. Enter a page title for the page. Make it descriptive: it should be obvious from this field in the data what event this is referring to.

2.4. You may optionally enter a page URL. Both the Clojure Collector and Cloudfront collector will be able to deduce the URL directly (without relying on a value entered in a query string), so this can be safely left out if you wish.

2.5. Select the type of collector you're using and enter the relevant details. If you're using the Cloudfront collector you will need to enter the Cloudfront subdomain. If you're using the Clojure collector (or any other collector) you will need to enter the or the endpoint collector URL.

2.6. Select the `Generate No-JS tracking tag button. The tracking code will be displayed below the wizard. Copy this to the clipboard.

### 3. Insert the tracking code into the page you wish to track

If this is an HTML email, you will need to insert it in the email. If it is a webpage hosted on a third party site, you will need to add it to your source code.

## Considerations when using the No-JS tracker, especially with the Clojure collector

The behaviour of the No-JS tracker is very different if used with the Clojure collector than with the Cloudfront collector.

When used with the Cloudfront collector, no user_id is set, because this has to be done client-side using Javascript. As a result, we cannot use the data to count e.g. the number of unique views of an HTML email or a Github README that contain the No-JS tracking tag. This limits the scope of the analysis that can be performed on the data.

On the other hand, when used with the Clojure collector, a user_id is set. That is because it is set server side. The Clojure collector then drops a cookie with the stored user_id on the user's browsers. If you were using this to track views of Github READMEs, for example, you would then be able to track specific user browsing behaviour across your site and your Github repos.

That is great from an analytics perspective. However, you need to make sure that you are not violating the terms and conditions of any service providers by dropping the cookie. For example, [eBay expressively forbid the dropping of cookies on product listings] ebay-prohibit. It is your responsibility to make sure you abide by the terms and conditions of any service providers you use, when employing that No-JS tracker, in particular in conjunction with the Clojure collector. if you are tracking behaviour on domains that are not your own, it is your responsibility to abide by the terms and conditions of that domain owner.

## Further sources of information

For further information on the No-JS tracker, see this [introductory blog post] intro-to-no-js-tracker.

## Next steps

Finished setting up your trackers? Now you can proceed to setting up the EmrEtlRunner.

Return to the setup guide.