Snowplow PHP Analytics Tracker

Implement robust event tracking in PHP applications using the Snowplow analytics platform. This skill helps you set up and use the Snowplow PHP Tracker library with proper architecture patterns, multiple emitter strategies, and comprehensive event tracking capabilities.

Core Implementation

Set up the basic tracker with proper architecture:

```php

// Initialize components

$subject = new Subject();

$subject->setUserId("user123");

$subject->setPlatform("web");

$emitter = new CurlEmitter($collector_uri, "https", "POST", 50);

$tracker = new Tracker($emitter, $subject);

```

Event Tracking Patterns

Page View Tracking

```php

// Track page views with proper timestamp

$tracker->trackPageView($page_url, $page_title, null, time() * 1000);

```

Structured Event Tracking

```php

// Track structured events with category and action

$tracker->trackStructEvent($category, $action, $label, $property, $value);

```

E-commerce Transaction Tracking

```php

// Track purchase events

$tracker->trackEcommerceTransaction($order_id, $total_value, $affiliation, $tax_value, $shipping, $city, $state, $country, $currency);

```

Emitter Strategy Selection

Choose the appropriate emitter based on your use case:

```php

// High-volume async tracking

$emitter = new CurlEmitter($uri, "https", "POST", 50);

// Simple synchronous tracking

$emitter = new SyncEmitter($uri);

```

Payload Management

Structure event data properly:

```php

$payload = new Payload($timestamp);

$payload->add("e", "pv"); // Event type

$payload->add("url", $url); // Page URL

$payload->addJson($context_data, true, "ue_px", "ue_pr");

```

Context and User Data

Set up user context and session information:

```php

$subject = new Subject();

$subject->setUserId($user_id);

$subject->setViewportDimensions($width, $height);

$subject->setColorDepth($color_depth);

$subject->setTimezone($timezone);

```

Buffer Management

Handle event buffering and flushing:

```php

// Configure buffer size for batching

$emitter = new CurlEmitter($uri, "https", "POST", 50);

// Force flush when needed (e.g., end of request)

$tracker->flushEmitters();

```

Testing Setup

Set up tracking for testing environments:

```php

// Mock collector for testing

$emitter = new SyncEmitter("localhost", "http", "POST", 1, true);

$tracker = new Tracker($emitter, new Subject());

// Test event tracking

$tracker->trackPageView("/test-page", "Test Page");

```

Error Handling

Implement proper error handling for tracking failures:

```php

try {

$tracker->trackPageView($url, $title);

} catch (Exception $e) {

// Log tracking errors without breaking application flow

error_log("Snowplow tracking error: " . $e->getMessage());

}

```

Performance Considerations

Security Best Practices

This skill provides a comprehensive foundation for implementing Snowplow analytics tracking in PHP applications with proper architecture, error handling, and performance optimization.