Server-side analytics and server-side logging in particular

[johnsmith153]

I need to log details in PHP of analytics and usage.

 

I'm looking at various possibilities:

 

    - Google Analytics server-side

    - segment.io

    - Just adding a record to a DB with PHP

 

My concern is how much additional processing this will take on my server. Of course Google Analytics' JavaScript implementation won't use anything on my server, but my server-side method of course will.

 

I also notice that on https://segment.io/docs/integrations/google-analytics they mention that "Server-side Google Analytics is being deprecated due to difficulty of use" - what does this mean?

 

So basically, I want to implement some basic analytics storing (count number of hits to a URL + some other basic info) server-side - what's the best way to do this considering all things?

 

It seems that adding a record to the DB every page view might be a little too much.

[DavidAM]

This forum updates my profile (Last Active Date-Time) on every page view. It also updates each Topic I read (Number of Views). In fact, the bottom of this screen says it executed 15 Queries to show me this Topic. A single well written insert to the database for every page view should not be too taxing.

 

On the other hand, writing the code to actually analyze the data could be a chore (for the programmer, I mean). Google has done it, why re-invent the wheel (unless you need too).

[cyberRobot]

 

I also notice that on https://segment.io/docs/integrations/google-analytics they mention that "Server-side Google Analytics is being deprecated due to difficulty of use" - what does this mean?

 

The way I read that is the ability to enable Google Analytics from within Segment.io is being depreciated. Based on a cursory look through the web, I didn't see any references to server-side Google Analytics being shut down.