The walkerOS node client provides a robust way to manage event tracking and data collection in a Node.js environment. It offers a unified interface for handling events and commands, managing destinations, and ensuring consent compliance. This document aims to guide you through its features and functionalities.
To install the walkerOS node client, run the following command:
$ npm install @elbwalker/client-nodeBefore you can start using the node client, you need to configure it. The createNodeClient function is the entry point for creating a new instance. It accepts an optional customConfig object to set initial configurations.
import { createNodeClient } from '@elbwalker/client-node';
const { elb, instance } = createNodeClient(customConfig);Configuration Options
consent: An object representing the consent states.custom: Custom state support for individual setups.destinations: An object containing all destinations.globals: Global properties that are added to each event by default.
@TODO The setup function is currently under development and will be available in future releases.
Before pushing events to a destination, the client checks for an init function in the destination. If available, it's called asynchronously. The function should return false on error, which will prevent any events from being processed. Alternatively, it can return a complete destination config that will be used for pushing events.
The push function is the core of the node client. It can either process commands or handle events. Commands are processed when the function is called with a string starting with "walker", like elb("walker config", configData);. Events are processed otherwise.
The function performs consent checks before pushing events to destinations. Events are pushed in parallel and support batching.
const result = await elb('entity action', eventData);- Run Initialization: A run is similar to a page view in a web environment. Each run (re-)initializes the client's state.
- Event Creation: Events are created and added to the internal queue.
- Consent Check: Before pushing, the client checks for required consent states.
- Destination Push: Events are pushed to destinations based on the consent and configuration.
You can add destinations dynamically using the elb("walker destination", destination, config); command. This is useful for handling events that were pushed before the destination was added or if consent was granted afterward.
Note: The client stores events for each run. If a destination is added later or if consent changes, these "previous events" are also processed.
In walkerOS, the configuration of a destination is a crucial part of setting up your data pipeline. The configuration is divided into two main parts: the static part and the custom part.
Learn more about node destinations.