# Analytics for Electron apps and browser extensions

> Count screens and events in Electron apps and browser extensions by posting to the collection endpoint with virtual URLs, without creating an identifier.

Apps and extensions don't have normal `https://` page URLs, so the browser
snippet isn't the right fit. Send hits to the public collection endpoint
yourself, using **virtual URLs on your site's domain**.

## The collection endpoint

`POST https://privatusanalytics.com/api/event` with a `text/plain` body (no CORS
preflight, no credentials):

```js
function privatusHit(type, path, extra = {}) {
  return fetch('https://privatusanalytics.com/api/event', {
    method: 'POST',
    keepalive: true,
    credentials: 'omit',
    headers: { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' },
    body: JSON.stringify({
      s: 'pa_YOURSITEID',
      t: type,                              // 'pageview' or 'event'
      u: 'https://app.example.com' + path,  // a hostname that's one of your site's domains
      l: navigator.language,
      w: screen.width,
      ...extra,                             // n: event name, p: properties
    }),
  })
}

privatusHit('pageview', '/settings')
privatusHit('event', '/settings', { n: 'Theme changed', p: { theme: 'dark' } })
```

The short keys are documented in [What the tracker sends](/docs/tracker/payload).

## Electron

- Send hits from the renderer (so the request carries a normal browser
  User-Agent), for example on each route change of your app's router.
- Electron's default User-Agent contains `Electron/…`, which our bot
  filter treats as automation. Set a clean User-Agent for your window's
  session, for example with `session.defaultSession.setUserAgent()`
  removing the `Electron/x.y.z` token, or hits will be filtered as bots.
- Add `app.example.com` (or whatever host you use in `u`) to the site's
  domains.

## Browser extensions

- Send hits from the extension's pages (popup, options page) or background
  service worker. Add `https://privatusanalytics.com/*` to `host_permissions` in
  `manifest.json` for Manifest V3.
- Describe the analytics in your store listing and privacy disclosures.
  Chrome Web Store and Firefox Add-ons require it even for anonymous usage
  data.
- Consider an in-extension opt-out that simply stops calling
  `privatusHit()`.

## Privacy notes

Nothing here creates an identifier: visits are built exactly as for
websites (a daily key from the IP and User-Agent, which is never
stored). Don't put user ids, emails or file names in paths or
properties.