Introduction
Umami is a lightweight and privacy-friendly web analytics tool designed to give you insights into your website’s traffic. Unlike traditional analytics tools, Umami does not use cookies or collect any personally identifiable information (PII), making it an ideal solution for users concerned about privacy. This guide will walk you through the installation of Umami and highlight its key features and advantages.
Why Choose Umami?
Umami is an open-source analytics platform that offers several key benefits:
- Privacy-Focused: It does not track any personal information or use cookies, making it fully compliant with privacy laws like GDPR.
- Lightweight: Unlike Google Analytics, Umami is minimalistic and does not slow down your website.
- Easy to Use: Simple interface and easy-to-read reports for tracking website traffic.
- Self-Hosted: You can host it on your server, ensuring full control over your data.
Step 1: Install Docker (If Not Already Installed)
Umami runs on Docker, so you need to have Docker installed on your system. If Docker is not already installed, follow these steps:
- Install Docker on Ubuntu:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install docker.io
sudo systemctl enable --now docker- Install Docker on macOS:
Download Docker Desktop from the official Docker website and follow the installation instructions. - Install Docker on Windows:
Download Docker Desktop from the official Docker website and follow the installation instructions.
Step 2: Install Umami Using Docker
Once Docker is installed, you can install Umami by following these steps:
- Clone the Umami Repository:
First, clone the Umami GitHub repository to your local machine:
git clone https://github.com/umami-software/umami.git
cd umami- Set Up Umami Using Docker Compose:
Use Docker Compose to build and run Umami’s containers. In theumamifolder, run:
docker-compose up -dThis will download the necessary images and start Umami in detached mode.
Step 3: Access Umami Dashboard
Once Umami is running, you can access the dashboard in your web browser. By default, Umami is accessible at:
http://localhost:3000If you’re running on a server, replace localhost with your server’s IP address or domain name.
Step 4: Set Up an Admin Account
The first time you access the dashboard, you’ll need to set up an admin account. Follow these steps:
- On the login page, click Create an Account.
- Fill in the required fields:
- Username: Your preferred username
- Password: A strong password
- Email: Your email address
- Click Create Account to proceed.
Step 5: Add Your Website
After logging in, you can add your website to Umami:
- In the Umami dashboard, click Add Website.
- Fill in the website details:
- Website Name: Name of your website (e.g., MyBlog).
- Website URL: Your website’s URL (e.g., https://myblog.com).
- Click Save Website to finish.
Step 6: Integrate Umami with Your Website
To start tracking traffic, you need to integrate Umami with your website by adding a tracking script. Here’s how:
- After adding your website in the Umami dashboard, you’ll be provided with a JavaScript tracking snippet.
- Copy the tracking code and paste it into the
<head>section of your website’s HTML or in a tag manager if you’re using one.
For example, add the snippet like this:
<head>
<script async defer src="https://your-server.com/umami.js"></script>
</head>Replace https://your-server.com with your Umami instance’s URL.
Step 7: View Analytics Reports
Once the tracking code is added to your website, Umami will begin tracking traffic. You can view detailed analytics reports in your dashboard, including:
- Page Views: Total views for each page.
- Referrers: Where your traffic is coming from.
- Geolocation: The countries visitors are coming from.
- Devices & Browsers: Information on devices and browsers being used.
Step 8: Optional Customizations
Umami offers additional features for customization:
- Add Multiple Websites: You can track multiple websites within the same Umami instance.
- Custom Events: Track custom events like button clicks, form submissions, etc.
- API Access: Retrieve analytics data programmatically via the Umami API.
Conclusion
Umami is a powerful, privacy-friendly, and lightweight alternative to other analytics tools. Its ease of setup, combined with its user-friendly interface and strong privacy protections, make it an excellent choice for website owners who want full control over their data. By following these steps, you can easily set up Umami and start tracking your website’s traffic today.
For more information, check out the official Umami GitHub Repository.
Leave a Reply