The different TYPES of stats packages
There are, to my mind, two different types of stats packages:
- Log Readers
Your basic log reader performs analysis of web server logs, which can either be done off-line (by downloading the logs to your own computer and then running an analysis on them there) or in real-time by installing the analyser on the server itself where it can monitor the logs folder. These types of packages are usually fairly expensive, depending on the level of sophistication.
Information about Log Readers »
- Integrated Tracking (Javascript/Image)
This method of stats analysing is done either with a (usually small) piece of javascript code that you insert into your website's pages, or with a simple graphic that you place into the pages. Both of these methods will then report back to a central server (not your own) where any access to the pages is logged. These types of stats packages are usually free, especially for those offering a fairly basic analysis of your site users.
Information about Javascript plug-ins »
There is a third kind of stats package which works by integrating directly with your chosen "back-end" programming language and stores information about your users in its own local database. Usually these type of stats packages are not as fully-featured as those above since they are most often developed for very bespoke reasons.
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