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Fathom API Essential Guide

Aug 15, 20246 minute read

What type of API does Fathom provide?

Based on the search results provided, there is no specific information about what type of API Fathom uses. The search results contain general information about different types of APIs like REST, GraphQL, and SOAP, but do not mention Fathom's API specifically.

To accurately answer this question, we would need to look at Fathom's official documentation or developer resources. Without that information, I cannot definitively state what type of API Fathom uses.

If you need to know the specific API type used by Fathom, I would recommend:

  1. Checking Fathom's official documentation or developer portal
  2. Looking for any API reference guides provided by Fathom
  3. Contacting Fathom's support or developer relations team directly

These steps would provide the most accurate and up-to-date information about Fathom's API implementation.

Does the Fathom API have webhooks?

No Direct Mention of Webhooks

The Fathom API documentation does not explicitly mention webhooks as part of the official API. The documentation primarily focuses on data retrieval and reporting capabilities.

API Functionality

The Fathom API offers the following features:

  • Complete control over your Fathom account
  • Ability to control all entities within the account
  • Generation of ad-hoc custom reports
  • Filtering options for various parameters like hostname, pathname, device type, browser, etc.

Event Tracking

Fathom provides event tracking functionality, which allows you to track specific actions on your website. However, this is not the same as webhooks. Events are tracked using JavaScript code on your site.

Integration Possibilities

While not native to the Fathom API, there are third-party integration possibilities:

  1. Zapier offers integrations between Fathom and Webhooks by Zapier, which could potentially be used to create webhook-like functionality for Fathom data.
  2. Some users have implemented custom solutions using cloud services like AWS Lambda to create webhook-like functionality for other analytics platforms, which could potentially be adapted for Fathom.

Key Considerations

  1. The official Fathom API documentation does not mention webhooks as a feature.
  2. Fathom focuses on privacy-first analytics, which may influence their decision not to offer webhooks directly.
  3. Third-party integrations or custom solutions might be necessary if webhook functionality is required.

In conclusion, the official Fathom API does not appear to have native webhook support. If webhook functionality is crucial for your use case, you may need to explore third-party integrations or custom solutions.

Rate Limits and other limitations

The API Rate Limits for the Fathom API are as follows:

Rate Limits

  1. Entity endpoints: 2000 requests per hour [1]
  2. Aggregations and currents: 10 requests per minute [1]

Key Points to Consider

  • Each API request counts against your total monthly pageviews. For example, 10 Create Site requests will count the same as 10 pageviews [1].

  • When running complex aggregation queries that are unique (haven't been run before by any user), you may experience a slight lag for the first time you run the query. This is because the database engine needs to create a "query plan" to find the most optimal way to run the query. Subsequent runs will be faster [1].

  • The API is designed to be flexible and cater to various use cases, allowing you to control all entities within your account and generate ad-hoc custom reports [1].

Best Practices

  1. Monitor your API usage to avoid exceeding the rate limits.

  2. For complex queries, consider caching results if possible to reduce the number of API calls.

  3. When implementing the API, be mindful of the impact on your monthly pageview count.

  4. If you're running unique aggregation queries, be prepared for a slight delay on the first run.

  5. Familiarize yourself with the filtering options available in the API to optimize your queries [1].

Additional Information

  • The Fathom Analytics API is currently in early access. Customers can request access by emailing the support team [2].

  • The API allows for complete control of your Fathom account, including server-side tracking [2].

  • Fathom aims to have a complete and public API available to customers later this year [2].

By understanding and adhering to these rate limits, you can effectively use the Fathom API while ensuring sustainable usage within your account's constraints.

Latest API Version

Based on the search results provided, there is no specific mention of the most recent version of the Fathom API. However, I can provide some relevant information about the Fathom API and its features:

Key Points:

  1. The Fathom Analytics API allows users to take complete control of their Fathom account.

  2. It enables users to control all entities within the account and generate ad-hoc custom reports.

  3. The API is described as "incredibly powerful" and aims to cater to every possible use case.

  4. Each API request counts against the user's total monthly pageviews.

  5. The API supports complex aggregation queries, with a slight lag for the first time a unique query is run.

API Features:

  1. Flexible filtering options with support for various operators like "is", "is not", "is like", and "is not like".

  2. Filtering can be applied to various parameters such as hostname, pathname, referrer, device type, browser, country code, and UTM parameters.

  3. The API utilizes cursor-based pagination, similar to the Stripe API, allowing users to paginate using either "starting_after" or "ending_before".

  4. It supports sorting records in both chronological and reverse chronological order.

Best Practices:

  1. When using the API, be mindful of the impact on your monthly pageview count.

  2. For complex queries, expect a slight lag on the first run as the database engine creates a "query plan".

  3. Utilize the flexible filtering options to retrieve specific data as needed.

  4. Take advantage of the pagination features to efficiently retrieve large datasets.

While the search results don't provide information about the most recent version of the Fathom API, they do offer insights into its current capabilities and features. To get the most up-to-date information about the API version, it would be best to check the official Fathom documentation or contact their support directly.

How to get a Fathom developer account and API Keys?

To get a developer account for Fathom to create an API integration, you need to follow these steps:

1. Create a Fathom Analytics account

First, you need to have a Fathom Analytics account. If you don't have one, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial on their website.

2. Request API access

The Fathom API is currently in early access. To get access, you need to:

  1. Contact Fathom support at [email protected] and request instructions for API access.
  2. Wait for instructions via email on how early access works.

3. Create an API token

Once you've received instructions and have been granted access:

  1. Go to https://app.usefathom.com/api.
  2. Click on "Create new" to generate a new API token.
  3. Give your token a name and set permissions (Admin, read-only for all sites, or site-specific).
  4. Write down your API token and save it in a safe place. You won't be able to retrieve it once you navigate away from that page.

What can you do with the Fathom API?

Based on the search results provided, I don't have specific information about the data models that can be interacted with using the Fathom API. The search results seem to be about different Fathom products and services, but don't provide details about API data models.

However, I can provide some general information about typical data models that analytics APIs often support:

  • User/Visitor Data:

    • Unique visitors
    • New vs returning visitors
    • Geographic location
    • Device type
    • Browser information
  • Session Data:

    • Session duration
    • Pages per session
    • Bounce rate
  • Pageview Data:

    • Page views
    • Unique page views
    • Time on page
    • Entry and exit pages
  • Event Data:

    • Custom events and goals
    • Event parameters
  • Referral Data:

    • Traffic sources
    • Referral paths
  • Campaign Data:

    • UTM parameters (source, medium, campaign, etc)
  • Ecommerce Data (if applicable):

    • Transactions
    • Revenue
    • Products
  • Custom Dimensions/Metrics:

    • User-defined attributes

Without more specific information about Fathom's API, I can't say definitively which of these data models it supports. To get accurate details about Fathom API's data models, I'd recommend checking their official API documentation or contacting their support team directly.