Step by Step Guide to Building a Hotjar API Integration in Ruby

Aug 2, 2024 • 5 minute read

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to supercharge your Ruby app with some sweet user insights? Let's dive into integrating Hotjar's API using the nifty middleman-hotjar package. Buckle up, because we're about to make your app a whole lot smarter!

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, make sure you've got:

A Ruby environment that's all set up and ready to roll
A Hotjar account with those precious API credentials

Got 'em? Great! Let's move on.

Installation

First things first, let's get that middleman-hotjar package into your project:

Add this line to your Gemfile:
```
gem 'middleman-hotjar'
```
Run this command in your terminal:
```
bundle install
```

Easy peasy, right?

Configuration

Now, let's tell your app about Hotjar:

Grab your Hotjar Site ID from your Hotjar dashboard

Open up your config.rb file and add:

activate :hotjar do |h|
  h.site_id = 'YOUR_SITE_ID'
end

Replace YOUR_SITE_ID with your actual Hotjar Site ID. You're on fire!

Basic Integration

Time to get that tracking code in place:

In your layout file (probably layout.erb), add this line in the <head> section:
```
<%= hotjar_tag %>
```
Fire up your app and check your Hotjar dashboard. If you see data rolling in, you're golden!

Advanced Usage

Ready to level up? Let's explore some cool features:

Identifying Users

hotjar.identify(USER_ID, { email: '[email protected]', name: 'John Doe' })

Triggering Events

hotjar.trigger('button_clicked')

Custom Attributes

hotjar.attribute('plan', 'premium')

Handling Data

Now, let's fetch some of that juicy data:

require 'hotjar'

client = Hotjar::Client.new(api_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY')
data = client.get_recordings(site_id: 'YOUR_SITE_ID')

Process this data however you like. Sky's the limit!

Best Practices

Keep an eye on performance. Hotjar's script is async, but still, monitor your load times.
Respect user privacy. Only collect what you need and be transparent about it.

Troubleshooting

Hitting a snag? Here are some common hiccups:

No data showing up? Double-check your Site ID and make sure your app is in production mode.
Getting API errors? Verify your API key and check Hotjar's status page for any ongoing issues.

Conclusion

And there you have it! You've just leveled up your Ruby app with some serious user insight power. Remember, with great power comes great responsibility – use these insights wisely to create an even better user experience.

Keep coding, keep learning, and most importantly, keep having fun! 🚀