rudderstack-python-sdk.md

description	Detailed technical documentation on using RudderStack’s Python SDK to send events to various destinations

Python

RudderStack’s Python SDK allows you to track your customer event data from your Python code. Once enabled, the event requests hit the RudderStack servers. RudderStack then routes the events to the specified destination platforms as configured by you.

You can find this SDK in our GitHub repository.

Installing the RudderStack Python SDK

To install the RudderStack Python SDK using pip, run the following command:

pip install rudder-sdk-python

Initializing the RudderStack Client

To initialize the RudderStack client, run the following code snippet:

import rudder_analytics

rudder_analytics.write_key = WRITE_KEY
rudder_analytics.data_plane_url = DATA_PLANE_URL

Sending Events from RudderStack

Once the RudderStack client is initialized, you can use it to send relevant customer events from the RudderStack client. An example track call is as shown in the following code snippet:

rudder_analytics.track('developer_user_id', 'Simple Track Event', {
  'key1': 'val1'
})

Identify

The identify call lets you associate a user to their actions as well as captures the relevant traits or properties related to that user.

{% hint style="info" %} For a detailed explanation of the identify call, please refer to our RudderStack API Specification guide. {% endhint %}

An example identify call is as shown:

rudder_analytics.identify('123456', {
    'email': 'name@surname.com',
    'name': 'John Doe',
    'friends': 16
})

The identify method parameters are as described below:

Field	Type	Presence	Description
anonymousId	String	Optional	Sets the user ID for cases where there is no unique identifier for the user. Either userId or anonymousId is required.
userId	String	Optional, if anonymousId is already set	Unique identifier for a particular user in your database.
context	Object	Optional	Dictionary of information that provides context about a message. However, it is not directly related to the API call.
integrations	Object	Optional	A dictionary containing the destinations to be either enabled or disabled.
timestamp	Date	Optional	The timestamp of the message's arrival.
traits	Object	Optional	Dictionary of the traits associated with the user, such as nameor email

Track

The track call lets you record the users' actions along with their associated properties. Each triggered action is called as an 'event'.

{% hint style="info" %} For a detailed explanation of the track call, please refer to our RudderStack API Specification guide. {% endhint %}

An example track call is as shown:

rudder_analytics.track('123456', 'Article Read', {
    'title': 'The Independence',
    'subtitle': 'Story of the Weak',
    'author': 'John Doe'
})

The track method parameters are as described below:

Name	Type	Presence	Description
user_id	String	Required	The developer identification for your user
event	String	Required	Name of the event being performed by the user
properties	Object	Optional	Dictionary of the properties associated with a particular event.
context	Object	Optional	Dictionary of information that provides context about a message. However, it is not directly related to the API call.
timestamp	Date	Optional	The timestamp of the message's arrival.
anonymous_id	String	Optional	Sets the user ID for cases where there is no unique identifier for the user. Either userId or anonymousId is required.
integrations	Object	Optional	A dictionary containing the destinations to be either enabled or disabled.

Page

The page call allows you to record the page views on your website. It also records the other relevant information about the page that is being viewed.

{% hint style="info" %} For a detailed explanation of the page call, please refer to our RudderStack API Specification guide. {% endhint %}

An example page call is as shown:

rudder_analytics.page('userid', 'Documentation', 'Sample Doc', {
    'url': 'http://rudderstack.com'
})

The page method parameters are as described below:

Field	Type	Presence	Description
anonymousId	String	Optional	Sets the user ID for cases where there is no unique identifier for the user. Either userId or anonymousId is required.
userId	String	Optional, if anonymousId is already set	Unique identifier for a particular user in your database.
context	Object	Optional	Dictionary of information that provides context about a message. However, it is not directly related to the API call.
integrations	Object	Optional	A dictionary containing the destinations to be either enabled or disabled.
name	String	Required	Name of the page being viewed.
properties	Object	Optional	Dictionary of the properties associated with the page being viewed, such as url and referrer
timestamp	Date	Optional	The timestamp of the message's arrival.

Screen

The screen call is the mobile equivalent of the page call. It allows you to record the screen views on your mobile app along with the other relevant information about the app screen.

{% hint style="info" %} For a detailed explanation of the screen call, please refer to our RudderStack API Specification guide. {% endhint %}

An example screen call is as shown:

rudder_analytics.screen('userid', 'Settings', 'Brightness', {
    'from': 'Settings Screen'
})

The screen method parameters are as described below:

Field	Type	Presence	Description
anonymousId	String	Optional	Sets the user ID for cases where there is no unique identifier for the user. Either userId or anonymousId is required.
userId	String	Optional, if anonymousId is already set	Unique identifier for a particular user in your database.
context	Object	Optional	Dictionary of information that provides context about a message. However, it is not directly related to the API call.
integrations	Object	Optional	A dictionary containing the destinations to be either enabled or disabled.
name	String	Required	Name of the screen being viewed.
properties	Object	Optional	Dictionary of the properties associated with the page being viewed, such as url and referrer
timestamp	Date	Optional	The timestamp of the message's arrival.

Group

The group call allows you to associate an identified user to a group - either a company, project or a team. You can also record custom traits or properties associated with that group.

{% hint style="info" %} For a detailed explanation of the group call, please refer to our RudderStack API Specification guide. {% endhint %}

An example group call is as shown:

rudder_analytics.group('userid', 'groupid', {
    'name': 'Company',
    'domain': 'IT'
})

The group method parameters are as follows:

Field	Type	Presence	Description
anonymousId	String	Optional	Sets the user ID for cases where there is no unique identifier for the user. Either userId or anonymousId is required.
userId	String	Optional, if anonymousId is already set	Unique identifier for a particular user in your database.
context	Object	Optional	Dictionary of information that provides context about a message. However, it is not directly related to the API call.
integrations	Object	Optional	A dictionary containing the destinations to be either enabled or disabled.
groupId	String	Required	Unique identifier of the group, as present in your database.
traits	Object	Optional	Dictionary of the properties or traits associated with the group, such as email or name.
timestamp	Date	Optional	The timestamp of the message's arrival.

Alias

The alias call allows you to associate one identity with another.

{% hint style="info" %} alias is an advanced method. However, it is required when managing user identities in some destinations. {% endhint %}

An example alias call is as shown:

rudder_analytics.alias('previousid', 'userid')

The alias method parameters are as mentioned below:

Field	Type	Presence	Description
userId	String	Optional, if anonymousId is already set	Unique identifier for a particular user in your database.
context	Object	Optional	Dictionary of information that provides context about a message. However, it is not directly related to the API call.
integrations	Object	Optional	A dictionary containing the destinations to be either enabled or disabled.
previousId	String	Required	The previous unique identifier of the user.
traits	Object	Optional	Dictionary of the properties or traits associated with the group, such as email or name.
timestamp	Date	Optional	The timestamp of the message's arrival.

{% hint style="info" %} For a detailed explanation of the alias call, please refer to our RudderStack API Specification guide. {% endhint %}

Contact Us

To know more about the RudderStack Python SDK, you can contact us. You can also start a conversation on our Slack channel; we will be happy to talk to you.