What's the advantage of client-side analytics over server-side?

Question

I've always used client-side web analytics that uses JavaScript to track visitor hits to the site, and all the useful information that gives. But some people have recently told me they prefer server side analytics because it's faster.

So what I wondered is what are the main advantages of doing it client-side with JavaScript? Which has more features and why?

Answer 1

Server or Client side for Analytics?

Server-side Advantages:

• Servers can be set up with infinitely more power than desktop machines and so can crunch "the big numbers".

• Performance can be more predictable as the same machines are used for everyone's analysis and generation of results.

• Output will not have dependencies on browser / browser version as they just have to display an image.

• Output can also be multi-device without any dependencies.

• Output can be the same everywhere both reducing client issues and also making the image generation be about supporting 1 output format over many.

Client-side Advantages:

• If the number of clients is large, say thousands per minute, it can be good to unload the processing to client machines to avoid having them slow down a central server.

• Solutions tend to provide more interactivity and faster results as all the data and the logic is on the client.

• Once downloaded initially, views can be changed without being online.

• If the traffic varies a lot, say sometimes a few queries per hour, other times, hundreds per minute client-side makes sure that a central server is not over-loaded by this effort

• Server-side infrastructure will not be needed and so will not cost (the provider) money.