Analytics Setup Guide

This guide explains how to set up analytics for the Pet Tracker app across different environments.

🎯 Recommended: Firebase Analytics

Firebase Analytics is free, comprehensive, and works great with React Native/Expo apps.

Setup Steps:

1. Create Firebase Project

   • Go to Firebase Console
   • Click "Create a project"
   • Name it "Pet Tracker" (or your preferred name)

2. Add Your App

   • Click "Add app" → Select iOS/Android
   • iOS Bundle ID: com.pettracker.app.dev (development)
   • Android Package: com.pettracker.app.dev (development)
   • Download config files:
     • GoogleService-Info.plist (iOS)
     • google-services.json (Android)

3. Install Dependencies

   npx expo install @react-native-firebase/app @react-native-firebase/analytics

4. Configure Environment

   # In .env files, set:
   EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_ENABLED=true

5. Add Config Files

   • Place google-services.json in project root
   • Add to app.config.js:

   plugins: ['@react-native-firebase/app', '@react-native-firebase/analytics'];

🔄 Alternative: Mixpanel

Event-based analytics with detailed user tracking.

Setup Steps:

1. Create Account

   • Go to Mixpanel.com
   • Sign up and create project

2. Get Project Token

   • Dashboard → Settings → Project Settings
   • Copy "Project Token"

3. Install Dependencies

   npx expo install mixpanel-react-native

4. Configure Environment

   # In .env files:
   EXPO_PUBLIC_MIXPANEL_TOKEN=your-project-token-here

📊 Alternative: Amplitude

Product analytics focused on user behavior.

Setup Steps:

1. Create Account

   • Go to Amplitude.com
   • Sign up and create project

2. Get API Key

   • Settings → General → API Keys
   • Copy "API Key"

3. Install Dependencies

   npx expo install @amplitude/analytics-react-native

4. Configure Environment

   # In .env files:
   EXPO_PUBLIC_AMPLITUDE_API_KEY=your-api-key-here

🎛 Environment-Specific Setup

Development

• Use test/development projects
• Enable all logging
• Separate from production data

Testing

• Use dedicated test projects
• Mock analytics calls in unit tests
• Separate analytics events

Staging

• Mirror production setup
• Use staging projects
• Test all analytics flows

Production

• Use production projects
• Minimal logging
• Real user data

🛠 Implementation Example

Create src/services/Analytics.ts:

import { config } from '../config';

class AnalyticsService {
  private static instance: AnalyticsService;

  static getInstance(): AnalyticsService {
    if (!this.instance) {
      this.instance = new AnalyticsService();
    }
    return this.instance;
  }

  async initialize() {
    if (!config.analyticsEnabled) return;

    if (process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_ENABLED === 'true') {
      // Initialize Firebase Analytics
      const analytics = await import('@react-native-firebase/analytics');
      await analytics.default().setAnalyticsCollectionEnabled(true);
    }

    if (process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_MIXPANEL_TOKEN) {
      // Initialize Mixpanel
      const { Mixpanel } = await import('mixpanel-react-native');
      const mixpanel = new Mixpanel(process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_MIXPANEL_TOKEN);
      await mixpanel.init();
    }

    if (process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_AMPLITUDE_API_KEY) {
      // Initialize Amplitude
      const amplitude = await import('@amplitude/analytics-react-native');
      amplitude.init(process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_AMPLITUDE_API_KEY);
    }
  }

  trackEvent(eventName: string, properties?: Record<string, any>) {
    if (!config.analyticsEnabled) return;

    // Track with your chosen service
    console.log(`Analytics: ${eventName}`, properties);
  }
}

export const analytics = AnalyticsService.getInstance();

🔒 Privacy Considerations

• GDPR Compliance: Ask for consent before tracking
• Data Minimization: Only track necessary events
• Anonymization: Avoid tracking PII
• Opt-out: Provide analytics disable option

📱 Events to Track

For Pet Tracker app:

• pet_added
• weight_logged
• food_entry_added
• vet_visit_scheduled
• app_opened
• screen_viewed

🚫 What NOT to Track

• Personal information (names, emails)
• Sensitive pet health data
• Location data without consent
• Any financial information