Outlit SDK Integration

Decision-tree guide for adding product and website tracking to the Outlit customer context graph. Detect first, ask only when needed, keep changes small, and prefer official docs for framework-specific code.

This skill has no runtime credential requirement of its own. Environment variable names in this guide, such as NEXT_PUBLIC_OUTLIT_KEY or OUTLIT_KEY, are examples for the target application being instrumented.

Branching Check

Before anything else, check whether Outlit is already installed:

1. Look for @outlit/browser, @outlit/node, outlit in Cargo.toml, https://cdn.outlit.ai, or existing outlit.init(...) / new Outlit(...) calls.
2. If not installed, go to Phase 1: Quick Connect.
3. If installed, go to Already Installed.

Already Installed

Ask what they need help with, then run detection before changing code:

• Add event tracking -> Decision 6: Event Tracking
• Add/change auth identity -> Decision 2: Identity
• Add consent management -> Decision 1: Consent
• Add server/native tracking -> Decision 7: Server and Native Tracking
• Add activation tracking -> Decision 4: Activation
• Add billing/Stripe integration -> Decision 5: Billing
• Migrate from other analytics -> Decision 3: Existing Analytics
• Debug/troubleshoot -> Troubleshooting

Current API Guardrails

These points prevent the most common stale integrations:

• All current ingest SDKs use publicKey values that start with pk_. Do not use privateKey, OUTLIT_PRIVATE_KEY, visitorId, or event for @outlit/node examples.
• Node server events use new Outlit({ publicKey }) and track({ eventName, email | userId | fingerprint | customerId, properties }).
• Browser anonymous events are valid without identity. Server track() requires at least one of email, userId, fingerprint, or customerId.
• Server identify() requires email or userId. customerId is optional account/workspace attribution, not a user identity by itself.
• Use customerId for your system-owned account/workspace/customer ID. The TypeScript SDK no longer uses customerDomain; do not add it.
• Browser setUser() can be called before tracking is enabled and will be applied after consent. Browser identify() requires tracking to already be enabled.
• user.activate() is the only journey stage new integrations should send manually. user.engaged() and user.inactive() are deprecated; Outlit derives engagement and inactivity from tracked product activity.
• Billing is account-level. In TypeScript billing methods, prefer customerId; stripeCustomerId is compatibility-only. In Rust billing methods still start with a domain and can add .customer_id(...).
• Event names should be snake_case. SDK events get UUIDv7 event IDs automatically; do not generate event IDs manually.

Phase 1: Quick Connect

Goal: get data flowing quickly so the user can see Outlit connection/activity without making product-strategy decisions.

Step 1: Detect Framework and Package Manager

Check:

Step 2: Choose SDK

Install with the detected manager. Prefer bun add when the repo is a Bun workspace.

Step 3: Add Public Key

Ask for the Outlit public key from Outlit dashboard -> Settings -> Website Tracking or onboarding.

Use the framework's public env convention:

Step 4: Minimal Setup

Fetch the framework doc from the Doc URL Map and implement only startup initialization:

• React/Next: prefer OutlitProvider from @outlit/browser/react in a client boundary.
• Vue/Nuxt: use OutlitPlugin from @outlit/browser/vue.
• Plain browser/script: use @outlit/browser or CDN script.
• Server/native: create one Outlit instance where the process can reuse it.

Do not add custom events, activation, billing, auth, or consent until basic tracking is working unless the user asked for a full integration immediately.

Step 5: Verify Connection

Verify with one or more:

• DevTools Network has https://app.outlit.ai/api/i/v1/<publicKey>/events returning success.
• Browser console has no [Outlit] warnings.
• Server code calls await outlit.flush() or await outlit.shutdown() before process/serverless exit.
• Outlit onboarding/dashboard shows recent activity or connected tracking.

Then ask whether to continue with the full integration.

Phase 2: Full Integration

Run detection and present what you found before changing behavior:

Decision 1: Consent

Explain the tradeoff: autoTrack: true creates browser visitor storage immediately. autoTrack: false waits until enableTracking() is called.

If identity is known before consent, use the React user prop or setUser() so identity is queued and applied after tracking starts. Do not call browser identify() before tracking is enabled.

Decision 2: Identity

Use the strongest identifiers available:

• email: primary person identifier.
• userId: the app/auth-provider user or contact ID.
• customerId: the app's account/workspace/customer/team ID.
• customerTraits: account/workspace metadata such as plan or seats.
• traits: user/contact metadata such as name or role.
• fingerprint: stable device/install ID for native or non-browser tracking.

Recommendations:

Critical distinction: browser identify/setUser links anonymous visitor history. Server identify attributes server-side identity and can link fingerprints/customer IDs, but it does not link browser visitor cookies unless the browser also identifies.

Decision 3: Existing Analytics

Keep event names snake_case and avoid reorganizing unrelated analytics code.

Decision 4: Activation

Activation means a user reached the product's meaningful value moment. It is not automatically "completed onboarding" unless onboarding itself delivers value.

1. Scan for first-value actions: first project/resource created, first integration connected, first report/export generated, first invite, first successful core workflow.
2. Suggest the strongest candidate and ask for confirmation if ambiguous.
3. Call user.activate() only after the action is confirmed complete, usually after the backend succeeds.
4. Ensure the user is identified first. Browser SDK queues up to 10 activation events until identity is set, but the cleaner integration is to set identity before activation.
5. Do not call user.engaged() or user.inactive() in new integrations.

Decision 5: Billing

Billing is account-level context, separate from contact journey stages.

TypeScript:

outlit.customer.paid({
  customerId: "cust_123",
  properties: { plan: "pro" },
})

Rust currently differs:

client.customer()
    .paid("acme.com")
    .customer_id("cust_123")
    .send()
    .await?;

Always flush server/native queues before the handler exits.

Decision 6: Event Tracking

Browser SDK defaults already capture:

• pageviews, including SPA navigation
• form submissions with sensitive fields removed
• auto-identify from email/name form fields
• engagement time and sessions
• Cal.com/Calendly booking events, without attendee email/name from client-side embeds

Add custom track() calls only for meaningful product actions that are not covered by automatic capture or connected integrations. Use properties for useful context, not PII or secrets.

Calendar embed limitation: Cal.com and Calendly client events do not expose attendee email/name. Use provider webhooks plus server identify() when booked-meeting identity matters.

Hash-routed SPAs, file:// routes, and Electron-style hash paths are handled by the core path extractor; do not add custom path parsing unless the app has a special router.

Decision 7: Server and Native Tracking

Use server/native tracking for backend-confirmed product activity, billing, background jobs, native apps, CLIs, and device-based activity.

Node example:

import { Outlit } from "@outlit/node"

const outlit = new Outlit({ publicKey: process.env.OUTLIT_KEY! })

outlit.track({
  customerId: "cust_123",
  eventName: "workspace_synced",
  properties: { provider: "github" },
})

await outlit.flush()

Use fingerprint for native/desktop/mobile activity before login:

outlit.track({
  fingerprint: deviceId,
  eventName: "app_opened",
})

outlit.identify({
  email: user.email,
  fingerprint: deviceId,
})

Serverless rule: await outlit.flush() before returning. Long-lived process rule: reuse one client and call shutdown() on graceful shutdown.

Doc URL Map

Fetch docs as needed. Prefer docs over hardcoding long framework patterns, but apply the API guardrails above if examples conflict.

Troubleshooting

No browser events

1. Confirm the public env var prefix is correct and exposed to the client bundle.
2. Confirm provider/init runs once at app startup and wraps the app.
3. If autoTrack: false, call enableTracking() after consent.
4. Check Network for /api/i/v1/<publicKey>/events.
5. Check console warnings such as tracking not enabled, already initialized, or multiple instances.

Events not linked to users

• Prefer OutlitProvider user, useOutlitUser, or setUser() for auth state.
• Send both email and userId when available.
• Include customerId for account/workspace-scoped products.
• Browser identity links visitor history; server identity does not replace browser identity.
• For native/device history, reuse the same persistent fingerprint before and after login.

Server events missing

• Use publicKey, not privateKey.
• Use eventName, not event.
• Provide at least one of email, userId, fingerprint, or customerId to track().
• identify() needs email or userId.
• Always await outlit.flush() before serverless handlers return.
• Non-retryable ingest errors stop automatic retries until restart; fix credentials/config instead of waiting.

Activation missing or delayed

• Call activation after identity is set.
• In browsers, user.activate() can queue until setUser()/identify() provides identity, but the queue is bounded.
• Do not use deprecated engaged/inactive calls; send product activity with track().

Key Principles

• Minimal changes: instrument the existing app shape.
• Detect first, ask second.
• Use customerId for account/workspace context.
• Use setUser/provider user for auth lifecycle.
• Use track() for product activity; use user.activate() only for the activation milestone.
• Flush server/native queues before exit.
• Keep events snake_case.

Installation

Install this skill through the Outlit CLI when possible:

outlit setup skills

Or with the Skills CLI:

npx -y skills add https://github.com/OutlitAI/outlit-agent-skills --skill outlit-sdk -g