> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://rudderlabs.gitbook.io/rudderlabs-1/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://rudderlabs.gitbook.io/rudderlabs-1/docs/stream-sources/rudderstack-sdk-integration-guides/rudderstack-php-sdk.md).

# PHP

Detailed technical documentation on using RudderStack’s PHP SDK to send your server-side events to various destinations.

RudderStack’s PHP SDK allows you to track your event data from your PHP applications and send it to your specified destinations via RudderStack.

Check out the [**GitHub codebase**](https://github.com/rudderlabs/rudder-php-sdk) to get a more hands-on understanding of the SDK.

[![Github Badge](https://img.shields.io/packagist/v/rudderstack/rudder-php-sdk.svg?style=flat)](https://packagist.org/packages/rudderstack/rudder-php-sdk)

## SDK setup requirements

To set up the RudderStack PHP SDK, the following prerequisites must be met:

* You will need to set up a [**RudderStack account**](https://app.rudderstack.com).
* Once signed up, set up a PHP source in the dashboard. For more information, follow [**this guide**](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudderstack-cloud/sources/#adding-a-source). You should then see a **Write Key** for this source, as shown below:

![PHP source write key](https://876606571-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-Lq5Ea6fHVg3dSxMCgyQ%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-47b5653eb4868e9bab94a3cadb9502db1f7ea5ce%2Fphp-sdk-1.png?alt=media)

* You will also need a data plane URL. Follow [**this section**](https://rudderstack.com/docs/rudderstack-open-source/installing-and-setting-up-rudderstack/#what-is-a-data-plane-url-where-do-i-get-it) for more information on the data plane URL and where to get it.

## Installing the PHP SDK

Install the RudderStack PHP SDK using the [**composer**](https://packagist.org/packages/rudderstack/rudder-php-sdk). You can also do so by running the following command:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/rudderlabs/rudder-php-sdk /my/app/folders/
```

Then, use the composer to install the PHP SDK by running the following command:

```bash
composer require rudderstack/rudder-php-sdk
```

## Initializing the RudderStack client

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

```php
require_once("/path/to/lib/Rudder.php");

Rudder::init(WRITE_KEY, array(
  "data_plane_url" => DATA_PLANE_URL,
  "consumer"       => "lib_curl", // fork_curl
  "debug"          => true,
  "max_queue_size" => 10000,
  "batch_size"     => 100,
  "ssl"            => true // defaults to true
));
```

RudderStack accepts the `DATA_PLANE_URL` with or without the protocol. If the protocol is missing, RudderStack automatically prepends it to the URL based on whether the `ssl` option is set to `true` or `false`.

RudderStack accepts the following data plane URL formats:

| **SSL** | **Data Plane URL**              |
| ------- | ------------------------------- |
| `true`  | `https://example.dataplane.com` |
| `true`  | `example.dataplane.com`         |
| `false` | `http://example.dataplane.com`  |
| `false` | `example.dataplane.com`         |

While initializing the RudderStack client, the `ssl` field is optional if you are using the HTTPS protocol. If included, its value must be set to `true`.

In case of the HTTP protocol, `ssl` is a required field and must always be set to `false`.

## Sending events from the RudderStack client

Once the RudderStack client is initialized, you can use it to send relevant customer events.

RudderStack does not store the user state in any of the server-side SDKs. Unlike the client-side SDKs that deal with only a single user at a given time, the server-side SDKs deal with multiple users at the same time. Therefore, for any of the calls supported by the PHP SDK, you need to specify either `userId` or `anonymousId` every time.

A sample `track` call is shown in the following code snippet:

```php
Rudder::track(array(
  "userId" => "f4ca124298",
  "event" => "Signed Up",
  "properties" => array(
    "plan" => "Enterprise"
  )
));
```

## Identify

The `identify` call lets you identify a visiting user and capture any related information such as their name, email address, etc.

A sample `identify` call is as shown:

```php
Rudder::identify(array(
  "userId" => "2sfjej334",
  "traits" => array(
    "email" => "test@test.com",
    "name" => "test name",
    "friends" => 25
  )
));
```

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 `name`or `email`                                                |

## Track

The `track` call lets you record the user actions along with their associated properties. Each user action is called an **event**.

A sample `track` call is shown below:

```php
Rudder::track(array(
  "userId" => "f4ca124298",
  "event" => "Article Bookmarked",
  "properties" => array(
    "title" => "Snow Fall",
    "subtitle" => "The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek",
    "author" => "John Branch"
  )
));
```

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 along with the other relevant information about the viewed page.

A sample `page` call is as shown:

```php
Rudder::page(array(
  "userId" => "f4ca124298",
  "category" => "Docs",
  "name" => "PHP library",
  "properties" => array(
    "url" => "https://segment.com/libraries/php/"
  )
));
```

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.

A sample `screen` call is as shown:

```php
Rudder::screen(array(
  "userId" => "f4ca124298",
  "category" => "Docs",
  "name" => "PHP library",
  "properties" => array(
    "name" => "HomeScreen"
  )
));
```

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 lets you associate an identified user to a group - either a company, project or a team and record any custom traits or properties associated with that group.

A sample `group` call is as shown:

```php
Rudder::group(array(
  "userId" => "2sfjej334",
  "groupId" => "2sfjej334erresd",
  "traits" => array(
    "email" => "test@test.com",
    "name" => "test name",
    "friends" => 25
  )
));
```

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.

`alias` is an advanced method that lets you change the tracked user's ID explicitly. This method is useful when managing user identities for some of the downstream destinations.

A sample `alias` call is as shown:

```php
Rudder::alias(array(
  "previousId" => "previousId",
  "userId" => "2sfjej334",
));
```

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.                                                                               |

For a detailed explanation of the `alias` call, refer to our [RudderStack API Specification](https://rudderstack.com/docs/rudderstack-api/api-specification/rudderstack-spec/alias) guide.

## Contact us

For any queries on any of the sections covered in this guide, you can [**contact us**](mailto:%20docs@rudderstack.com), or start a conversation on our [**Slack**](https://rudderstack.com/join-rudderstack-slack-community/) channel.

If you come across any issues while using the PHP SDK, you can open a new issue on our [**GitHub Issues page**](https://github.com/rudderlabs/rudder-php-sdk/issues/new).