> 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-python-sdk.md).

# Python

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

The **RudderStack Python SDK** lets you track your customer event data from your Python applications and send it to your specified destinations via RudderStack.

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

[![](https://img.shields.io/pypi/v/rudder-sdk-python.svg?style=flat)](https://pypi.org/project/rudder-sdk-python/)

## SDK setup requirements

To set up the RudderStack Python 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 Python 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:

![Python source write key](https://876606571-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-Lq5Ea6fHVg3dSxMCgyQ%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-e9fcd88fef0117ab2cb765432fbff76e3305f9a8%2Fpython-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 Python SDK

To install the RudderStack Python SDK using [**pip**](https://pip.pypa.io/en/stable/), run the following command:

```bash
pip install rudder-sdk-python
```

## Initializing the RudderStack client

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

```python
import rudder_analytics

rudder_analytics.write_key = WRITE_KEY
rudder_analytics.data_plane_url = DATA_PLANE_URL
```

## Sending events from the RudderStack client

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

A sample `track` call is as shown :

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

## Identify

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

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 Node.js SDK, you need to specify either `userId` or `anonymousId` every time.

A sample `identify` call is as shown:

```python
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 `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:

```python
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 along with the other relevant information about the viewed page.

A sample `page` call is as shown:

```python
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 lets you record whenever your user views their mobile screen with any additional relevant information about the viewed screen.

A sample `screen` call is shown below:

```python
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 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:

```python
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 lets you merge different identities of a known user.

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

A sample `alias` call is as shown:

```python
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.                                                                               |

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.

## Flushing events

The Python SDK batches the events and flushes them in the background, for faster and more efficient operation. By default, the SDK flushes a batch of 100 events every 0.5 seconds since the last flush.

You can control the event flushing by tweaking the following parameters:

| Parameter        | Description                                | Default value |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ------------- |
| `max_queue_size` | Defines the maximum queue size             | 100           |
| `flush_interval` | Time interval between two flush activities | 0.5s          |

You can also flush the events explicitly by using the SDK's `flush()` method to make sure no events are left in the queue.

A sample flush call is shown below:

```python
rudder_analytics.flush()
```

The SDK blocks the calling thread until all the messages are flushed from the queue. Hence, you should avoid using it as a part of your request lifecycle.

## Error handling

To handle errors that may occur when sending these events via `rudder_analytics` you can declare a callback called `on_error`.

```
def on_error(error, events):
    print("Error response:", error)

rudder_analytics.on_error = on_error
```

Note that this callback will only return the errors that may occur with the HTTP request to the gateway. It will not return any errors that occur downstream.

Some of the common request responses are listed in the following table:

| Status                                         | Code |
| ---------------------------------------------- | ---- |
| OK                                             | 200  |
| Request neither has `anonymousId` nor `userId` | 400  |
| Invalid write key                              | 401  |
| Invalid JSON                                   | 400  |

## 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 in our [**Slack**](https://rudderstack.com/join-rudderstack-slack-community/) community.