Document Referrer: A Key Aspect of Client-Side Applications
In the world of client-side applications, retrieving data from the client-side is necessary for tracking user behavior and monitoring website traffic. The document referrer is a crucial piece of information that can provide insights into how users navigate a website or application.
In this article, we will delve into what the document referrer is, how it is used in client-side applications, and how it can be retrieved using JavaScript. What is document referrer?
The document referrer is a read-only property of the Document Object Model (DOM) that contains the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the document that the user navigated from. It is related to the HTTP network layer protocol, which is used to transfer data between clients and servers.
When a user clicks on a link to go to a different page, the document referrer is updated with the previous page’s URL. The document referrer is not always available.
It is only available when the user navigates to a new page from a link or from their browser history. When a user enters a URL directly into the browser or uses a bookmark, the referrer is not passed along, and the property remains empty.
The Importance of Document Referrer in Client-Side Applications
In client-side applications, documenting how users navigate a website or application is important for tracking user behavior. Document referrer can provide essential insights into user paths in a website or application.
Client-side application developers can use the referrer to:
– Determine how visitors landed on a page
– Track where visitors go after leaving a site or application
– Track back navigations to identify where an individual left a site
By analyzing this data, developers can improve the user experience and make data-driven decisions that will improve website or application performance.
Retrieving the Document Referrer Using JavaScript
To retrieve the document referrer in a client-side application, JavaScript can be used. JavaScript has several events and functions that can provide access to referrer information.
Here’s how you can retrieve the document referrer using JavaScript:
1. Using the document.referrer property – The easiest way to retrieve the document referrer is by using the built-in property document.referrer.
This property returns the URL of the referring document. If there is no referrer available, the property returns an empty string.
2. Using the Window.location object – The Window.location object provides access to the URL of the current document and can be used to get the document referrer.
By accessing the Window.location object’s properties, the client-side application developer can retrieve the URL of the previous document. 3.
Using the document.URL property – The document.URL property can be used to get the URL of the current document. By using string manipulation techniques, the developer can extract the domain name and use it to identify the referrer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the document referrer is a crucial piece of information for client-side application developers. Retrieving the document referrer is possible using several JavaScript events and functions.
By analyzing the data provided by the referrer, developers can make informed decisions that will improve the user experience and ultimately lead to a more successful website or application. Understanding the importance of document referrer and how to retrieve it ensures that client-side application developers are properly equipped to monitor and understand user behavior.
Example Code: Retrieving Document Referrer and Displaying it on a Webpage
In the previous section, we discussed the importance of document referrer and how it can be retrieved using JavaScript. In this section, we will provide an example code that retrieves the document referrer and displays it on a webpage.
This code can be used by client-side application developers to track user behavior and improve the user experience. Here’s how the code works:
HTML Elements
The first thing we need to do is define the HTML elements that will hold the result. In the example code, we will use two HTML elements: a paragraph element and a button.
<p id=”referrer”></p>
<button onclick=”displayReferrer()”>Display Referrer</button>
In the above code, we have created a paragraph element with an ID of “referrer” and a button that calls the “displayReferrer()” function when it is clicked.
Variable Declaration and Initialization
Next, we need to define a variable that will hold the document referrer. In the example code, we will use a variable called “referrer”.
var referrer = “”;
In the above code, we have declared a variable called “referrer” and initialized it to an empty string.
Retrieving the Document Referrer
To retrieve the document referrer, we will use the document.referrer property, which returns the URL of the referring document. function getReferrer() {
referrer = document.referrer;
}
In the above code, we have defined a function called “getReferrer()” that retrieves the document referrer using the document.referrer property and stores it in the “referrer” variable.
Displaying the Result
Finally, we need to display the result on the webpage. For this, we will use the document.getElementById() method to get the paragraph element and set its innerHTML property to the value of the “referrer” variable.
function displayReferrer() {
getReferrer();
document.getElementById(“referrer”).innerHTML = referrer;
}
In the above code, we have defined a function called “displayReferrer()” that calls the “getReferrer()” function to retrieve the document referrer, and then sets the innerHTML property of the paragraph element with an ID of “referrer” to the value of the “referrer” variable.
Testing the Code
Now that we have defined all the components of the code, we can test it. When the button is clicked, the “displayReferrer()” function will be called, which in turn calls the “getReferrer()” function to retrieve the document referrer.
The innerHTML property of the paragraph element with an ID of “referrer” will then be set to the value of the “referrer” variable, which will display the document referrer on the webpage. <!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Example Code: Retrieving Document Referrer and Displaying it on a Webpage</title>
</head>
<body>
<p id=”referrer”></p>
<button onclick=”displayReferrer()”>Display Referrer</button>
<script>
var referrer = “”;
function getReferrer() {
referrer = document.referrer;
}
function displayReferrer() {
getReferrer();
document.getElementById(“referrer”).innerHTML = referrer;
}
</script>
</body>
</html>
In the above code, we have added the HTML, JavaScript, and CSS that define the webpage and the code.
When the code is run, the webpage will display an empty paragraph element and a button. When the button is clicked, the document referrer will be retrieved and displayed in the paragraph element as text.
In conclusion, the example code we have provided demonstrates how to retrieve the document referrer using JavaScript and display it on a webpage using HTML elements. By tracking document referrer, client-side application developers can gain valuable insights into user behavior and improve their website or application’s performance.
The code we have provided is a useful tool for developers looking to track document referrer and improve their user experience. In summary, the document referrer is a crucial piece of information for client-side application developers.
Retrieving the document referrer is possible using several JavaScript events and functions, and it can provide essential insights into user paths on a website or application. By analyzing the data provided by the referrer, developers can make informed decisions that will improve the user experience and ultimately lead to a more successful website or application.
The example code we have provided is a useful tool for developers looking to track document referrer and improve their user experience. By using the document referrer to track user behavior, client-side application developers can gain valuable insights that will improve their website’s or application’s performance.