Getting Your Local System Ready for Web Analytics

Alright, so we've talked about what we're building and the main tools we're using. Now, before we can start putting anything together, we need to make sure your local system has all the right programs and tools ready. Think of it like gathering all your ingredients and setting up your kitchen before you start cooking!

1. What Your Computer Needs Generally

Your Computer's System: Whether you're using Windows, a Mac, or Linux, most of these steps will be pretty similar. I'll try to give you the most common instructions so no matter what system you're on, you’ll be able to follow along.

Internet Connection: You’ll definitely need to be online to download all this stuff. So make sure you're connected to the internet before we begin.

Admin Access: For some of the bigger programs, your computer might ask for permission (like when it asks "Do you want to allow this app to make changes?"). Just say yes. You’ll need those permissions to install key tools.

Diagram of local web analytics setup with Python, Flask, SQL Server and Streamlit.

Every good website needs a way to “see” how visitors interact with it — and on sankalandtech.com, we’re keeping it simple. For tracking user behavior, we’re using plain old JavaScript. That means you won’t need to install anything heavy or complicated on your system just yet. Think of this part like giving the site a set of eyes, so we can understand what’s really happening when someone visits.

The "Eyes" on the Website: Tracking with Plain Old JavaScript

You'll Need: Just a regular web browser — Chrome, Firefox, or Edge — will do the trick. That’s all you need to view the site and test our JavaScript tracking code in action.

Good Idea (Code Editor): Writing JavaScript (and later, Python) is a lot smoother with a code editor. I highly recommend Visual Studio Code (VS Code). It's lightweight, free, and packed with features that make coding easier.

How to get it: Head over to code.visualstudio.com and download the version that matches your computer.

Putting it on: Once you've downloaded the installer, just run it and follow the instructions. It’s a simple setup — nothing fancy or technical required.

The "Brain" of the System: Processing with Python (using Flask)

Behind every smart website is a system that thinks — a "brain" that processes what’s going on. For sankalandtech.com, that’s going to be Python, with a little help from a web framework called Flask. This is where the data visitors create gets handled, sorted, and made useful.

What You Need:

Python:
A recent version, like 3.9 or newer.
pip:
This comes with Python and helps us add more tools.
Virtual Environment:
A neat trick to keep this project’s tools separate from everything else on your computer. Keeps things clean and tidy!

How to Get It All:

a. Put Python on Your Computer

• If you have Windows:

Go to the official Python site: python.org/downloads/windows/
Download the latest Python 3.x.x installer (like 3.10.x or 3.11.x).
Super Important Tip: Check the box that says "Add Python X.X to PATH" before you click "Install Now."
Finish the installation as guided.

• If you have a Mac:

Use Homebrew. If you don’t have it, open Terminal and paste:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Once Homebrew is installed, type:
```
brew install python@3.10
```
(or use python@3.11 or simply brew install python for the latest)
Check it worked by typing:
```
python3 --version
```

• If you have Linux (like Ubuntu):

Open your Terminal and update your packages:
```
sudo apt update
```
Install Python and pip:
```
sudo apt install python3 python3-pip
```
Check it worked:
```
python3 --version
```

b. Create and Start Our Tidy Python Area (Virtual Environment)

Open your Terminal or Command Prompt.

Navigate to your project folder:


cd Documents\SankalandAnalytics        (on Windows)
cd ~/Projects/SankalandAnalytics      (on Mac/Linux)
mkdir SankalandAnalytics && cd SankalandAnalytics

Create the virtual environment:
```
python3 -m venv venv
```

Activate it:

On Windows:
```
.\venv\Scripts\activate
```
On Mac/Linux:
```
source venv/bin/activate
```

You'll know it’s active when you see something like this at the start of your prompt:
```
(venv) C:\Users\YourName\SankalandAnalytics>
```

c. Put Flask in Our Tidy Area

With your virtual environment activated, install Flask:

pip install Flask

To make sure Flask is installed:

pip show Flask

You should see some information about Flask if everything went right.

The "Filing Cabinet": Our Database (SQL Server Local)

All the data we collect from sankalandtech.com has to be stored somewhere safe and organized — that’s where our database comes in. Think of it like the filing cabinet of the system, keeping track of everything from user actions to traffic patterns. We’ll use a local version of SQL Server to do this.

What You Need:

A few gigabytes of free space on your computer
Admin access to install and configure software

How to Get It All:

a. Get SQL Server Express

Go to Microsoft’s SQL Server download page: microsoft.com/sql-server-downloads
Scroll down until you see "Express" and click "Download now."

b. Install SQL Server Express

Run the downloaded file (like SQLEXPR_x64_ENU.exe).
Choose the "Custom" installation to have more control.
Accept the license terms.
Pick an installation folder (the default location is usually fine).
When asked for "Feature Selection", make sure "Database Engine Services" is selected.
In the "Instance Configuration" screen:
- Select "Named instance" and enter a name like SQLEXPRESS — this is a common and recommended name.
On the "Server Configuration" screen, you can typically leave the defaults.
On the "Database Engine Configuration" screen:
- Select "Mixed Mode (SQL Server authentication and Windows authentication)".
- Choose a strong password for the sa account. Be sure to write it down!
- Click "Add Current User" to give your system account full access.
Complete the installation.

c. Get and Install SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

Back on the same SQL Server download page, look for "Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)" or go directly to: SSMS official page
Download the latest installer for SSMS.
Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions. It’s a simple setup.

d. Check If SQL Server Is Working (Using SSMS)

Open SQL Server Management Studio.
In the "Connect to Server" window:
- Server type: Choose Database Engine
- Server name: Enter localhost\SQLEXPRESS (or your custom instance name)
- Authentication: Try Windows Authentication first. If that fails, switch to SQL Server Authentication and use:
  - Login: sa
  - Password: The one you created earlier
Click "Connect". If you connect without any errors, your database is up and ready!

The "Dashboard": Our Insights View (Visualizing with Python Streamlit)

Here comes the fun part — turning raw data into beautiful, easy-to-understand visuals! This is where we bring everything to life. We'll use Python again, but this time with a powerful visualization tool called Streamlit. It's perfect for building lightweight dashboards right in your browser.

What You Need: Make sure your Python tidy area (virtual environment) is activated. If not:

On Windows: .\venv\Scripts\activate
On Mac/Linux: source venv/bin/activate

How to Get It All:

a. Install Streamlit

pip install streamlit

b. Install Our Chart-Making Tools
We'll use Matplotlib and Seaborn for building charts, and Pandas to easily organize and access our data:

pip install matplotlib seaborn pandas

c. Check if Streamlit Is Working
Let’s run a quick demo:

streamlit hello

If everything's installed correctly, a new browser tab will open with a Streamlit demo app. Once it loads, you’re good to go! Press Ctrl+C in the terminal to stop the demo.

Quick Checklist for Your Local System:

✅ VS Code installed
✅ Python 3.9 or newer installed globally
✅ Project directory created
✅ Python Virtual Environment (venv) created and activated within your project
✅ Flask installed within your virtual environment
✅ SQL Server Express installed locally (with sa password set, and your user added as admin)
✅ SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) installed
✅ Streamlit, Matplotlib, Seaborn and Pandas installed within your virtual environment

Once all those boxes are ticked, your local system is fully geared up and ready to go. Next up: designing our database and getting our digital "filing cabinet" perfectly organized!