When it comes to web analytics, everyone usually thinks of the big guys like Google Analytics or Matomo. But let's talk about something a bit different, a bit more, well, human. Enter GoatCounter—a nifty little open-source platform that's all about giving you meaningful web traffic insights without messing with your users' privacy. Whether you're looking to keep those analytics hosted with someone else or take the reins and self-host, GoatCounter's got you covered. First things first, privacy is a big deal here. GoatCounter doesn't track folks with unique identifiers or even need any of those pesky GDPR notices. Instead, it lets you fine-tune which data you gather, keeping things as lightweight and fast as possible. We’re talking just around 3.5K of extra data added to your site! And for the folks who aren't fans of JavaScript, there's a simple tracking pixel option. Want it even more integrated? You can track stuff directly from your app’s middleware or import from log files. Now, let’s talk features. This platform knocks it out of the park with things like unique visits sans cookies (that's right, no creepy tracking cookies), useful stats that cover browser info, location, screen size, referring sites, and campaigns. It’s perfect for those who feel overwhelmed by Google Analytics’ numerous and often convoluted options. GoatCounter’s approach is more “no muss, no fuss” and gets the job done without you needing a PhD in analytics. Accessibility isn’t an afterthought here either. The interface is designed to work smoothly with assistive technologies like screen readers, ensuring everyone can play the game. Plus, because it's 100% open-source, you’re not just using the tool—you can peek under the hood, make improvements, or host it yourself if you fancy going that route. And the best part? You own your data, meaning you can export and bounce any time you want. Getting GoatCounter running is a breeze. For most people, adding a single script tag to your site does the trick: <script data-goatcounter="https://yoursite.goatcounter.com/count" async src="//gc.zgo.at/count.js"></script> But if JavaScript isn’t your jam, there’s a no-JavaScript image-based tracker too. Developers can even integrate it straight into the backend or parse log files from servers like nginx or Apache. Running your own instance? GoatCounter offers binaries for Linux, and while it should run on any platform Go supports, you may need to compile it from source for some. SQLite and PostgreSQL are both supported, with SQLite recommended for smaller sites and PostgreSQL for better performance on larger ones. Plus, there are detailed guidelines and deployment scripts to get you up and running, whether you’re using Linode, Docker, or a good old fashioned VPS. Updating is as easy as running database migrations either during startup or manually. GoatCounter even has robust support for PostgreSQL, meaning your analytics setup can scale right along with your growing site traffic. Whether you're replacing Google Analytics, setting up on a VPS, or geeking out over building from source, the GoatCounter community has written guides to help you along the way. It’s fast, it’s lightweight, it’s privacy-focused, and best of all, it’s dead simple to use. Perfect for anyone who wants insightful analytics without all the baggage. So go ahead, give GoatCounter a whirl and see your web traffic in a whole new, privacy-friendly light!