In today’s digital age, web analytics are the keys to understanding visitor behavior on your site. But let’s be real – pretty much every analytics tool out there wants you to trade user privacy for data. Enter **Shynet**, a breath of fresh air in the crowded analytics market. It’s modern, it’s privacy-friendly, and it doesn’t need cookies or JavaScript to work its magic. Why Shynet, you might ask? Well, have you ever tried those other web analytics tools only to find yourself tangled in privacy nightmares, cookies galore, and, let’s face it, some pretty confusing interfaces? Shynet flips that script. You host it yourself, so your data stays yours. It’s like having your own private butler who tracks your visitors without peeking into their personal affairs. First off, Shynet is minimalist, nimble, and quick on its feet. You can run it on a small VPS as a single Docker container or scale it across a sprawling Kubernetes cluster for those high-traffic scenarios. Built on Django, it ensures your deployments and updates are headache-free. And let’s not forget the treasure trove of features! Traditional web analytics rely heavily on JavaScript and cookies. Shynet ditches both. Instead, it uses a 1x1 transparent tracking pixel if JS is not available. It’s lightweight and generally flies under the radar of ad blockers because, hey, it's hosted by you. Shynet pulls in detailed metrics that’ll make any data geek swoon. We’re talking hits, sessions, page load times, bounce rates, session durations, referrers, locations, operating systems, browsers, geographic locations, network data, and device types. All this data, all under your control, and all without the creepy factor. This isn’t just for the lone ranger with a personal project. Shynet shines even if you’re running multiple sites and need a single instance to track them all. With collaboration built right in, sharing services with other users is a breeze. Real talk: Shynet isn't a fit for ultra-high traffic sites without some fiddling, and it does ask for some tech-savvy to get running. If "easy-as-pie" deployment is your jam, you might look elsewhere. But for those who crave control and respect user privacy, Shynet is your new best friend. Wondering about deployment? They’ve got you covered. Whether you’re a Docker fan, a Kubernetes buff, or prefer Heroku, you’ll find step-by-step instructions in the Usage Guide. Got questions? Shynet’s FAQ and troubleshooting guide have your back. From handling Do Not Track signals to GDPR compliance, they cover the bases. And if you're into roadmaps, the Shynet repo lays out a clear plan for future features. If you want to see it in action, check out sites like PolitiTweet, Miles’ personal blog, WhoAreMyRepresentatives.org, and more. These sites are using Shynet to keep tabs without stepping on privacy. Love the vibe and want to give back? Contributions are welcome! Just send a pull request. The project is under the Apache License 2.0, so your contributions will share the same license. Be awesome and follow the Code of Conduct. Created by Miles McCain (@MilesMcCain) at the Recurse Center, Shynet is here to revolutionize how you do web analytics. It’s sleek, it’s respectful of privacy, and it’s all yours.