elbwalker/walkeros-using-transformer-ga4

Using @walkeros/transformer-ga4

Overview

@walkeros/transformer-ga4 decodes Google Analytics 4 Measurement Protocol v2 hits (/g/collect, /mp/collect) into walkerOS events. It sits in a server source's before chain, reads the raw HTTP request via ctx.ingest, and returns one walkerOS event per GA4 event in the hit (one hit can carry many events).

Boundaries: server-side decoding via source-express, GA4 v2 only, G- tids only by default. Per-field patching via extend/remove is supported.

When to use this skill

• You are wiring transformer-ga4 into a server flow for the first time
• You want to override one of the 33 default GA4 mappings
• You need to drop a GA4 event (auto-fired noise like user_engagement)
• You want to add a custom event key for a gtag('event', '<name>', ...) call
• You need to widen tidPattern to accept Ads (AW-) or DC (DC-) traffic
• Events are not arriving and you suspect the decoder is silently dropping them

Quickstart wiring

{
  "version": 4,
  "flows": {
    "default": {
      "config": { "platform": "server" },
      "sources": {
        "http": {
          "package": "@walkeros/server-source-express",
          "config": {
            "ingest": {
              "url": "req.url",
              "body": "req.body"
            }
          },
          "before": "ga4"
        }
      },
      "transformers": {
        "ga4": { "package": "@walkeros/transformer-ga4" }
      },
      "destinations": {
        "log": { "package": "@walkeros/destination-demo" }
      }
    }
  }
}

Wiring rules:

• transformer-ga4 belongs in source.before, not destination.before. Decoding is a pre-collector concern: GA4 hits are not yet walkerOS events.
• The source must populate ctx.ingest.url (required, string) and ctx.ingest.body (optional, string). Raw text body only — pre-parsed JSON will not decode.
• One HTTP request can fan out to N walkerOS events. This requires the collector fan-out fix (shipped in this release).

Configuration recipes

Patch one field in a default mapping (extend + remove)

Use extend to add or override individual fields of a shipped default rule without replacing it in full. Use remove to strip fields from the output.

The purchase default ships id, currency, total, tax, shipping, and coupon. To add affiliation from a GA4 event parameter and drop currency:

"transformers": {
  "ga4": {
    "package": "@walkeros/transformer-ga4",
    "config": {
      "settings": {
        "mapping": {
          "purchase": {
            "extend": {
              "data": { "map": { "affiliation": "params.ep.affiliation" } }
            },
            "remove": ["currency"]
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

extend.data.map is deep-merged onto the default data.map, leaving id, total, tax, shipping, and coupon intact. remove: ["currency"] strips that field from the final payload. A null value in extend clears an inherited field entirely (e.g. "extend": { "name": null }).

Full replace: if you need to rewrite a rule from scratch (no merge), omit extend and remove and supply the complete rule directly. A rule with neither keyword keeps the existing replace behavior.

"settings": {
  "mapping": {
    "purchase": {
      "name": "order complete",
      "data": {
        "map": {
          "id": "params.ep.transaction_id",
          "total": "params.epn.value",
          "currency": "params.ep.currency",
          "coupon": "params.ep.promo_code"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Drop an event

Set ignore: true on any key. This is how user_engagement, session_start, and first_visit are silenced by default:

"settings": {
  "mapping": {
    "click": { "ignore": true }
  }
}

Add a custom event mapping

For events fired via gtag('event', '<your_name>', ...):

"settings": {
  "mapping": {
    "newsletter_subscribe": {
      "name": "newsletter signup",
      "data": {
        "map": { "source": "params.ep.source" }
      }
    }
  }
}

Unknown event names fall through to the '*' key, which by default emits ga4 track with data.event_name set to the original en. Override '*' to change the global fallback rule.

Set a custom tidPattern

By default only G- tids are accepted. Widen via a string regex (compiled at init):

"settings": {
  "tidPattern": "^(G|AW|DC)-"
}

Custom destination after decode

The transformer returns walkerOS events with entity action names. Anything downstream of the collector treats them as native events — no GA4 awareness needed:

"destinations": {
  "bq": {
    "package": "@walkeros/server-destination-bigquery",
    "config": {
      "settings": {
        "project": "my-eu-project",
        "dataset": "events",
        "location": "EU"
      }
    }
  }
}

Mapping path syntax

Mappings reference fields on the decoded GA4Hit shape via dotted paths:

| Path | Meaning | | -------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | | params.ep.X | Event parameter (string), e.g. params.ep.transaction_id | | params.epn.X | Event parameter (numeric), e.g. params.epn.value | | params.up.X | User property (string) | | params.upn.X | User property (numeric) | | items[0].X | First item in the items array | | items | Full items array (mapped to nested via item rules) |

Use params.ep.X not ep.X. The decoder materializes the prefixed keys under the params namespace.

Troubleshooting

No events arriving

1. Check that source.config.ingest populates url (required, string) and body (optional, string). Express source typically uses req.url + req.body.
2. Confirm before: "ga4" is set on the source, not on a destination.
3. Check the tidPattern: by default ^G- blocks AW- / DC- traffic silently.
4. Confirm the request really is Measurement Protocol v2. v1 hits will not decode.

Wrong field in the output event

1. Check the path syntax: params.ep.X, not ep.X.
2. Verify the GA4 hit actually carries the parameter. Use a debug destination to log the decoded params object.
3. If you used a full-replace rule (no extend), your data.map is the entire rule. Use extend to inherit the defaults and add only the fields you need.

Batched POST drops events after the first

This was a pre-0.1.0 bug in @walkeros/collector. The fix preserves fan-out in source.before chains. Confirm both packages are on the same release wave (transformer-ga4 0.1.0 + collector minor bump).

gcs consent not applied

v1 decodes basic gcs (G1XX → marketing / analytics booleans) only. Functional/preferences flags and the newer gcd parameter are not decoded. Override the consent path manually if you need richer mapping.

Limitations

• GA4 v2 only. v1 Measurement Protocol is out of scope.
• G- tids only by default. Override tidPattern for Ads/DC.
• Basic gcs only. No gcd, no functional/preferences flags.
• Raw text body required. Pre-parsed JSON bodies will not decode.
• Server-side only. Web ingest via interception sources is not supported.

See the website docs for the authoritative reference and the README for the in-repo summary.