Bot Detection without JavaScript: A Simple But Effective Method
Website owners and developers want to understand how much traffic comes from real users, how much it comes from automated bots. Although JavaScript-based solutions are used for this purpose, alternative methods are also available. A blogger set up a successful bot detection system on its site and shared results.
The main features of this solution are as follows:
- Server side control to detect bot activity without reviewing browser properties
- Using behavioral indicators such as HTTP headers, request patterns and response speeds
- Watch and filter the movements of boots that do not run JavaScript
- Distinctively distinguish malicious boots from search engine boots
- To achieve real reader metrics by meaninging data
This method helps websites get real visits statistics. JavaScript is a lighter solution and it works with a certain success rate, although it is not effective against all bots. Thus, site analytics can offer more accurate data and marketing decisions are based on healthier foundations.
The experience of the blogger shows that developers are another options outside JavaScript. Such simple but effective techniques can be useful especially in small and medium-sized projects.