a_b
Talk to a_b_server from your Rails or Sinatra app.
Install
sudo gem install a_b
Setup
Configuration
Create config/a_b.yml:
site: My Site token: token_goes_here url: http://ab.mydomain.com
Layout
<html>
<body>
<script src="http://github.com/winton/a_b/raw/master/public/js/a_b.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<%= a_b %>
</body>
</html>
Usage
Before using the examples below, create a test and some variants from the a_b admin.
Ruby
a_b(:my_category, :my_test) do |test| test.visit # returns :my_variant test.convert # returns :my_variant end
a_b(:my_category, :my_test).visit # returns :my_variant a_b(:my_category, :my_test).convert # returns :my_variant
a_b(:my_category, :my_test).visit(:my_variant) # returns :my_variant a_b(:my_category, :my_test).convert(:my_variant) # returns :my_variant a_b(:my_category, :my_test).visit(:my_other_variant) # returns nil (:my_variant already selected)
a_b(:my_category, :my_test).visit do |variant| # variant == :my_variant end a_b(:my_category, :my_test).convert do |variant| # variant == :my_variant end
a_b(:my_category, :my_test).visit(:my_variant) do # executes if :my_variant selected end a_b(:my_category, :my_test).convert(:my_variant) do # executes if :my_variant selected end
You can use the a_b method in the controller or the view.
Javascript
a_b('my_category', 'my_test', function(test) {
test.visit(); # returns 'my_variant'
test.convert(); # returns 'my_variant'
});
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').visit(); # returns 'my_variant'
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').convert(); # returns 'my_variant'
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').visit('my_variant'); # returns 'my_variant'
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').convert('my_variant'); # returns 'my_variant'
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').visit(function(variant) {
// variant == 'my_variant'
});
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').convert(function(variant) {
// variant == 'my_variant'
});
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').visit('my_variant', function() {
// executes if 'my_variant' selected
});
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').convert('my_variant', function() {
// executes if 'my_variant' selected
});
Conditions
With a_b it is possible to record, per variant, the percentage of visits or conversions that were recorded in a certain condition.
For example, to tell a_b if a user is logged in, was referred by Google, or is using Firefox:
Ruby
a_b('Logged in' => true, 'From Google' => true)
a_b('Firefox' => true)
# Conditions now contain three values
a_b.reset
# Conditions now contain no values
Javascript
a_b({ 'Logged in': true, 'From Google': true });
a_b({ 'Firefox': true });
// Conditions now contain three values
a_b.reset();
// Conditions now contain no values
- Conditions stick around for the entire session
- Conditions must be a hash with values that evaluate as boolean
- New conditions merge with existing conditions
- If a condition is specified in one session and not in another, all others are assumed to be false
You can also set conditions on a temporary (non-session) basis:
Ruby
a_b(:my_category, :my_test, 'My condition' => true).visit a_b(:my_category, :my_test).convert # 'My condition' is assumed false for conversion
Javascript
a_b('my_category', 'my_test', { 'My condition': true }).visit();
a_b('my_category', 'my_test').convert();
# 'My condition' is assumed false for conversion
That's it!
Visits and conversions are sent directly from the end user to the a_b server via JSON-P.
Because of this, your application's performance is never affected by a_b transactions.