January 2024 release: Data Store update

A GTM server container is essentially a reverse proxy, and one of the downsides of this is that there is no storage for the data (although this is a plus in terms of data security). There are endless cases in non-basic setups where you need temporary data storage for usage in your sGTM.

Traditionally, this limitation necessitated external services like Firestore or Supabase. This workaround, while functional, added layers of complexity to tag configuration, increased the potential for errors in tracking, and made debugging more intricate.

Recognizing this gap, we, at Stape, are excited to introduce the Data Store - a solution to this long-standing challenge. The Data Store is a dedicated database for storing and managing data seamlessly integrated with Stape sGTM hosting. This advancement brings two significant benefits to our users:

• Cost efficiency: the Data Store is available for users with a Pro or higher plan at no additional cost.

• Ease of use: it requires no additional configuration or authorization, dramatically simplifying the data storage process.
• Powerful features: Data Store provides capabilities for smooth and efficient database management (e.g., grouping files into collections, flexible search conditions, temporary documents, etc.)

We've designed the interface to closely resemble Firestore, ensuring a smooth transition and intuitive use for those familiar with Firestore layout:

We have developed three custom templates to work with Data Store:

• Stape Store Writer, tag to write data to the Data Store:

https://github.com/stape-io/stape-store-writer-tag

• Stape Lookup variable, for retrieving data from the database:

https://github.com/stape-io/stape-store-lookup-variable

• Stape reStore variable, can write and get data at the same time:

https://github.com/stape-io/stape-store-restore-variable

We've tried to make working with these variables and a tag as easy as possible so they don't require any configuration with your container, Stape ID, or anything else - everything just works as if by magic. So you just add tags/variables to your container, and you can start using it right away:

Now, you can store your authorization keys and other useful data for tracking in just a few clicks.

Learn more about Data Store's advanced features.

We plan to update all existing Stape tags that currently use Firestore for authorization, integrating Data Store support for a more straightforward configuration. Firestore will, of course, remain an option for backward compatibility.

Stay tuned for upcoming articles on leveraging Data Store to enhance your tracking capabilities. Your feedback is invaluable to us. If you have suggestions for updates or additional functionality, please reach out to our support team: https://help.stape.io/hc/en-us.