An open-source browser fingerprinting library that generates a unique visitor identifier from browser attributes, even in incognito mode.
FingerprintJS is an open-source JavaScript library that generates a unique visitor identifier by collecting and hashing browser and device attributes. It solves the problem of tracking users across incognito or private browsing sessions where traditional methods like cookies fail, providing a persistent identifier based on browser characteristics.
Developers and organizations needing client-side visitor identification for analytics, fraud prevention, or user tracking, especially in scenarios where cookie-based tracking is insufficient or blocked.
Developers choose FingerprintJS because it's a free, open-source alternative to commercial fingerprinting services, offering easy integration, incognito mode support, and data persistence without server dependencies, though with lower accuracy than server-side solutions.
The most advanced free and open-source browser fingerprinting library
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Maintains the same identifier in private browsing sessions, as shown in the demo, unlike cookies which are cleared, enabling tracking across privacy modes.
Identifier remains consistent even when browser data like cookies and local storage is purged, providing a reliable long-term tracking method.
All fingerprint generation and hashing occur in the browser, reducing server load and enabling immediate identification without network delays.
Available under the MIT license, allowing unrestricted use, modification, and integration without cost or vendor lock-in, as highlighted in the README.
As admitted in the limitations section, accuracy is significantly lower than commercial alternatives due to purely client-side processing, making it unreliable for precise identification.
Fingerprints are generated in the browser and are vulnerable to spoofing and reverse engineering, compromising security for sensitive applications like fraud prevention.
The CDN import may be blocked by ad blockers or privacy-focused browsers like Brave and Firefox, requiring fallback to npm, as warned in the installation notes.
The README actively encourages upgrading to the commercial Fingerprint Identification, indicating the open-source version's limitations for advanced use cases.