OJStat Version 1.3 is Finally Released

If you are a user of Open Journal System, the term Journal Statistics may be familiar for it is an aspect in journal management that needs to take into account. Also, you may be familiar with several web-based statistic counter like Matomo, Plausible, StatCounter, and OJStat. In case that you are not familiar with one or all of those, you are probably a new journal editor and I want to welcome you to the "world of journal statistics".

However, the fact that you find this article shows that you are deliberately searching for a journal statistic counter, OJStat and I have a good news for you, OJStat version 1.3 has been released and is available to download from OJStat official blog.

In this version, OJStat has been advanced in many aspects including its security, performance, and features. This version includes total changes compared to the previous versions and provides the users with a lot of basic yet vital statistical information needs. Moreover, in this version, the users hold full control of how their journal statistics and metrics page shows the information. This article is written to serve you a short review on OJStat version 1.3 that is released in May 2022 so that you can be assured to think of OJStat, like, why not?

OJStat Version 1.3 Changes

Now, let us see what changes that OJStat version 1.3 brings to us.

Totally Recoded for Security

Unlike other web-apps that improves by having minor changes in the core files, OJStat version 1.3 is totally recoded. As we know that many PHP-based web-apps are vulnerable for SQL Injection unless those are coded in secured functions, OJStat of this version has been recoded where all the functions are secured in the classes and all database queries are using Prepared Query.

The previous versions of OJStat are written in Procedural PHP while start from version 1.2, OJStat has been using Object Oriented Programming (OOP) method. In this version, OJStat advances to using OOP with PDO driver.

OJStat is a web-based statistic counter designed specifically for OJS-based journals and it anonymizes the visitors geolocation information. The most sensitive data that it records is the users IP addresses. Although those are anonymized by using hash, the developer is aware that the users need to be assured that OJStat is secure. I quote from its official blog:

Although your journal one day is hacked, there is no data that the hacker can take benefits of. I code OJStat, I know how it works, and I know it is safe.

The statement was made when OJStat version 1.2 was released and in this version, OJStat has been reached a lot better security than the previous version. Therefore, if security is our concern regarding this app, we can be sure that OJStat is safe.

Cleaner User Interface

Unlike the previous version that was styled with images and icons, this version has cleaner User Interface. OJStat has removed the background image to save more memory in page loading and unnecessary icons in the menus are also removed. This removal does not decrease the elegance of OJStat, however. The word cleaner here also means that the page navigation has been better and easier for the users to navigate from page to page.

The statistical information of the journal are now displayed in cleaner ways where charts and tables are divided to give deeper insight. I will go in detail about this later.

Improved Performance(?)

This is a claim that I read in OJStat official blog but what I know is that the more features added, the more memory it consumes, no matter how good we code a web-app. The loading time that OJStat version 1.3 pages take is a little bit increased because it does not use "direct query" so the system consumes more memory. Moreover, since this version uses functions under classes in queries, multiple database connections are made when different functions are called on one page. Not only that, because of the advances of charts using Google Chart and ChartJS, the app saves more caches when rendering the charts.

This app also applies CURLs on pages in different domains like Google Scholar, Index Copernicus, Scimago, and so on, to capture the metrics of a registered journal and render the charts. Therefore, the loading time of the page, especially the one that renders the metrics charts, take more times though insignificant.

More Features

Unlike other web-based StatCounter, OJStat also provides journal metrics fetched from Google Scholar, Index Copernicus, Scimago, Moraref, and CiteFactor. Of course, these features require the journal to have the IDs. I think that this is a plus for OJStat among the other similar apps. Well, it is not a new information regarding this app since OJStat has this feature from the first version. However, a massive change has been made here and nowe we are going to see it.

Google Scholar Type

Having recommended by journal managers from PKP Forum, that there are at least two different types of Google Scholar account (User Account and Journal Account), OJStat added a feature to fetch different Google Scholar account pages. In the previous version, OJStat only provides us with fetching User Account in Google Scholar (an account for individual user). This had done because most of the journals used this type of account to get indexed in Google Scholar. Since the two accounts represent different indexes:

• User Account: h-Index and h10-Index
• Journal Account: h5-Index and h5-Median

OJStat makes it possible for the users to select the right type of their journals Google Scholar account so that OJStat can render the right page and display the correct metric data.

This can be configured in the Journal Settings Page under Configuration menu. Not only that, even in Google Scholar Journal Page the metric of a journal is shown only the last year but in OJStat the metric of the journal is displayed for the last three years! All of the data are charted to give a graphical insight that is better for the eyes to read and mind to understand.

Index Copernicus Ratings Charts

In the previous version, yearly ICI Ratings of the journal are displayed in simple boxes but in this version the data is charted by using Google Chart. This does not only make OJStat displays an attractive ICI metrics but also to make it more readable to the users.

Detailed Visit Statistics

OJStat version 1.3 has provided more detailed visit statistics where the information are divided into different tables and charts. In previous versions, there was only one table that provides general visit statistic information but in this version, the users are provided with daily, monthly, and yearly visit statistics.

In this version, the users are also provided with unique and return visitors in each tables so that they can see how their journals serve the world.

Interactive Charts

All charts are interactive, either Google Chart or ChartJS. However, OJStat makes it a little bit more interactive when it adds a scrolling feature to charts that display many data. This feature helps the users to navigate the charts from one point to another without having to read one by one data. This feature replaces the Filter by Date feature that exists in the previous version.

Interactive charts that OJStat provides are also available in the Widgets that the users can place on a static page.

Users Control - Editable Metrics and Statistics Page

In the previous version, the users (journal editors) could only see their journal statistics and metrics through the OJStat metrics page but in this version, they can see the information in the Journal Settings page. Not only that, they have full control on what statistical information the visitors can see on the metric page.

The users can show or hide every elements in the metrics page. For example, if a journal does not have a Scimago ID yet, then it will disappear from the metrics page without having to tell to the visitors that This journal does not have Scimago ID yet. This also applies to other elements like Visitors, Countries, Traffic Sources, Systems, and so on.

Journal Cover

To make the journal metrics and statistics page more attractive, the users now can add their journals cover image that should be copied (the URL) from the journals list in OJS. The journal cover will be displayed on the metrics and statistics page beautifully.

Metrics and Statistics Page Navigation

In this version, the metrics and statistics page has a navigation bar on the top of the page. This means that the page does not show all-in-one but the visitors can select what information they want to see. Moreover, the users have full control of what the visitors can see on this page. Metrics and Statistics of the journal are divided. Different metrical and statistical information are further divided.

What Features are Removed?

In this version, unfortunately, OJStat has removed its FlagCounter (widget), Old Data Deletion, Online Visitor Map (widget), and Clear Undefined; and no information is available about these removals.

Well, there are more that I cannot mention about OJStat, especially version 1.3, in this short review article.However, you can be sure that OJStat is simply worth-it. The last important information that I want to share about OJStat version 1.3 is this: the downloadable version right now should be a donated version but the developer gives it freely. I saw it written in the package.json file that is located in the json folder .

So, what are you waiting for? Go and get OJStat version 1.3 now.