Definition:
S2S (server-to-server) is a communication model where two servers exchange data directly with each other, bypassing the client layer entirely. In mobile marketing, it refers to sending app event data directly from your own servers to a mobile measurement partner like Tenjin, without requiring an attribution SDK embedded in your app.
What is S2S?
In most mobile attribution setups, an SDK lives inside your app and handles the job of capturing and sending event data to your measurement partner. S2S flips that model entirely.
With server-to-server tracking, your own backend infrastructure takes on that responsibility. When a user installs your app or completes an in-app event, your server captures that data and sends it directly to Tenjin's server via API. No SDK sitting inside your app. No client-side dependencies to manage. Just a clean, direct connection between two backends.
It is a more technical setup, but for the right teams it offers meaningful advantages in flexibility, control, and data quality.
How S2S Works in Mobile Apps
The S2S flow is straightforward once the infrastructure is in place. Here is what happens when a user interacts with your app:
- User Action
A user installs your app or completes a tracked in-app event.
- Your Server Captures The Event
Your backend logs the event along with all relevant parameters, such as device information, event type, and timestamp.
- Direct Server Communication
Your server sends that event data directly to Tenjin's server via API call, in real time.
- Attribution Matching
Tenjin's attribution engine receives the event and matches it back to the original ad click or impression that preceded it.
- Campaign Insights
The matched data flows into your Tenjin dashboard, giving you the same campaign performance visibility you would get through a standard SDK integration.
The result is pure server-to-server communication with no app-level SDK required.
S2S vs. SDK Integration: What Is the Difference?
Both approaches get event data to Tenjin. The difference is in how and where that data is collected and sent.
| SDK Integration | S2S Integration | |
| Where data is collected | Inside the app, client-side | On your backend server |
| What handles the sending | Embedded attribution SDK | Your own server via API |
| App code impact | SDK adds weight to the app | No SDK required in the app |
| Setup complexity | Lower, SDK handles most of it | Higher, requires backend infrastructure |
| Control over data | SDK manages collection | You control everything |
| Speed | Standard | Faster, more direct |
For teams with strong backend infrastructure and engineering resources, S2S offers a level of control and cleanliness that SDK-based tracking cannot match. For smaller teams or those without dedicated backend resources, a standard SDK integration is typically the more practical starting point.
Why Choose S2S Tracking?
Full Control Over Your Data
With S2S, your backend handles all event collection and transmission. You own the entire data pipeline, which means you can apply your own validation, enrichment, and formatting before anything reaches Tenjin.
No SDK Overhead in Your App
Every SDK you embed in your app adds weight. S2S removes that dependency entirely, keeping your app lighter and reducing the risk of conflicts between multiple SDKs.
Faster and More Direct
Server-to-server communication cuts out the client layer, making data transmission more direct and typically faster than client-side SDK calls.
Better Suited to Certain App Architectures
Some app types, particularly those with complex backend logic or server-authoritative architectures, are a natural fit for S2S. If your server already knows about every meaningful user action, sending that data directly to Tenjin is a logical extension of what you are already doing.
What to Consider Before Moving to S2S
S2S is a powerful approach but it is not the right fit for every team. A few things worth evaluating before committing:
Backend Infrastructure
S2S requires a reliable, scalable server infrastructure capable of capturing events and making API calls in real time. If that foundation is not already in place, the setup cost is significant.
Engineering Resources
Unlike an SDK integration where much of the heavy lifting is handled for you, S2S requires your engineering team to build and maintain the data pipeline. Make sure that capacity exists.
Measurement Requirements
Consider what you need to measure and whether S2S covers all of it. Some attribution scenarios, particularly those that rely on client-side signals, may be easier to handle with a hybrid approach.
If you are considering S2S for your app and want to understand whether it fits your setup, the Tenjin team is happy to help. Reach out at support@tenjin.com for documentation and guidance.
Please note that S2S integration is available on all paid plans.