Detect when a user leaves a website

I am trying to create my own website access library (for fun) like Google Analytics where I can detect when a user accesses my website, what pages they view etc.

Is there a way to determine when the user leaves a page &/or leaves the website for good?

I have successfully coded (in python) the detecting when the user 1st accesses my site (using a cookie) & how to determine what pages they view. But I don’t know how I could detect when they user leaves the website for good?

Is there a way in javascript (maybe I can detect when the page/url is changing?). I know in HTTP there is a referrer header that tells me where the user came from, maybe when the user moves to another website (outside of mine), I can be notified of this (because I will be the referrer in that HTTP request)? Am I correct?

Answer

Using jquery you can trigger this:

$(window).bind('beforeunload', function() {
    // ajax call perhaps
    // triggering a write to db or filesystem...
});

Pure javascript way:

<html>
<head>
<script>
function closeIt()
{
  return "Any string value here forces a dialog box to n" + 
         "appear before closing the window.";
}
window.onbeforeunload = closeIt;
</script>
</head>
<body>
  <a href="http://www.somewhere.com">Click here to navigate to 
      www.somewhere.com</a>
</body>
</html>

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Answer