Docs/Getting Started/Quick Start Guide

Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with Ilara in under 5 minutes. This guide walks you through installing the SDK, initializing it, and tracking your first event.

5 min read

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

An Ilara account (sign up at dashboard.ilara.ai)
Your API key from the dashboard
A game project in Unity, Unreal, Godot, or any platform with HTTP support

Step 1: Install the SDK

Choose your game engine and follow the installation instructions. Ilara supports Unity, Unreal Engine, Godot, and any platform via REST API.

Select your game engine from the tabs below. If you're using a custom engine, use the REST API directly.

Unity

Add the package via Unity Package Manager. Add this to your manifest.json:

Packages/manifest.json

json

{
  class="code-string">"dependencies": {
    class="code-string">"com.ilara.sdk": class="code-string">"https:class="code-commentclass="code-string">">//github.com/ilara/unity-sdk.git"
  }
}

Unreal Engine

Copy the Ilara plugin to your project's Plugins directory:

bash

# Clone the plugin
git clone https:class=class="code-string">"code-comment">//github.com/ilara/unreal-sdk.git Plugins/Ilara
 
# Regenerate project files
# Enable in Edit > Plugins > Ilara

Godot

Copy the addon to your project:

bash

# Clone to addons folder
git clone https:class=class="code-string">"code-comment">//github.com/ilara/godot-sdk.git addons/ilara
 
# Enable in Project > Project Settings > Plugins

Step 2: Initialize the SDK

Initialize Ilara as early as possible in your game's lifecycle, typically in your main game manager or entry point.

Unity (C#)

GameManager.cs

csharp

using Ilara;
using UnityEngine;
 
public class GameManager : MonoBehaviour
{
    async void Start()
    {
        class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Initialize with your API key
        await IlaraClient.Instance.Initialize();
 
        Debug.Log(class="code-string">"Ilara initialized successfully!");
    }
}

Godot (GDScript)

main.gd

gdscript

extends Node
 
func _ready() -> void:
    # Initialize with your API key
    Ilara.initialize(class="code-string">"pk_live_your_api_key")
 
    print(class="code-string">"Ilara initialized!")

Step 3: Identify the Player

Before tracking events, identify the player. This creates or updates their profile in Ilara and returns their lifecycle stage.

Unity Example

csharp

class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Identify the player with their ID and attributes
var player = await IlaraClient.Instance.IdentifyPlayer(
    class="code-string">"player_123",           class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Your player's unique ID
    new {
        level = 5,
        country = class="code-string">"US",
        is_vip = false
    }
);
 
Debug.Log($class="code-string">"Player lifecycle: {player.lifecycle_stage}");
class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Output: class="code-string">"Player lifecycle: active"

Player Lifecycle Stages

Ilara automatically tracks players through 6 lifecycle stages:

new - First session, just joined
active - Regular engagement
engaged - High activity, potential payer
at_risk - Declining engagement
churned - No recent activity
returned - Re-engaged after churn

Step 4: Track Events

Track meaningful player actions to understand behavior and enable AI-powered retention.

Track Custom Events

csharp

class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Track level completion
IlaraClient.Instance.TrackEvent(class="code-string">"level_complete", new {
    level = 5,
    score = 12500,
    time_seconds = 180,
    stars_earned = 3
});
 
class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Track a purchase
IlaraClient.Instance.TrackPurchase(
    productId: class="code-string">"gem_pack_100",
    amount: 4.99m,
    currency: class="code-string">"USD"
);
 
class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Track tutorial progress
IlaraClient.Instance.TrackEvent(class="code-string">"tutorial_step", new {
    step = 3,
    step_name = class="code-string">"first_battle",
    completed = true
});

Event Naming Best Practices

Use snake_case for event names
Be descriptive: level_complete vs event1
Include relevant context in properties
Track both success and failure states

Step 5: Use Feature Flags

Feature flags let you control features remotely, run A/B tests, and roll out changes safely.

Check Feature Flags

csharp

class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Check if a feature is enabled
if (IlaraClient.Instance.IsFlagEnabled(class="code-string">"double_xp_weekend"))
{
    ApplyDoubleXP();
}
 
class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Get a typed flag value with default
int maxLevel = IlaraClient.Instance.GetFlag(class="code-string">"max_level", 50);
 
class=class="code-string">"code-comment">// Get a string variant for A/B tests
string checkoutFlow = IlaraClient.Instance.GetFlag(class="code-string">"checkout_variant", class="code-string">"control");
switch (checkoutFlow)
{
    case class="code-string">"variant_a":
        ShowSimplifiedCheckout();
        break;
    case class="code-string">"variant_b":
        ShowOneClickCheckout();
        break;
    default:
        ShowOriginalCheckout();
        break;
}

Step 6: Verify in Dashboard

Head to your Ilara dashboard to verify events are coming through:

Open the Dashboard

Go to dashboard.ilara.ai and log in with your account.

Check Live Events

Navigate to Events > Live Stream to see events arriving in real-time.

View Player Profiles

Go to Players and search for your test player to verify their profile was created.

Next Steps

You've successfully integrated Ilara! Here's what to explore next:

Create player segments - Target specific player groups
Set up churn prediction - Identify at-risk players
Configure AI messaging - Automate personalized outreach
Advanced feature flags - A/B testing and rollouts

Need Help?

Join our Discord community or email us at [email protected].

Creating Your First Project