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There is one DATALYR tag: dl.js. The “Container” is a built-in mode of that tag, not a separate script. So this isn’t a choice between two tags — it’s a choice of mode:
  • Container mode (default): let dl.js load and manage your pixels/tags from the dashboard.
  • Tracking-only mode: use dl.js for attribution + events, and hardcode your own ad pixels yourself (set enableContainer: false).
There is no standalone container.js to install, and you should never load two DATALYR tags — dl.js already runs the Container. Loading a separate container.js alongside it double-fetches your config and double-fires your pixels.

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Quick comparison

Container mode (default)Tracking-only mode
Tagdl.jsdl.js (same tag)
Howconfigure pixels in the dashboardenableContainer: false, hardcode pixels
Pixel changesinstant, from the dashboardcode change + deploy
Conditional loadingbuilt-in (URL / referrer / device)you code it
Managed bymarketers, no codedevelopers
Best formost sites, multiple ad platformsfull manual control / specific setups
Attribution + events✅✅ (identical — same tag)
Attribution, UTM/click-ID capture, session tracking, and the Identity Bridge work the same in both modes — they’re part of dl.js. The only difference is whether dl.js also loads your dashboard-configured pixels. dl.js fetches /container-scripts on load and fires the Meta/Google/TikTok pixels and custom scripts you’ve configured, with their triggers and conditions. Use it when you want to:
  • Manage multiple ad pixels without editing code
  • Update pixel IDs / events instantly from the dashboard
  • Let marketers add tags without a developer
  • Conditionally load scripts by URL, referrer, or device
  • Disable a tag instantly if something breaks
<head>
  <script
    defer
    src="https://track.datalyr.com/dl.js"
    data-workspace-id="YOUR_WORKSPACE_ID">
  </script>
</head>
Then add tags in Settings → Pixels & scripts. No further code changes.

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Tracking-only mode

If you’d rather hardcode your own ad pixels (e.g. you want them server-rendered, or you manage them in your own code), disable the Container so dl.js doesn’t also load dashboard tags — you still get full attribution + event tracking: 
// npm SDK
datalyr.init({ workspaceId: 'YOUR_WORKSPACE_ID', enableContainer: false });

<!-- ...then add your own pixels by hand, e.g. Meta -->
<script>
  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){/* fbevents */}(window,document,'script',
  'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
  fbq('init', 'YOUR_PIXEL_ID');
  fbq('track', 'PageView');
</script>
If you’re firing your own Meta Pixel and sending server-side CAPI, pass a shared eventID to fbq('track', …, { eventID }) that matches the server event’s event_id so Meta dedupes them. (Container mode does this for you.)

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Switching modes

  • Tracking-only → Container: remove your hardcoded pixels, recreate them as tags in Settings → Pixels & scripts, and stop setting enableContainer: false (it defaults on). One tag, no second script.
  • Container → tracking-only: set enableContainer: false, then hardcode the pixels you need.

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Mobile apps

Neither mode applies to mobile — use the native SDKs (@datalyr/swift, @datalyr/react-native), which identify users via explicit identify() calls.

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Next steps

Container Installation

Install dl.js (the Container is built in)

Managing Tags

Configure your pixels and scripts

Container Overview

How the Container works

Web SDK

init() options including enableContainer