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Omnibus Instrument Product Analytics

PostHogOfficialCreated by PostHog

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Data and AI
  • MIT
  • Low risk
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From the author

Add PostHog product analytics events to track user behavior. Use after implementing new features or reviewing PRs to ensure meaningful user actions are captured. Also handles initial PostHog SDK setup if not yet installed.
— the description by PostHog

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

This skill provides a structured, step-by-step procedure for integrating PostHog product analytics into a wide variety of web, mobile, and backend frameworks. It handles the full lifecycle of the integration, from detecting the project's technology stack and installing the necessary SDKs to implementing event tracking, user identification, and error monitoring. The skill emphasizes non-intrusive changes, ensuring that new analytics code is added alongside existing logic without disrupting the project's architecture.

What it does

  • Detects the project framework and language to determine the correct PostHog SDK.
  • Installs the required PostHog SDK package automatically.
  • Initializes the PostHog instance according to framework-specific best practices.
  • Implements targeted event tracking for key user actions and business logic.
  • Configures user identification flows for login and signup events.
  • Sets up environment variables for secure API key and host management.

When to use it

  • After implementing new features that require tracking for user engagement analysis.
  • When reviewing pull requests to ensure critical user behaviors are being captured.
  • When setting up product analytics for a new project from scratch.
  • When migrating or adding analytics to an existing application.

Advantages

  • Supports a broad range of modern frontend, backend, and mobile frameworks.
  • Ensures consistent event naming and property capture across the codebase.
  • Maintains architectural integrity by requiring minimal, targeted code additions.
  • Automates the tedious aspects of SDK initialization and environment configuration.

Usage examples

“Add PostHog analytics to my Next.js project.”
The agent will detect the Next.js environment, install the PostHog SDK, initialize it in the appropriate root file, and guide you through adding capture calls to key user flows.
“I need to track user signups in my Django application using PostHog.”
The agent will identify the Django setup, configure the PostHog Python SDK, and implement identify calls within your authentication logic.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/posthog/omnibus-instrument-product-analytics/download

  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip omnibus-instrument-product-analytics.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by PostHog

Add PostHog product analytics events

Use this skill to add product analytics events (capture calls) that track meaningful user actions in new or changed code. Use it after implementing features or reviewing PRs to ensure key user behaviors are captured. If PostHog is not yet installed, this skill also covers initial SDK setup. Supports any framework or language.

Supported frameworks: Next.js, React Router, Nuxt, Vue, TanStack Start, SvelteKit, Astro, Angular, Django, Flask, FastAPI, Laravel, Ruby on Rails, Android, iOS, React Native, Expo, and more.

Instructions

Follow these steps IN ORDER:

STEP 1: Analyze the codebase and detect the platform.

  • Look for dependency files (package.json, requirements.txt, Gemfile, composer.json, go.mod, etc.) to determine the framework and language.

  • Look for lockfiles (pnpm-lock.yaml, package-lock.json, yarn.lock, bun.lockb) to determine the package manager.

  • Check for existing PostHog setup. If PostHog is already installed and initialized, skip to STEP 5.

STEP 2: Research integration. (Skip if PostHog is already set up.) 2.1. Find the reference file below that matches the detected framework — it is the source of truth for SDK initialization, provider setup, and event capture patterns. Read it now. 2.2. If no reference matches, fall back to your general knowledge and web search. Use posthog.com/docs as the primary search source.

STEP 3: Install the PostHog SDK. (Skip if PostHog is already set up.)

  • Add the PostHog SDK package for the detected platform. Do not manually edit package.json — use the package manager's install command.

  • Always install packages as a background task. Don't await completion; proceed with other work immediately after starting the installation.

STEP 4: Initialize PostHog. (Skip if PostHog is already set up.)

  • Follow the framework reference for where and how to initialize. This varies significantly by framework (e.g., instrumentation-client.ts for Next.js 15.3+, AppConfig.ready() for Django, create_app() for Flask).

STEP 5: Plan event tracking.

  • From the project's file list, select between 10 and 15 files that might have interesting business value for event tracking, especially conversion and churn events.

  • Also look for files related to login that could be used for identifying users, along with error handling.

  • Find any existing posthog.capture() code. Make note of event name formatting. Don't duplicate existing events; supplement them.

  • Track actions only, not pageviews (those can be captured automatically). Exceptions can be made for "viewed"-type events at the top of a conversion funnel.

  • Server-side events are REQUIRED if the project includes any instrumentable server-side code (API routes, server actions, webhook handlers, payment/checkout completion, authentication endpoints).

STEP 6: Implement event capture.

  • For each planned event, add posthog.capture() calls with useful properties.

  • If a file already has existing integration code for other tools or services, don't overwrite or remove that code. Place PostHog code below it.

  • Do not alter the fundamental architecture of existing files. Make additions minimal and targeted.

  • You must read a file immediately before attempting to write it.

STEP 7: Identify users.

  • Add PostHog identify() calls on the client side during login and signup events. Use the contents of login and signup forms to identify users on submit.

  • If both frontend and backend exist, pass the client-side session and distinct ID using X-POSTHOG-DISTINCT-ID and X-POSTHOG-SESSION-ID headers to the server-side code. On the server side, make sure events have a matching distinct ID.

STEP 8: Add error tracking.

  • Add PostHog exception capture error tracking to relevant files, particularly around critical user flows and API boundaries.

STEP 9: Set up environment variables.

  • If an env-file-tools MCP server is connected, use check_env_keys to see which keys already exist, then use set_env_values to create or update the PostHog API key and host.

  • Reference these environment variables in code instead of hardcoding them.

STEP 10: Verify and clean up.

  • Check the project for errors. Look for type checking or build scripts in package.json.

  • Ensure any components created were actually used.

  • Run any linter or prettier-like scripts found in the package.json.

Reference files

  • references/EXAMPLE-next-app-router.md - next-app-router example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-next-pages-router.md - next-pages-router example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-react-react-router-6.md - react-react-router-6 example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-react-react-router-7-framework.md - react-react-router-7-framework example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-react-react-router-7-data.md - react-react-router-7-data example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-react-react-router-7-declarative.md - react-react-router-7-declarative example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-nuxt-3.6.md - nuxt-3.6 example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-nuxt-4.md - nuxt-4 example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-vue-3.md - vue-3 example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-react-tanstack-router-file-based.md - react-tanstack-router-file-based example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-react-tanstack-router-code-based.md - react-tanstack-router-code-based example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-tanstack-start.md - tanstack-start example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-sveltekit.md - sveltekit example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-astro-static.md - astro-static example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-astro-view-transitions.md - astro-view-transitions example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-astro-ssr.md - astro-ssr example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-astro-hybrid.md - astro-hybrid example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-angular.md - angular example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-django.md - django example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-flask.md - flask example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-fastapi.md - fastapi example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-python.md - python example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-laravel.md - laravel example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-ruby-on-rails.md - ruby-on-rails example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-ruby.md - ruby example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-android.md - android example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-swift.md - swift example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-react-native.md - react-native example project code

  • references/EXAMPLE-expo.md - expo example project code

  • references/next-js.md - Next.js - docs

  • references/react-router-v6.md - React router v6 - docs

  • references/react-router-v7-framework-mode.md - React router v7 framework mode (remix v3) - docs

  • references/react-router-v7-data-mode.md - React router v7 data mode - docs

  • references/react-router-v7-declarative-mode.md - React router v7 declarative mode - docs

  • references/nuxt-js-3-6.md - Nuxt.js (v3.0 to v3.6) - docs

  • references/nuxt-js.md - Nuxt.js - docs

  • references/vue-js.md - Vue.js - docs

  • references/tanstack-start.md - Tanstack start - docs

  • references/svelte.md - Svelte - docs

  • references/astro.md - Astro - docs

  • references/angular.md - Angular - docs

  • references/django.md - Django - docs

  • references/flask.md - Flask - docs

  • references/python.md - Python - docs

  • references/posthog-python.md - PostHog python SDK

  • references/laravel.md - Laravel - docs

  • references/ruby-on-rails.md - Ruby on rails - docs

  • references/ruby.md - Ruby - docs

  • references/android.md - Android - docs

  • references/ios.md - Ios - docs

  • references/react-native.md - React native - docs

  • references/identify-users.md - Identify users - docs

Each framework reference contains SDK-specific installation, initialization, and usage patterns. Find the one matching the user's stack.

Key principles

  • Environment variables: Always use environment variables for PostHog keys. Never hardcode them.

  • Minimal changes: Add PostHog code alongside existing integrations. Don't replace or restructure existing code.

  • Match the docs: Follow the framework reference's initialization and capture patterns exactly.

Files

references/ruby-on-rails.md

Ruby on Rails - Docs

PostHog makes it easy to get data about traffic and usage of your Ruby on Rails app. Integrating PostHog enables analytics, custom events capture, feature flags, and automatic exception tracking.

This guide walks you through integrating PostHog into your Rails app using the posthog-rails gem.

Beta: integration via LLM

Install PostHog for Rails in seconds with our wizard by running this prompt with LLM coding agents like Cursor and Bolt, or by running it in your terminal.

npx @posthog/wizard@latest

Learn more

Or, to integrate manually, continue with the rest of this guide.

Features

  • Automatic exception tracking – Captures unhandled and rescued exceptions

  • ActiveJob instrumentation – Tracks background job exceptions

  • User context – Automatically associates exceptions with the current user

  • Smart filtering – Excludes common Rails exceptions (404s, etc.) by default

  • Rails 7.0+ error reporter – Integrates with Rails' built-in error reporting

Installation

Add both gems to your Gemfile:

Gemfile

PostHog AI

gem 'posthog-ruby'
gem 'posthog-rails'

Then run:

Terminal

PostHog AI

bundle install

Identifying users

Identifying users is required. Backend events need a distinct_id that matches the ID your frontend uses when calling posthog.identify(). Without this, backend events are orphaned — they can't be linked to frontend event captures, session replays, LLM traces, or error tracking.

See our guide on identifying users for how to set this up.

Generate the initializer

Run the install generator to create the PostHog initializer:

Terminal

PostHog AI

rails generate posthog:install

This creates config/initializers/posthog.rb with sensible defaults and documentation.

Configuration

The generated initializer includes all available options:

config/initializers/posthog.rb

PostHog AI

# Core PostHog client initialization
PostHog.init do |config|
  # Required: Your PostHog API key
  config.api_key = '<ph_project_token>'
  # Optional: Your PostHog instance URL
  config.host = 'https://us.i.posthog.com'
  # Optional: Personal API key for feature flags
  config.personal_api_key = 'phx_xxxxxxxxx'
  # Error callback to detect misconfiguration
  config.on_error = proc { |status, msg|
    Rails.logger.error("PostHog error: #{msg}")
  }
end
# Rails-specific configuration
PostHog::Rails.configure do |config|
  config.auto_capture_exceptions = true           # Enable automatic exception capture
  config.report_rescued_exceptions = true         # Report exceptions Rails rescues
  config.auto_instrument_active_job = true        # Instrument background jobs
  config.capture_user_context = true              # Include user info in exceptions
  config.current_user_method = :current_user      # Method to get current user
  # Add additional exceptions to ignore
  config.excluded_exceptions = ['MyCustomError']
end

You can find your project token and instance address in your project settings.

Tip: Use Rails.application.credentials to avoid hardcoding API keys. First, add your keys and then reference them in your initializer:

Terminal

PostHog AI

rails credentials:edit

config/credentials.yml.enc

PostHog AI

posthog:
  api_key: <ph_project_token>
  host: https://us.i.posthog.com
  personal_api_key: phx_xxxxxxxxx

config/initializers/posthog.rb

PostHog AI

config.api_key = Rails.application.credentials.posthog[:api_key]
config.host = Rails.application.credentials.posthog[:host]
config.personal_api_key = Rails.application.credentials.posthog[:personal_api_key]

Capturing events

Track custom events anywhere in your Rails app:

Ruby

PostHog AI

# Track an event
PostHog.capture(
  distinct_id: current_user.id,
  event: 'post_created',
  properties: { title: @post.title }
)
# Identify a user
PostHog.identify(
  distinct_id: current_user.id,
  properties: {
    email: current_user.email,
    plan: current_user.plan
  }
)

Error tracking

For full details on setting up error tracking with Rails, see our Rails error tracking installation guide.

Automatic exception tracking

When auto_capture_exceptions is enabled, exceptions are automatically captured:

Ruby

PostHog AI

class PostsController < ApplicationController
  def show
    @post = Post.find(params[:id])
    # Any exception here is automatically captured
  end
end
Manual exception capture

You can also manually capture exceptions:

Ruby

PostHog AI

PostHog.capture_exception(
  exception,
  current_user.id,
  { custom_property: 'value' }
)
Background job exceptions

When auto_instrument_active_job is enabled, ActiveJob exceptions are automatically captured with job context:

Ruby

PostHog AI

class EmailJob < ApplicationJob
  def perform(user_id)
    user = User.find(user_id)
    UserMailer.welcome(user).deliver_now
    # Exceptions are automatically captured
  end
end
Associating jobs with users

By default, PostHog extracts a distinct_id from job arguments by looking for a user_id key:

Ruby

PostHog AI

# PostHog will automatically use options[:user_id] as the distinct_id
ProcessOrderJob.perform_later(order.id, user_id: current_user.id)

For more control, use the posthog_distinct_id class method:

Ruby

PostHog AI

class SendWelcomeEmailJob < ApplicationJob
  posthog_distinct_id ->(user, options) { user.id }
  def perform(user, options = {})
    UserMailer.welcome(user).deliver_now
  end
end
Rails 7.0+ error reporter

PostHog integrates with Rails' built-in error reporting:

Ruby

PostHog AI

# These errors are automatically sent to PostHog
Rails.error.handle do
  # Code that might raise an error
end
Rails.error.record(exception, context: { user_id: current_user.id })

PostHog automatically extracts the user's distinct ID from user_id or distinct_id in the context hash.

User context

PostHog Rails automatically captures user information from your controllers. If your user method has a different name, configure it:

Ruby

PostHog AI

PostHog::Rails.config.current_user_method = :logged_in_user
User ID extraction

By default, PostHog Rails auto-detects the user's distinct ID by trying these methods:

  1. posthog_distinct_id – Define this on your User model for full control

  2. distinct_id – Common analytics convention

  3. id – Standard ActiveRecord primary key

You can configure a specific method:

Ruby

PostHog AI

PostHog::Rails.config.user_id_method = :email

Or define a method on your User model:

Ruby

PostHog AI

class User < ApplicationRecord
  def posthog_distinct_id
    "user_#{id}"  # or external_id, or any unique identifier
  end
end
Excluded exceptions

The following exceptions are not reported by default (common 4xx errors):

  • AbstractController::ActionNotFound

  • ActionController::BadRequest

  • ActionController::InvalidAuthenticityToken

  • ActionController::RoutingError

  • ActionController::UnknownFormat

  • ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound

Add more with:

Ruby

PostHog AI

PostHog::Rails.config.excluded_exceptions = ['MyException']

Feature flags

Use feature flags in your Rails app:

Ruby

PostHog AI

class PostsController < ApplicationController
  def show
    if PostHog.is_feature_enabled('new-post-design', current_user.id)
      render 'posts/show_new'
    else
      render 'posts/show'
    end
  end
end

For local evaluation, ensure you've set personal_api_key:

Ruby

PostHog AI

config.personal_api_key = Rails.application.credentials.posthog[:personal_api_key]

See our Ruby SDK docs for details on local evaluation with Puma and Unicorn servers.

Testing

In your test environment, disable PostHog or use test mode:

config/environments/test.rb

PostHog AI

PostHog.init do |config|
  config.test_mode = true  # Events are queued but not sent
end

Or in your specs:

spec/rails_helper.rb

PostHog AI

RSpec.configure do |config|
  config.before(:each) do
    allow(PostHog).to receive(:capture)
  end
end

Configuration reference

Core PostHog options
OptionTypeDefaultDescription
api_keyStringrequiredYour PostHog project token
hostStringhttps://us.i.posthog.comPostHog instance URL
personal_api_keyStringnilFor feature flag evaluation
test_modeBooleanfalseDon't send events (for testing)
on_errorProcnilError callback
Rails-specific options
OptionTypeDefaultDescription
auto_capture_exceptionsBooleanfalseAutomatically capture exceptions
report_rescued_exceptionsBooleanfalseReport exceptions Rails rescues
auto_instrument_active_jobBooleanfalseInstrument ActiveJob
capture_user_contextBooleantrueInclude user info
current_user_methodSymbol:current_userController method for user
user_id_methodSymbolnilMethod to extract ID from user object
excluded_exceptionsArray[]Additional exceptions to ignore

Troubleshooting

Exceptions not being captured

  1. Verify PostHog is initialized:

    Ruby

    PostHog AI

    Rails.console
> PostHog.initialized?
=> true

  2. Check your excluded exceptions list

  3. Verify middleware is installed:

    Ruby

    PostHog AI

    Rails.application.middleware
User context not working

  1. Verify current_user_method matches your controller method

  2. Check that the user object responds to posthog_distinct_id, distinct_id, or id

  3. If using a custom identifier, set PostHog::Rails.config.user_id_method = :your_method

Feature flags not working

Ensure you've set personal_api_key in your configuration.

Next steps

For any technical questions for how to integrate specific PostHog features into Rails (such as analytics, feature flags, A/B testing, etc.), have a look at our Ruby SDK docs.

Community questions

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Requirements and compatibility

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Needs: Needs an MCP server, Needs an API key, Needs Python, Needs Node.js

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Attribution and licence

Created by
PostHog
Publisher
PostHog (Official)
Source
PostHog/skills · skills/posthog/integration/skills/all · commit a5d30e7
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced
Also distributed in
PostHog/skills

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