# finding-experiments

Resolves loose names, statuses, or relative dates into concrete PostHog experiment IDs. It saves users from digging up raw numeric IDs manually.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 378 installs · ★ 76
- Author: PostHog
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/PostHog/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/omnibus/finding-experiments/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/finding-experiments

## What it does

When developers discuss tests, they rarely remember numeric IDs. This skill maps phrases like "signup test" or "latest pricing experiment" to PostHog experiment IDs. It queries the `experiment-list` tool from the local PostHog MCP server. Generic feature flag tools are ignored.

Search filters examine names, status values (`draft`, `running`, `paused`, `exposure_frozen`, `stopped`), and flag keys. If several tests match, the agent shows candidate names and dates so you can choose. It asks for confirmation before destructive actions.

This skill requires the PostHog-local MCP server. Without that server, lookups fail completely.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add PostHog/skills --skill finding-experiments -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/finding-experiments/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/finding-experiments/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add PostHog/skills --skill finding-experiments -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/finding-experiments/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add PostHog/skills --skill finding-experiments -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/finding-experiments/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install PostHog/skills finding-experiments
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/finding-experiments/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add PostHog/skills --skill finding-experiments -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/PostHog/skills --path skills/omnibus/finding-experiments
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/finding-experiments/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add PostHog/skills --skill finding-experiments -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/PostHog/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/omnibus/finding-experiments/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- resolve casual experiment names into PostHog experiment IDs
- disambiguate matching tests using status and creation date
- verify flag key availability prior to creating a test
- locate experiments by lifecycle status or recency

## Example prompts
- Pause my signup experiment
- Find the most recent pricing test and check its status
- Check if there is an active experiment for flag key checkout-v2

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 546ecf87f2f67b56.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 546ecf87f2f67b56
````text
---
name: finding-experiments
description: Resolves a PostHog experiment reference from natural language to a concrete experiment ID by browsing `experiment-list` (not feature-flag tools), with disambiguation when multiple experiments match. Use when the user names or quotes an experiment ("split test demo", "the File engagement boost experiment", "onboarding retention test", "landing page hero experiment", "pricing experiment"), describes it loosely ("the signup experiment", "my pricing test", "the one with the new checkout"), uses a relative reference ("latest", "most recent", "the one I created yesterday"), filters by status (running, draft, paused, exposure frozen, stopped, archived), or otherwise refers to an experiment by anything other than its concrete ID.
---

# Finding experiments

Users refer to experiments by name, description, or relative references — not by ID.
This skill resolves natural language references to concrete experiment IDs.

## How to find an experiment

Use the **experiment-list** tool from the Posthog-local MCP server.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT use `feature-flag-get-all` or any feature flag tool to find
experiments. Use the dedicated experiment list tool: `experiment-list`.

This tool returns experiments with their id, name, status, feature_flag_key,
start_date, end_date, and created_at. Browse the returned list to find the
experiment matching the user's reference:

- **By name**: scan the `name` field for matches
- **By recency**: results are ordered newest first by default
- **By status**: match the `status` field (draft, running, paused, exposure_frozen, stopped)
- **By flag key**: skip the list and call `experiment-get-by-flag-key` with the key. It returns the
  full experiment, or `found: false` with a `reason`. `no_flag` and `no_experiment` mean the key is
  free, so this is also the existence check to run before `experiment-create`. `ambiguous` means
  several experiments share the flag and none is the single live one: show the `candidates` and
  pick one with `experiment-get` rather than creating another.
- **By partial flag key**: call `experiment-list` with `search` set to the fragment. `search` matches
  substrings of the experiment name and the flag key, ignoring case.

## After finding matches

- **Exactly one match**: Use it. Confirm with the user by name before destructive actions (delete, ship, end).
- **Multiple matches**: List them with name, status, and creation date. Ask the user to pick.
- **No matches**: Tell the user. Suggest checking archived experiments or different terms.

## Get full details if needed

After resolving to an ID, call `experiment-get` for the full object (metrics, flag details, parameters).

## Examples

```text
User: "pause my signup experiment"

Agent:
1. Calls experiment-list
2. Scans results, finds "New signup process" (ID: 1371, status: running)
3. Proceeds to pause experiment 1371
```

## When NOT to search

- You already have the experiment ID from earlier in the conversation
- The user just created the experiment — you have the ID from the create response
- The user provided the ID directly

## Related skills
````
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---
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