# instrument-error-tracking

A skill that wires PostHog error tracking into your app: exception autocapture, manual captures in catch blocks, and source map uploads.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 503 installs · ★ 75
- 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/instrument-error-tracking/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-24
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/instrument-error-tracking

## What it does

The skill inspects the repo to work out the stack from dependency and lock files, then reads the matching reference under `references/`. There are separate files for React, Next.js, Node.js, Python, Django, Flask, PHP, Laravel, Ruby, Rails, Go, .NET, Elixir, Angular, Svelte, Nuxt, React Native, Flutter, iOS, Android and Hono. If PostHog is already initialised in the project, the setup steps are skipped and it goes straight to enabling exception autocapture.

From there it installs the SDK with the project's package manager, turns on exception autocapture, places `posthog.captureException()` in catch blocks and error boundaries, and configures source map uploads for frontend and mobile builds. Existing error handling stays as it is — additions are small and targeted.

To get the project token the skill calls the PostHog MCP server's `projects-get` tool. If that server isn't connected or authenticated, you supply the token yourself. The region comes from the same response: `US` maps to `https://us.i.posthog.com` and `EU` to `https://eu.i.posthog.com`. With no MCP answer the skill asks whether you're on US or EU Cloud rather than assuming US.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

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

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

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add PostHog/skills --skill instrument-error-tracking -a codex
```

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

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add PostHog/skills --skill instrument-error-tracking -a cursor
```

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

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install PostHog/skills instrument-error-tracking
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/instrument-error-tracking/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

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

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/PostHog/skills --path skills/omnibus/instrument-error-tracking
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

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

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add PostHog/skills --skill instrument-error-tracking -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/instrument-error-tracking/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- catch unhandled exceptions without hand-rolling a reporter
- get stack traces that point at original source, not minified bundles
- set up the PostHog SDK in a project that has none yet
- mark catch blocks and error boundaries with captureException calls
- move the PostHog token and host into environment variables

## Example prompts
- Add PostHog error tracking to this project
- Put captureException calls in the catch blocks on the checkout page
- Configure source map uploads so stack traces resolve to source files

## 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: eddd20c867208df4.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE eddd20c867208df4
```text
---
name: instrument-error-tracking
description: >-
  Add PostHog error tracking to capture and monitor exceptions. Use after
  implementing features or reviewing PRs to ensure errors are tracked with stack
  traces and source maps. Also handles initial PostHog SDK setup if not yet
  installed.
metadata:
  author: PostHog
---

# Add PostHog error tracking

Use this skill to add PostHog error tracking that captures and monitors exceptions in your application. Use it after implementing features or reviewing PRs to ensure errors are tracked with full stack traces and source maps. If PostHog is not yet installed, this skill also covers initial SDK setup. Supports any platform or language.

Supported platforms: React, Next.js, Web (JavaScript), Node.js, Python, PHP, Ruby, Ruby on Rails, Go, Elixir, Angular, Svelte, Nuxt, React Native, Flutter, iOS, Android, and Hono.

## Instructions

Follow these steps IN ORDER:

STEP 1: Analyze the codebase and detect the platform.
  -
 Look for dependency files (package.json, pubspec.yaml, Podfile, Package.swift, requirements.txt, go.mod, Gemfile, composer.json, mix.exs, etc.) to determine the language and framework.
  -
 Look for lockfiles (pnpm-lock.yaml, package-lock.json, yarn.lock, bun.lockb, go.sum, pubspec.lock, Podfile.lock, Package.resolved, mix.lock) to determine the package manager.
  - Check for existing PostHog setup (SDK initialization, env vars, etc.). If PostHog is already installed and initialized, skip to STEP 4.

STEP 2: Research instrumentation. (Skip if PostHog is already set up.)
  2.1. Find the reference file below that matches the detected platform — it is the source of truth for SDK initialization, exception autocapture, and framework-specific error tracking 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 and initialize 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.
  - Follow the framework reference for where and how to initialize.

STEP 4: Enable exception autocapture.
  - Follow the platform reference to enable exception autocapture. This automatically captures unhandled exceptions without additional code.

STEP 5: Add manual error captures.
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE eddd20c867208df4

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the eddd20c867208df4 tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

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