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Integration Nextjs Pages Router

PostHogOfficialCreated by PostHog

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Software development
  • MIT
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From the author

PostHog integration for Next.js Pages Router applications
— the description by PostHog

AutoGineer summary

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

This skill provides a systematic approach to integrating PostHog into Next.js projects that utilize the Pages Router architecture. It covers client-side initialization, server-side tracking, user identification, and error tracking. The guide emphasizes best practices such as using environment variables, avoiding hardcoded keys, and maintaining clean event-handling logic by avoiding unnecessary useEffect hooks.

What it does

  • Provides a step-by-step workflow for PostHog setup
  • Demonstrates client-side initialization via instrumentation-client.ts
  • Shows how to implement server-side tracking for API routes
  • Guides user identification during authentication flows
  • Includes patterns for error tracking and feature flag usage
  • Offers a reference project structure for Pages Router applications

When to use it

  • When adding product analytics to a new or existing Next.js Pages Router application
  • When needing to track user behavior across both client and server boundaries
  • When implementing feature flags or session replay in a Next.js environment
  • When you need to ensure consistent event tracking patterns across your codebase

Advantages

  • Follows established patterns for Next.js Pages Router
  • Ensures secure handling of project tokens via environment variables
  • Promotes clean React code by discouraging misuse of useEffect
  • Supports both client-side and server-side event correlation

Usage examples

“How do I initialize PostHog in my Next.js Pages Router app?”
The skill directs you to create an instrumentation-client.ts file and configure it using your project token from environment variables.
“Where should I place event tracking code for user actions?”
The skill advises placing capture calls directly within event handlers rather than inside useEffect hooks.
“How do I track events on the server side in my API routes?”
The skill provides a pattern for using a server-side PostHog client to capture events in files located within the pages/api/ directory.
“How do I identify users after they log in?”
The skill shows how to use the posthog.identify() method within your authentication context or login logic.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/posthog/integration-nextjs-pages-router/download

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

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip integration-nextjs-pages-router.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by PostHog

PostHog integration for Next.js Pages Router

This skill helps you add PostHog analytics to Next.js Pages Router applications.

Workflow

Follow these steps in order to complete the integration:

  1. basic-integration-1.0-begin.md - PostHog Setup - Begin ← Start here

  2. basic-integration-1.1-edit.md - PostHog Setup - Edit

  3. basic-integration-1.2-revise.md - PostHog Setup - Revise

  4. basic-integration-1.3-conclude.md - PostHog Setup - Conclusion

Reference files

  • references/EXAMPLE.md - Next.js Pages Router example project code

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

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

  • references/basic-integration-1.0-begin.md - PostHog setup - begin

  • references/basic-integration-1.1-edit.md - PostHog setup - edit

  • references/basic-integration-1.2-revise.md - PostHog setup - revise

  • references/basic-integration-1.3-conclude.md - PostHog setup - conclusion

The example project shows the target implementation pattern. Consult the documentation for API details.

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 example: Your implementation should follow the example project's patterns as closely as possible.

Framework guidelines

  • For Next.js 15.3+, initialize PostHog in instrumentation-client.ts for the simplest setup

  • For feature flags, use useFeatureFlagEnabled() or useFeatureFlagPayload() hooks - they handle loading states and external sync automatically

  • Add analytics capture in event handlers where user actions occur, NOT in useEffect reacting to state changes

  • Do NOT use useEffect for data transformation - calculate derived values during render instead

  • Do NOT use useEffect to respond to user events - put that logic in the event handler itself

  • Do NOT use useEffect to chain state updates - calculate all related updates together in the event handler

  • Do NOT use useEffect to notify parent components - call the parent callback alongside setState in the event handler

  • To reset component state when a prop changes, pass the prop as the component's key instead of using useEffect

  • useEffect is ONLY for synchronizing with external systems (non-React widgets, browser APIs, network subscriptions)

Identifying users

Identify users during login and signup events. Refer to the example code and documentation for the correct identify pattern for this framework. If both frontend and backend code exist, pass the client-side session and distinct ID using X-POSTHOG-DISTINCT-ID and X-POSTHOG-SESSION-ID headers to maintain correlation.

Error tracking

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

Files

references/basic-integration-1.1-edit.md

title: PostHog Setup - Edit description: Implement PostHog event tracking in the identified files, following best practices and the example project

For each of the files and events noted in .posthog-events.json, make edits to capture events using PostHog. Make sure to set up any helper files needed. Carefully examine the included example project code: your implementation should match it as closely as possible. Do not spawn subagents.

Use environment variables for PostHog keys. Do not hardcode PostHog keys.

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.

For each event, add useful properties, and use your access to the PostHog source code to ensure correctness. You also have access to documentation about creating new events with PostHog. Consider this documentation carefully and follow it closely before adding events. Your integration should be based on documented best practices. Carefully consider how the user project's framework version may impact the correct PostHog integration approach.

Remember that you can find the source code for any dependency in the node_modules directory. This may be necessary to properly populate property names. There are also example project code files available via the PostHog MCP; use these for reference.

Where possible, add calls for PostHog's identify() function on the client side upon events like logins and signups. Use the contents of login and signup forms to identify users on submit. If there is server-side code, pass the client-side session and distinct ID to the server-side code to identify the user. On the server side, make sure events have a matching distinct ID where relevant.

It's essential to do this in both client code and server code, so that user behavior from both domains is easy to correlate.

You should also add PostHog exception capture error tracking to these files where relevant.

Remember: Do not alter the fundamental architecture of existing files. Make your additions minimal and targeted.

Remember the documentation and example project resources you were provided at the beginning. Read them now.

Status

Status to report in this phase:

  • Inserting PostHog capture code

  • A status message for each file whose edits you are planning, including a high level summary of changes

  • A status message for each file you have edited

Upon completion, continue with: basic-integration-1.2-revise.md

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.

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

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Attribution and licence

Created by
PostHog
Publisher
PostHog (Official)
Source
PostHog/skills · skills/posthog/integration/skills/nextjs-pages-router · commit a5d30e7
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced
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PostHog/skills

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by PostHog.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download integration-nextjs-pages-router.zip