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Logs Nodejs

PostHogOfficialCreated by PostHog

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Data and AI
  • MIT
  • No issues found
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From the author

PostHog logs for Node.js
— the description by PostHog

AutoGineer summary

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

This skill provides guidance and best practices for configuring Node.js applications to export logs to PostHog. It emphasizes the use of the OpenTelemetry protocol (OTLP) to send structured logs, ensuring that system telemetry is centralized and actionable. The skill focuses on maintaining clean, high-signal logging by advocating for wide events over granular, repetitive log lines, and provides instructions on how to leverage PostHog's ecosystem for debugging and analysis.

What it does

  • Guides the setup of OpenTelemetry log exporters for Node.js.
  • Promotes structured logging patterns for better queryability.
  • Provides best practices for creating wide, context-rich log events.
  • Explains how to integrate logs with other PostHog features like session replay.
  • Offers troubleshooting and search strategies for production logs.
  • Supports AI-assisted debugging via the PostHog MCP server.

When to use it

  • When you need to centralize logs from Node.js services into PostHog.
  • When transitioning from verbose, low-value logs to structured, wide events.
  • When you want to correlate system logs with user sessions and product analytics.
  • When setting up observability for new or existing Node.js backend services.

Advantages

  • Centralizes logs alongside product analytics and session replays.
  • Reduces noise by encouraging high-signal, structured log events.
  • Uses industry-standard OpenTelemetry protocols.
  • Enables deep correlation between system behavior and user activity.

Usage examples

“How do I configure my Node.js app to send logs to PostHog using OpenTelemetry?”
The agent provides the necessary configuration steps for the OTLP exporter and explains how to point it to the PostHog ingest endpoint.
“Help me refactor my repetitive logger.info calls into a single wide event.”
The agent analyzes your current logging code and suggests a structured JSON object that captures the request context, duration, and relevant metadata in one line.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://mp-staging.autogineer.com/agent-skills/posthog/logs-nodejs/download

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

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip logs-nodejs.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by PostHog

PostHog logs for Node.js

This skill helps you add PostHog log ingestion to Node.js applications.

Reference files

  • references/nodejs.md - Node.js logs installation - docs

  • references/start-here.md - Getting started with logs - docs

  • references/search.md - Search logs - docs

  • references/best-practices.md - Logging best practices - docs

  • references/troubleshooting.md - Logs troubleshooting - docs

  • references/link-session-replay.md - Link session replay - docs

  • references/debug-logs-mcp.md - Debug logs with mcp - docs

Consult the documentation for API details and framework-specific patterns.

Key principles

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

  • Minimal changes: Add log export alongside existing logging. Don't replace or restructure existing logging code.

  • OpenTelemetry: PostHog logs use the OpenTelemetry protocol. Configure an OTLP exporter pointed at PostHog's ingest endpoint.

  • Structured logging: Prefer structured log formats with key-value properties over plain text messages.

Framework guidelines

No specific framework guidelines.

Files

references/search.md

Search logs - Docs

The logs search accepts multiple tokens and quoted phrases to help you find the exact log lines you need.

  • Space-separated words are combined with implicit AND: the log must contain all positive tokens

  • Prefix a token with ! to exclude logs that contain that token. You can use multiple negative tokens to exclude several different terms

  • Wrap text in double quotes to search for an exact phrase (an exact substring match)

How to use search

Require multiple words

Type: bug frontend

Result: Shows logs that contain both the words bug and frontend anywhere in the line.

Exclude words

Type: error !timeout

Result: Shows logs that contain error but excludes any log that also contains timeout.

Combine require + exclude

Type: api "server error" !403 !timeout

Result: Must contain api and the exact phrase server error, and must not contain 403 or timeout.

Search exact phrases

Type: "failed to connect"

Result: Matches logs that include the substring failed to connect exactly as written.

More examples

QueryWhat it finds
login timeoutLogs that contain both login and timeout
login !debugLogs that contain login and excludes logs that contain debug
"database error"Logs with the exact phrase database error
"payment failed" !trace !debugLogs that contain the exact phrase payment failed and excludes any that contain trace or debug

Tips

  • Special characters: If a token contains spaces or special characters, wrap it in double quotes to treat it as a single search item

  • Standalone exclamation mark: A standalone ! by itself is ignored — use ! followed by text to exclude that text

  • Multiple negative tokens: List multiple !tokens (e.g., !debug !trace) to exclude logs that contain any of those tokens

  • Punctuation: Quotes and escapes are handled using shell-like parsing rules, so complex tokens should be quoted if they contain spaces or special characters

Get more from search with structured logs

Search works best when your logs are consistent and structured. Adding key-value context like user_id, endpoint, and status_code to every log line makes filtering faster and more precise. See our logging best practices guide for patterns that make logs easier to search and query.

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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.

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/logs/skills/nodejs · commit a5d30e7
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced
Also distributed in
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 logs-nodejs.zip