instrument-logs

name	instrument-logs
description	Add PostHog log capture to track application logs. Use after implementing features or reviewing PRs to ensure meaningful log events are captured with structured properties. Also handles initial OTLP exporter setup if not yet configured.
metadata	{"author":"PostHog"}

Add PostHog log capture

Use this skill to add PostHog log capture for new or changed code. Use it after implementing features or reviewing PRs to ensure meaningful log events are captured with structured properties. If PostHog log export is not yet configured, this skill also covers initial OTLP exporter setup. Supports any platform or language.

Supported platforms: Next.js, Node.js, Python, Go, Java, Datadog, Android, React Native, iOS, and any language via OpenTelemetry.

Instructions

Follow these steps IN ORDER:

STEP 1: Analyze the codebase and detect the platform.

• Detect the language, framework, and existing logging setup.
• Look for dependency files and project files (package.json, Podfile, Package.swift, requirements.txt, go.mod, pom.xml, etc.).
• Look for log libraries (winston, pino, logging module, logrus, log4j, serilog, os_log, Logger, etc.).
• Look for lockfiles (pnpm-lock.yaml, package-lock.json, yarn.lock, bun.lockb, go.sum, Podfile.lock, Package.resolved, etc.) to determine the package manager.
• Check for existing PostHog log export setup. If the OTLP exporter is already configured, skip to STEP 5 to add log capture for new code.

STEP 2: Research log capture. (Skip if PostHog log export is already configured.) 2.1. Find the reference file below that matches the detected platform — it is the source of truth for OTLP exporter configuration and integration with existing logging. Read it now. 2.2. If no reference matches, use the "Other Languages" reference as a fallback — it covers the generic OpenTelemetry approach.