exploring-autocapture-events

Analyze posthog-js $autocapture events to identify stable selectors and build analytics actions.

58|5|Updated Jan 19, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/PostHog/skills --skill exploring-autocapture-events
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: exploring-autocapture-events
Source: https://github.com/PostHog/skills/tree/main/skills/omnibus/exploring-autocapture-events
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/PostHog/skills --skill exploring-autocapture-events

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill guides teams to explore $autocapture events captured by posthog-js, helping understand what users click, identify stable selectors (especially data-attr attributes), and reason about the element chains stored in the elements_chain column. It clarifies how to work with the autocapture data to build reliable analytics queries and actions.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Materialized insights: leverage the events table and materialized columns (e.g., elements_chain, elements_chain_texts, elements_chain_ids, elements_chain_elements) for fast exploration without heavy parsing.
  • Selector discovery: find candidate selectors using data-attr values, IDs, or tag+class combinations, and assess their uniqueness.
  • Ad-hoc to action: craft example queries and steps to identify interactions, then create actions or trends analyses based on the results.
  • Use Case: Discover what users click on a pricing page by analyzing $autocapture events and visualizing common selectors.

Quick Start

Run an initial check to confirm $autocapture data exists, then begin exploring common interactions using materialized columns to identify candidate selectors.

Frequently Asked Questions about exploring-autocapture-events

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I find stable selectors for PostHog autocapture events?

PostHog autocapture events store clicked element hierarchies in the elements_chain column. Materialized columns like elements_chain_texts and elements_chain_ids allow fast querying of this interaction data without heavy parsing overhead.

How do I query autocapture clicks to create PostHog trends and actions?

PostHog autocapture events store clicked element hierarchies in the elements_chain column. Materialized columns like elements_chain_texts and elements_chain_ids allow fast querying of this interaction data without heavy parsing overhead.

What is the elements_chain column in PostHog autocapture data?

PostHog autocapture events store clicked element hierarchies in the elements_chain column. Materialized columns like elements_chain_texts and elements_chain_ids allow fast querying of this interaction data without heavy parsing overhead.

Does PostHog autocapture work with data-attr attributes for element tracking?

PostHog autocapture events store clicked element hierarchies in the elements_chain column. Materialized columns like elements_chain_texts and elements_chain_ids allow fast querying of this interaction data without heavy parsing overhead.

What are the limitations of using autocapture events for analytics queries?

PostHog autocapture events store clicked element hierarchies in the elements_chain column. Materialized columns like elements_chain_texts and elements_chain_ids allow fast querying of this interaction data without heavy parsing overhead.