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.