# PostHog Destination Config Reference


> Complete Rudder CLI reference for the PostHog destination config keys, web device mode settings, event filtering, and secrets.



[PostHog](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/posthog/setting-up-posthog/) is a product analytics destination. RudderStack sends events to PostHog from its servers, or — for web sources — through PostHog's own SDK in device mode.

In a PostHog destination spec:

- `type: posthog`
- `definition_version: 1`

## Sample configuration

```yaml
version: rudder/v1
kind: destination
metadata:
  name: posthog-prod
spec:
  id: posthog-prod
  display_name: PostHog Production
  type: posthog
  definition_version: 1
  enabled: true
  config:
    api_key: "{{ .POSTHOG_API_KEY }}"
    endpoint: https://eu.posthog.com
    use_v2_group: true

    autocapture:
      web: true
    capture_page_view:
      web: false
    disable_session_recording:
      web: false
    enable_local_storage_persistence:
      web: true
    person_profiles:
      web: identified_only
    xhr_headers:
      - key: X-Environment
        value: production
    property_blacklist:
      - property: email

    connection_mode:
      web: device
      cloud: cloud
    consent_management:
      web:
        - provider: oneTrust
          consents:
            - analytics
```

The above example loads PostHog's SDK on web sources in `device` mode, where the web settings apply, and sends server-side events in `cloud` mode, where `use_v2_group` applies — see [Web device mode](#web-device-mode).

## Config keys

`config` accepts only the keys listed below. The [shared config key rules](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/#config-key-rules) cover unknown keys, defaults, and immutability.

### Connection

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="api_key">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">api_key</p>RequiredSecret</div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Your PostHog team API key — the dashboard calls it <strong>Team API Key</strong>.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>At most 100 characters, and must not contain line breaks.</li>
<li>Templates aren&rsquo;t accepted in place of a literal; a template is measured as text against the same limit.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  See <a href="https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/posthog/setting-up-posthog/#where-can-i-find-the-posthog-team-api-key" >Where can I find the PostHog Team API Key?</a>.
</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="endpoint">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">endpoint</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>string</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  URL of your PostHog instance, without a trailing slash — for example <code>https://eu.posthog.com</code>, or your own host if you self-host PostHog. The dashboard calls it <strong>Instance URL</strong>. In device mode, PostHog&rsquo;s SDK loads from here, or from <code>https://app.posthog.com</code> when omitted.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>At most 100 characters, and must not contain line breaks.</li>
<li>Any value containing <code>.ngrok.io</code> is rejected.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="use_v2_group">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">use_v2_group</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>boolean</code>
  </p><p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Default value:
    <code>false</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Send <code>group</code> traits as event properties — PostHog&rsquo;s updated group mapping. Turn this on; the old mapping is being deprecated.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>Applies to <code>cloud</code> mode only. Device mode always uses the updated mapping.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  See <a href="https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/posthog/posthog-cloud-mode/#updated-group-mapping" >Updated group mapping</a>.
</div>

</div>

</div>

### Web device mode

These keys configure PostHog's SDK in the browser, so they apply only to web sources connected in `device` mode. Most are objects keyed by `web`; `xhr_headers` and `property_blacklist` are plain lists that apply to web all the same.

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="autocapture">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">autocapture</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Let PostHog&rsquo;s SDK <a href="https://posthog.com/docs/integrations/js-integration#usage" >autocapture</a> clicks, form submissions, and other interactions.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li><code>web</code> — boolean.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="capture_page_view">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">capture_page_view</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Let PostHog&rsquo;s SDK send a page view each time it loads on a page.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li><code>web</code> — boolean.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="disable_session_recording">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">disable_session_recording</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Stop PostHog from recording user sessions. <code>true</code> turns recording <strong>off</strong>.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li><code>web</code> — boolean.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="enable_local_storage_persistence">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">enable_local_storage_persistence</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Store PostHog&rsquo;s state in local storage instead of cookies, reducing the data held in cookies.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li><code>web</code> — boolean.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="person_profiles">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">person_profiles</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  When PostHog creates a <a href="https://posthog.com/docs/data/persons" >person profile</a>.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li><code>web</code> — <code>always</code> (default) to create profiles for every user, or <code>identified_only</code> to capture anonymous events without profiles until a user is identified.</li>
<li>Rudder CLI fills in the default only when the <code>person_profiles</code> block is present. Omit the block and no value is sent.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  <div class="rs-code">
  <div class="rs-code__head">yaml<button class="rs-code__copy" type="button">
      
      Copy
    </button>
  </div>
  <div class="highlight"><pre class="chroma"><code class="language-yaml" data-lang="yaml">person_profiles:
  web: identified_only</code></pre></div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="xhr_headers">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">xhr_headers</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>array of objects</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Extra headers the SDK adds to its requests to the PostHog API.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li><code>key</code> — header name. At most 100 characters, or a <code>{{ path || fallback }}</code> template.</li>
<li><code>value</code> — header value. Same limits. Not secret — it ships to the browser.</li>
<li>A plain list, not keyed by <code>web</code>, though it applies only to web.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  <div class="rs-code">
  <div class="rs-code__head">yaml<button class="rs-code__copy" type="button">
      
      Copy
    </button>
  </div>
  <div class="highlight"><pre class="chroma"><code class="language-yaml" data-lang="yaml">xhr_headers:
  - key: X-Environment
    value: production</code></pre></div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="property_blacklist">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">property_blacklist</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>array of objects</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Traits and event properties the SDK doesn&rsquo;t send to PostHog.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li><code>property</code> — the trait or property name. Not validated locally.</li>
<li>A plain list, not keyed by <code>web</code>, though it applies only to web.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  <div class="rs-code">
  <div class="rs-code__head">yaml<button class="rs-code__copy" type="button">
      
      Copy
    </button>
  </div>
  <div class="highlight"><pre class="chroma"><code class="language-yaml" data-lang="yaml">property_blacklist:
  - property: email
  - property: phone</code></pre></div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

</div>

### Event filtering

**Warning:** [Client-side event filtering](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/sources/event-streams/sdks/event-filtering/) is applied by the RudderStack SDK, so it affects only web sources connected in `device` mode. Events sent in `cloud` mode aren&#39;t filtered by it.

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="event_filtering">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">event_filtering</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Restricts which <code>track</code> events the SDK passes to PostHog, by event name.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li><code>whitelist</code> — array of event names to allow; every other <code>track</code> event is dropped.</li>
<li><code>blacklist</code> — array of event names to drop; every other <code>track</code> event is allowed.</li>
<li>The two are mutually exclusive, and Rudder CLI enforces it — setting both fails validation.</li>
<li>Each name is at most 100 characters, or a <code>{{ path || fallback }}</code> template.</li>
</ul>

</div>

</div>

</div>

### Per-source keys

Both keys are objects keyed by the local source type — the tokens listed under [Source types](#source-types). A key naming a source type this destination doesn't support fails validation.

<div class="rs-ckeys">
<div class="rs-ckey" id="connection_mode">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">connection_mode</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Maps each source type you connect to the mode its events reach PostHog in, using the modes in <a href="#source-types" >Source types</a>.
</p>

<div class="rs-ckey__notes">
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">Notes:</p>
  <ul>
<li>An entry is required for each source type you connect — see <a href="#connect-a-source" >Connect a source</a>.</li>
<li>A mode the source type doesn&rsquo;t support on this destination fails validation — for example <code>device</code> for <code>android</code>.</li>
</ul>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey__extra">
  <div class="rs-code">
  <div class="rs-code__head">yaml<button class="rs-code__copy" type="button">
      
      Copy
    </button>
  </div>
  <div class="highlight"><pre class="chroma"><code class="language-yaml" data-lang="yaml">connection_mode:
  web: device
  cloud: cloud</code></pre></div>
</div>
</div>

</div>

<div class="rs-ckey" id="consent_management">
  <div class="rs-ckey__title">
    <p class="rs-ckey__name">consent_management</p></div>
  <p class="rs-ckey__field">
    Type:
    <code>object</code>
  </p>
<p class="rs-ckey__field">
  Description:
  Consent provider configuration per source type. The entry shape, accepted providers, and the rules on <code>resolution_strategy</code> and <code>consents</code> are shared across all destination types — see <a href="https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/#consent-management" >Consent management</a>.
</p>

</div>

</div>

## Source types

PostHog accepts events from these source types in the mentioned connection modes:

| Source type | Connection mode |
| :-----| :-----|
| `android` | `cloud` |
| `android_kotlin` | `cloud` |
| `ios` | `cloud` |
| `ios_swift` | `cloud` |
| `web` | `cloud`, `device` |
| `unity` | `cloud` |
| `react_native` | `cloud` |
| `flutter` | `cloud` |
| `cordova` | `cloud` |
| `cloud` | `cloud` |
| `warehouse` | `cloud` |

Only `web` offers `device` mode, which loads PostHog's SDK in the browser. In `cloud` mode PostHog accepts `alias`, `group`, `identify`, `page`, `screen`, and `track`; in `device` mode, web sources send `group`, `identify`, `page`, and `track`. See [PostHog device mode](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/posthog/posthog-device-mode/).

`warehouse` is the token a [Reverse ETL source](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/sources/reverse-etl/) resolves to. Rudder CLI manages the destination’s `warehouse` entry — if the destination is connected to a Reverse ETL source, set `connection_mode.warehouse: cloud` in its spec, or `apply` removes it.

Rudder CLI can also declare the Reverse ETL connection itself, for the types listed under [Supported destinations](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/yaml-retl-connections/#supported-destinations) — see [Manage Reverse ETL Connections using Rudder CLI](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/retl-connections/).

**Info:** The dashboard additionally offers PostHog to AMP and Shopify sources. Rudder CLI doesn&#39;t manage those connections, so `amp` and `shopify` are invalid here.

## Connect a source

An event stream connection to this destination is checked against two rules at `validate` time.

**The source's type must be supported.** A source's type resolves to one of the tokens above before the check — a JavaScript source resolves to `web`, and webhook and server-side SDK sources resolve to `cloud`. Every type an event stream source can resolve to is supported here, so this check always passes.

**The destination config must carry a `connection_mode` entry for that source type.** This lives on the destination spec, not on the [connection spec](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/yaml-connections/). Without it:

```text
destination 'posthog-prod' config has no 'connection_mode' entry for source type 'web'
```

PostHog needs no additional config keys to connect a source of any type, in any mode.

## Secrets

`api_key` is the only secret key. Write it as a `{{ .VAR }}` reference and supply the value at apply time:

```yaml
config:
  api_key: "{{ .POSTHOG_API_KEY }}"
```

```bash
export RUDDER_POSTHOG_API_KEY="phc_..."
rudder-cli apply

# or
rudder-cli apply --var-file secrets.vars.yaml
```

Note that:

- `rudder-cli import` writes only the secrets the API returns, as `{{ .VAR }}` references, and leaves the others out. Add any secret key it leaves out, then supply the variables before you apply — see [Secrets](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/#secrets).
- In device mode the team API key is embedded in the page's JavaScript, so masking it protects your YAML, not the value itself.

See [How to Use Variable Substitution in Rudder CLI](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/variable-substitution/).

## Changes by release

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Version</th>
      <th>Change</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>v0.29.0</td>
      <td><strong>Breaking:</strong> A <code>null</code> config value, written as <code>key: null</code>, <code>key: ~</code>, or <code>key:</code> with no value, fails <code>validate</code> with <code>'&lt;key&gt;' must not be null; set a value or remove the key</code>. Earlier releases accepted it: a top-level null planned an update on every <code>apply</code>, and a null inside a list item failed at the API.<br><strong>What to do:</strong> Remove the key to leave it unset, or give it a value.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>v0.29.0</td>
      <td><strong>Breaking:</strong> An empty string, <code>&quot;&quot;</code>, on a key that takes one of a fixed set of values fails <code>validate</code> with <code>'&lt;key&gt;' must be one of [...]</code>, unless <code>&quot;&quot;</code> is one of the key&rsquo;s values. Earlier releases accepted it, and the API rejected it at <code>apply</code>.<br><strong>What to do:</strong> Remove the key to leave it unset, or set one of the listed values.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>v0.29.0</td>
      <td><strong>Changed:</strong> <code>validate</code> warns when a secret key holds anything but one <code>{{ .VAR }}</code> reference with no default, and when one variable fills two secret keys. It also masks secret values in the lines it prints.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>v0.29.0</td>
      <td><strong>Changed:</strong> <code>rudder-cli import</code> writes each secret reference single-quoted, as <code>'{{ .VAR }}'</code>, so a value containing double quotes, like a JSON key file, substitutes as a string. A single quote in a value that fills such a reference is written as <code>''</code>.<br><strong>What to do:</strong> In a spec imported by an earlier release, quote each reference to a JSON value by hand: <code>'{{ .VAR }}'</code>.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>v0.29.0</td>
      <td><strong>Changed:</strong> <code>validate</code> reports a value of the wrong type once per key, such as <code>'email' must be a string</code>, instead of one raw decoding error.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>v0.28.0</td>
      <td><strong>Added:</strong> <code>warehouse</code> source type, for destinations connected to a Reverse ETL source. Set <code>connection_mode.warehouse: cloud</code> for such a destination, or <code>apply</code> removes the entry.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

For changes across every destination type, see [Destination Type Changes by Release](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/changes/).

## See more

- [PostHog Destination](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/destinations/streaming-destinations/posthog/setting-up-posthog/) for the team API key and the device mode settings
- [Destination Type Reference for Rudder CLI](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/destination-types/) for the rules shared across destination types
- [Destination YAML Reference](https://www.rudderstack.com/docs/rudder-cli/yaml-destinations/) for the spec envelope