Nuxt error tracking installation (v3.6 and below)

Install the package

Required

Install the PostHog JavaScript library using your package manager:

npm install posthog-js
yarn add posthog-js
pnpm add posthog-js

Nuxt version

This guide is for Nuxt v3.0 and above. For Nuxt v2.16 and below, see our Nuxt docs.

Add environment variables

Required

Add your PostHog API key and host to your nuxt.config.js file:

nuxt.config.js
export default defineNuxtConfig({
  runtimeConfig: {
    public: {
      posthogPublicKey: '<ph_project_api_key>',
      posthogHost: 'https://us.i.posthog.com',
      posthogDefaults: '2026-01-30'
    }
  }
})

Create a plugin

Required

Create a new plugin by creating a new file posthog.client.js in your plugins directory:

plugins/posthog.client.js
import { defineNuxtPlugin } from '#app'
import posthog from 'posthog-js'

export default defineNuxtPlugin(nuxtApp => {
  const runtimeConfig = useRuntimeConfig();
  const posthogClient = posthog.init(runtimeConfig.public.posthogPublicKey, {
    api_host: runtimeConfig.public.posthogHost,
    defaults: runtimeConfig.public.posthogDefaults,
    loaded: (posthog) => {
      if (import.meta.env.MODE === 'development') posthog.debug();
    }
  })

  return {
    provide: {
      posthog: () => posthogClient
    }
  }
})

Server-side setup

Optional

To capture events from server routes, install posthog-node and instantiate it directly. You can also use it to evaluate feature flags on the server:

npm install posthog-node
yarn add posthog-node
pnpm add posthog-node

server/api/example.js
import { PostHog } from 'posthog-node'

export default defineEventHandler(async (event) => {
    const runtimeConfig = useRuntimeConfig()

    const posthog = new PostHog(
        runtimeConfig.public.posthogPublicKey,
        { host: runtimeConfig.public.posthogHost }
    )

    posthog.capture({
        distinctId: 'distinct_id_of_the_user',
        event: 'event_name'
    })

    await posthog.shutdown()
})

Send events

Click around and view a couple pages to generate some events. PostHog automatically captures pageviews, clicks, and other interactions for you.

If you'd like, you can also manually capture custom events:

JavaScript
posthog.capture('my_custom_event', { property: 'value' })

Manually capturing exceptions

Optional

To send errors directly using the PostHog client, import it and use the captureException method like this:

Vue
<script>
  const { $posthog } = useNuxtApp()
  if ($posthog) {
    const posthog = $posthog()
    posthog.captureException(new Error("Important error message"))
  }
</script>

On the server side, you can use the posthog object directly.

server/api/example.js
const runtimeConfig = useRuntimeConfig()
const posthog = new PostHog(
  runtimeConfig.public.posthogPublicKey,
  {
    host: runtimeConfig.public.posthogHost,
  }
);
try {
  const results = await DB.query.users.findMany()
  return results
} catch (error) {
  posthog.captureException(error)
}

Configuring exception autocapture

Recommended

Update your posthog.client.js to add an error hook.

JavaScript
export default defineNuxtPlugin((nuxtApp) => {
    ...
    nuxtApp.hook('vue:error', (error) => {
        posthogClient.captureException(error)
    })
    ...
})

Verify error tracking
Recommended
Confirm events are being sent to PostHog
Before proceeding, let's make sure exception events are being captured and sent to PostHog. You should see events appear in the activity feed.
Check for exceptions in PostHog

Nuxt error tracking installation (v3.6 and below)

Install the package

Add environment variables

Create a plugin

Server-side setup

Send events

Manually capturing exceptions

Configuring exception autocapture

Verify error tracking

Community questions

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