From 1c895c7db6c681afcee1c82ce40a8bc26984deb8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Arjun <6592213+arkml@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2026 07:50:39 +0530
Subject: [PATCH] feat(x): stamp platform=desktop on all analytics events
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Registered as a posthog-js super property in the renderer and merged
into every posthog-node capture/identify in main, plus set as a person
property. Segments desktop traffic from the legacy web dashboard's
anonymous autocapture if it ever shares the PostHog project. Desktop
app only — the web app is legacy and intentionally untouched.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
---
 apps/x/ANALYTICS.md                           |  3 ++-
 apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/analytics.ts     | 12 +++++-------
 apps/x/packages/core/src/analytics/posthog.ts | 12 +++++++-----
 3 files changed, 14 insertions(+), 13 deletions(-)

diff --git a/apps/x/ANALYTICS.md b/apps/x/ANALYTICS.md
index 7cc9054f..e933ab9a 100644
--- a/apps/x/ANALYTICS.md
+++ b/apps/x/ANALYTICS.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 ## Event catalog
 
-All PostHog events include `app_version` automatically. Main-process events add it in `packages/core/src/analytics/posthog.ts`; renderer events get it from the `analytics:bootstrap` IPC payload and an initialization-time `before_send` hook.
+All PostHog events include `app_version` and `platform: 'desktop'` automatically. Main-process events add them in `packages/core/src/analytics/posthog.ts`; renderer events get them from the `analytics:bootstrap` IPC payload via `posthog.register` (plus an initialization-time `before_send` hook for `app_version`). `platform` guards against the legacy web dashboard's autocapture (`apps/rowboat`, unidentified by design) muddying desktop dashboards if it ever shares the project.
 
 ### `llm_usage`
 
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ Persistent across sessions for the same user. Set via `posthog.people.set` or as
 | `email` | main on identify | From `/v1/me`; powers PostHog cohort match + integrations |
 | `plan`, `status` | main on identify | Subscription state |
 | `api_url` | both processes (init + identify) | Distinguishes prod / staging / custom — assign meaning in PostHog dashboard. `https://api.x.rowboatlabs.com` = production |
+| `platform` | both processes (init + identify) | Always `desktop` from this app; segments desktop users from any other surface |
 | `app_version` | both processes (init + identify) | Electron app version; also included automatically on every event |
 | `signed_in` | renderer | `true` while rowboat OAuth is connected |
 | `{provider}_connected` | renderer | One of `gmail`, `calendar`, `slack`, `rowboat` |
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/analytics.ts b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/analytics.ts
index 612442cb..5acf3d84 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/analytics.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/lib/analytics.ts
@@ -11,18 +11,16 @@ export function configureAnalyticsContext(props: { appVersion?: string; apiUrl?:
   appVersion = props.appVersion?.trim() || undefined
   apiUrl = props.apiUrl?.trim() || undefined
 
-  const eventProperties = appVersionProperties()
-  if (Object.keys(eventProperties).length > 0) {
-    posthog.register(eventProperties)
-  }
+  // `platform` distinguishes desktop events from any other surface (e.g. the
+  // web dashboard's autocapture) sharing the PostHog project.
+  const eventProperties = { platform: 'desktop', ...appVersionProperties() }
+  posthog.register(eventProperties)
 
   const personProperties = {
     ...(apiUrl ? { api_url: apiUrl } : {}),
     ...eventProperties,
   }
-  if (Object.keys(personProperties).length > 0) {
-    posthog.people.set(personProperties)
-  }
+  posthog.people.set(personProperties)
 }
 
 export function identifyUser(userId: string, properties?: Record<string, unknown>) {
diff --git a/apps/x/packages/core/src/analytics/posthog.ts b/apps/x/packages/core/src/analytics/posthog.ts
index d3d1e55c..326049d6 100644
--- a/apps/x/packages/core/src/analytics/posthog.ts
+++ b/apps/x/packages/core/src/analytics/posthog.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ function getClient(): PostHog | null {
     // distinguishes prod / staging / custom — meaning is assigned in PostHog).
     client.identify({
       distinctId: getInstallationId(),
-      properties: { api_url: API_URL, ...appVersionProperties() },
+      properties: { api_url: API_URL, ...baseProperties() },
     });
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('[Analytics] Failed to init PostHog:', err);
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@ function activeDistinctId(): string {
   return identifiedUserId ?? getInstallationId();
 }
 
-function appVersionProperties(): Record<string, string> {
-  return APP_VERSION ? { app_version: APP_VERSION } : {};
+// Stamped on every event so desktop traffic is distinguishable from any other
+// surface (e.g. the web dashboard's autocapture) sharing the PostHog project.
+function baseProperties(): Record<string, string> {
+  return { platform: 'desktop', ...(APP_VERSION ? { app_version: APP_VERSION } : {}) };
 }
 
 export function capture(event: string, properties?: Record<string, unknown>): void {
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ export function capture(event: string, properties?: Record<string, unknown>): vo
       event,
       properties: {
         ...properties,
-        ...appVersionProperties(),
+        ...baseProperties(),
       },
     });
   } catch (err) {
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ export function identify(userId: string, properties?: Record<string, unknown>):
       properties: {
         ...properties,
         api_url: API_URL,
-        ...appVersionProperties(),
+        ...baseProperties(),
       },
     });
     identifiedUserId = userId;