DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY is documented (.env/compose/CLI) but not read by any code — the opt-out has no effect

[kobihikri]

Summary

DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY is documented as a telemetry opt-out in several .env.example files,
docker-compose files, and is registered as a CLI flag — but no code reads it, so setting it has no
effect. The only thing that actually controls telemetry is whether POSTHOG_PUBLIC_API_KEY is set.

I wanted to flag it because a privacy-minded operator could set DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY=true and
reasonably believe telemetry is off, when it isn't governed by that variable at all.

Where it's advertised

• packages/server/.env.example (line 84), docker/.env.example (85), docker/worker/.env.example (84) — all show # DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY=true
• docker/docker-compose.yml, docker/docker-compose-queue-prebuilt.yml, docker/worker/docker-compose.yml — all pass DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY=${DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY}
• packages/server/src/commands/base.ts:26 registers it as a CLI flag (which base.ts:217 copies into process.env)

Where it's consumed (observation)

Nowhere. Grepping the source (packages/**, excluding node_modules/dist), the only occurrence
of DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY is the flag registration above — nothing reads
process.env.DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY.

The telemetry gate is solely the PostHog key, in packages/server/src/utils/telemetry.ts:

constructor() {
    if (process.env.POSTHOG_PUBLIC_API_KEY) {
        this.postHog = new PostHog(process.env.POSTHOG_PUBLIC_API_KEY)
    } else {
        this.postHog = undefined
    }
}

and sendTelemetry only checks if (this.postHog).

Fair scope (inference)

At this commit no PostHog key ships by default (POSTHOG_PUBLIC_API_KEY is commented out in
.env.example), so telemetry is off unless an operator sets that key. The concrete gap is for someone
who does set POSTHOG_PUBLIC_API_KEY (e.g. pointing at their own PostHog) and then sets
DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY=true to turn it back off — the opt-out silently does nothing.

Possible directions (your call)

• Wire the variable: skip creating postHog when process.env.DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY is truthy, or
• Remove DISABLE_FLOWISE_TELEMETRY from the .env.example files, compose files, and CLI flags so it
  doesn't imply a control that isn't there.

Happy to open a small PR for whichever you prefer. Thanks for Flowise!

_{AI-assisted; I reproduced the grep and the code paths myself against commit bb773ffa710b.}