alloydb-basics skill (Google) for Claude Code: manage AlloyDB clusters and backups

alloydb-basics helps your agent create and manage AlloyDB for PostgreSQL clusters, instances and backups with gcloud.

Installs: 13.4K; on skills.sh
Stars: 21.8K; on GitHub
Files: 6; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Nov 2026; last repo commit

alloydb-basics is a skill from Google's skills repo. Use it to create, configure or administer AlloyDB for PostgreSQL. It is not for Cloud SQL or other Google Cloud databases. SKILL.md walks through a quick start (enable the API, create a cluster, create a primary instance) and points to five reference files on concepts, the CLI, remote MCP tools, Terraform and IAM security.

It also gives the agent a list of rules, such as preferring Private IP, using the AlloyDB Auth Proxy, defaulting to IAM database authentication and rejecting 0.0.0.0/0 in authorized networks. It needs the Google Cloud SDK installed and signed in. Commands it runs act on your real cloud project, and its quick start commands carry --quiet, which skips gcloud's confirmation prompts.

Good for

Cloud engineers who create and scale AlloyDB clusters from an agent
Teams setting up AlloyDB with Terraform or Config Connector
Developers who want secure connection and IAM defaults applied

Install alloydb-basics

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the alloydb-basics skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills add https://github.com/google/skills --skill alloydb-basics

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js.

Needs the Google Cloud SDK (gcloud) installed and signed in on the machine that runs the agent, so there is no Claude app upload route.

Built from the package data we hold. Not yet tested by us.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Manages clusters, instances, and backups for AlloyDB for PostgreSQL, and integrates with AlloyDB Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools for automated database operations. Use when creating, configuring, or administering AlloyDB databases. Do NOT use for general PostgreSQL instances (e.g. Cloud SQL) or other GCP databases.

Sections in SKILL.md

Attribution
Quick Start
Reference Directory
Directives for Agents
Supporting Links

Key facts

Author: google (GitHub account that owns the repo)
Source repo: google/skills
Installs on skills.sh: 13,437 as of 2026-11-02
GitHub stars: 21,764 (whole repo) as of 2026-11-02
License: Apache-2.0
Last repo commit: 2026-11-01
Files: 7 files including SKILL.md (plus 6 files in references/: attribution, cli-usage, core-concepts, iac-usage, iam-security, mcp-usage)
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk pass
Needs: Google Cloud SDK installed and signed in (gcloud auth login)
Skill version: 1.0.1 (frontmatter), category Databases

What it includes

Enable the API, create a cluster, then a primary instance, all with gcloud.
The example cluster command passes a password. SKILL.md says to use IAM database authentication in production.
Runs code · Quick start
Create, list, describe and delete clusters; manage instances; create and restore backups.
references/cli-usage.md includes gcloud alloydb clusters delete, instances restart and update, and clusters restore, including point-in-time restore.
Delete · CLI usage
Architecture, regions, connectivity, backups, point-in-time recovery, scaling, quotas.
Core concepts
Points your MCP host at the regional AlloyDB MCP endpoint and lists the roles it needs.
Uses https://alloydb.REGION.rep.googleapis.com/mcp and the roles/mcp.toolUser role. MCP Toolbox is named as a local alternative.
Network · MCP usage
Deploy AlloyDB with Terraform or Kubernetes Config Connector.
Write · Infrastructure as code
Predefined roles, Auth Proxy permissions, secure connectivity, DB users, service agents.
Write · IAM and security
Tags gcloud and HTTP calls with a skill name and version before running them.
You can ask the agent to leave the tags off.
Network · Usage attribution
Rules such as Private IP first, Auth Proxy, IAM auth, least-privilege roles, no 0.0.0.0/0.
Directives for agents

From the official docs

Permissions

High risk

The skill makes your agent run gcloud commands that can create, change and delete AlloyDB resources in your Google Cloud project. Use a test project and a narrow IAM role, and approve each command yourself.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It can delete and restore clusters
references/cli-usage.md shows gcloud alloydb clusters delete CLUSTER_ID, instances update and restart, and clusters restore (including point-in-time). Try it in a test project first. github.com
Quick start commands pass --quiet
The three quick start gcloud commands in SKILL.md end with --quiet, which skips gcloud's own confirmation prompts. Read each command before you approve it. github.com
The example sets a database password on the command line
The quick start passes --password=my-password. SKILL.md says production should use IAM database authentication or Secret Manager. github.com
The Terraform example turns off deletion protection
references/iac-usage.md sets deletion_protection = false in its example. Set it back to true for anything you want to keep. github.com
Calls are tagged with the skill name
attribution.md has the agent set CLOUDSDK_METRICS_REQUEST_ATTRIBUTION and a User-Agent suffix on its own commands. It says the tag carries no user data and can be turned off on request. github.com
Remote MCP route needs a role
references/mcp-usage.md says the remote MCP server lets AI applications query and administer AlloyDB databases, and asks you to grant roles/mcp.toolUser to the principal running tool calls. Grant it only to accounts you trust. github.com

Technical details

Talks to	Google Cloud APIs. alloydb.REGION.rep.googleapis.com (remote MCP)
Scopes	Your gcloud sign-in and project roles/alloydb.admin or narrower

Questions

How do I install the alloydb-basics skill?

Use the install box above. The Google skills README gives npx skills add google/skills for the whole repo, which asks which skills, agents and scope you want; the box narrows it to this skill. Install the Google Cloud SDK separately and run gcloud auth login. Because it needs gcloud on your machine, there is no Claude app upload route.

Can it delete my database?

It can, if you approve the commands. references/cli-usage.md shows gcloud alloydb clusters delete, instance updates and restarts, and cluster restores, and the quick start commands carry --quiet. Use a test project first and read each command before it runs.

What is the usage attribution tag?

references/attribution.md tells the agent to prefix gcloud calls with CLOUDSDK_METRICS_REQUEST_ATTRIBUTION and add a User-Agent suffix naming this skill. It says the tag identifies only the skill and its version and carries no user data. Ask the agent to stop tagging if you want it off.

Does it need an API key?

No key is mentioned. SKILL.md expects the Google Cloud SDK signed in with gcloud auth login. For the remote MCP route, the principal needs the roles/mcp.toolUser role.

alloydb-basics vs other Google Cloud database skills?

SKILL.md says not to use it for general PostgreSQL such as Cloud SQL or for other Google Cloud databases. It covers AlloyDB for PostgreSQL only.

Does it use the Developer Knowledge MCP?

Optionally. If the references lack some product detail, SKILL.md says to use the developer_knowledge:search_documents tool and links its setup page. That server is separate from this skill.

Is alloydb-basics safe to install?

The skill bundles no scripts, but it makes your agent run gcloud commands that create and delete cloud resources in your project. Our advice: use a sandbox project and a least-privilege role, and read each command before you approve it.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: google/skills
Folder: skills/cloud/alloydb-basics

google/skills skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 9

alloydb-basics SKILL.md · github.com
alloydb-basics cli-usage.md · github.com
alloydb-basics on skills.sh · skills.sh
alloydb-basics mcp-usage.md · github.com
alloydb-basics attribution.md · github.com
iac-usage.md · github.com
iam-security.md · github.com
core-concepts.md · github.com
google/skills README · github.com