azure-aigateway Skill for Claude: Set Up Azure API Management as an AI Gateway

Makes Claude set up Azure API Management as an AI gateway with token limits, caching, content safety and tool rate limits.

Installs: 572.1K; on skills.sh
Stars: 1.6K; on GitHub
Files: 8; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

azure-aigateway helps Claude configure Azure API Management (APIM) as a gateway in front of AI models, MCP tools and agents. It covers token limits, semantic caching, content safety, load balancing, token metrics and rate limits for MCP tools. It can also add an Azure OpenAI or Foundry backend and test the gateway.

It works with az commands and policy XML. To create the APIM service itself, the SKILL.md sends you to azure-prepare. Several steps create backends, assign roles and read subscription keys, so check each command.

Good for

Platform teams governing access to Azure OpenAI and Foundry models
Teams adding content safety and jailbreak detection in front of models
Owners cutting LLM cost with token limits and semantic caching

Install azure-aigateway

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the azure-aigateway skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

/plugin install azure@claude-plugins-official

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 Azure CLI signed in.

Pick one route, not both. The plugin installs all the Azure skills and wires in the Azure and Foundry tool servers they call. The skills CLI route installs only the skills named in the command, and does not wire in the Azure or Foundry tool servers, so enable the Azure MCP server separately if you want the tools the skills call. Sign in with az login first.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Configure Azure API Management as an AI Gateway for AI models, MCP tools, and agents. WHEN: semantic caching, token limit, content safety, load balancing, AI model governance, MCP rate limiting, jailbreak detection, add Azure OpenAI backend, add AI Foundry model, test AI gateway, LLM policies, configure AI backend, token metrics, AI cost control, convert API to MCP, import OpenAPI to gateway.

Sections in SKILL.md

When to Use This Skill
Quick Reference
Get Gateway Details
Test AI Endpoint
Common Tasks
Add AI Backend
Apply AI Governance Policy
Troubleshooting
References
SDK Quick References

Key facts

Author: Microsoft
License: MIT (stated in SKILL.md)
GitHub stars: 1,609 for the whole microsoft/azure-skills repo (Nov 2, 2026)
Last commit: Oct 30, 2026
What installs: SKILL.md plus 8 bundled files (guides and examples); no scripts in the file list
Needs: Azure CLI (az); an existing API Management service; azure-prepare to create one
Part of: The azure plugin in microsoft/azure-skills
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk warn
Works in: GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode (plugin README)

What it includes

Token limits, semantic caching, load balancing, token metrics
Policies include azure-openai-token-limit, semantic-cache-lookup and store, and emit-token-metric.
Runs code · Model governance
Rate-limits MCP tools and converts an API to MCP
Uses rate-limit-by-key to protect tools.
Runs code · Tool governance
Content safety and jailbreak detection
Uses the llm-content-safety policy.
Write · Agent governance
Reads the gateway URL, backends and subscription key
Runs az apim show, backend list and subscription keys list.
Runs code · Get gateway details
Calls a model through the gateway with curl
Sends a test chat completion with your subscription key.
Runs code · Test AI endpoint
Creates a backend and grants the gateway access to the model
Runs az apim backend create and az role assignment create for the Cognitive Services User role.
Runs code · Add AI backend

From the official docs

Permissions

High risk

Claude can change live gateway policy, assign roles and read subscription keys. Use a test API Management instance and review each command before you approve it.

What it can do

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

Watch out for

It can assign roles and read subscription keys
Steps run az role assignment create and list APIM subscription keys. Review each command and keep keys out of the chat.
It changes live gateway policy
Policy edits affect real traffic. Try them on a test APIM instance first.
skills.sh audit: Snyk warn
Gen Agent Trust Hub and Socket pass; Snyk is listed as warn. Read the audit on skills.sh before installing.

Technical details

Scopes	Creates and changes APIM backends and policies Assigns a role to the gateway's managed identity Reads APIM subscription keys and calls the gateway with them

Questions

What does azure-aigateway do?

It helps Claude configure Azure API Management as an AI gateway for models, MCP tools and agents. That covers token limits, semantic caching, content safety and load balancing.

How do I install it?

Use the install box at the top of this page. In Claude Code the plugin command installs the Azure skills together with the Azure tools they call, so pick it unless you want this one skill only. Run az login before you start.

Does it create the APIM service?

No. The SKILL.md says to use azure-prepare to deploy APIM, then use this skill to configure it.

Does it need an API key?

It needs the Azure CLI signed in. For testing, it uses your APIM subscription key, which it can read with az apim subscription keys list.

Is it safe?

It changes gateway policy and roles, so use a test instance first. skills.sh lists Gen Agent Trust Hub and Socket as pass and Snyk as warn.

Does it work with models other than Azure OpenAI?

The SKILL.md names Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Foundry models, and MCP tools and agents. It lists no other providers.

Does it work in the Claude app, Codex or Cursor?

The Azure README lists GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI and OpenCode as hosts for the plugin. It does not list the Claude desktop or web app.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: microsoft/azure-skills
Folder: skills/azure-aigateway

microsoft/azure-skills skills.sh

Sources

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

Show all 3

microsoft/azure-skills README · github.com
azure-aigateway SKILL.md · github.com
azure-aigateway on skills.sh · skills.sh