azure-kubernetes Skill for Claude: Plan and Configure AKS Clusters

azure-kubernetes helps Claude plan, create and configure Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters, starting with the hard-to-change Day-0 decisions.

Installs: 441.1K; on skills.sh
Stars: 1.6K; on GitHub
Files: 7; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

azure-kubernetes asks only for what it needs (environment type, region, node sizes, scale, networking, security, upgrades, cost), then recommends a cluster setup. It separates Day-0 choices, such as networking and API server access, from Day-1 features. It defaults to AKS Automatic unless you need the control of AKS Standard.

It also covers observability, upgrades, reliability and cost controls: pod rightsizing, Vertical Pod Autoscaler, cluster autoscaler and Spot node pools. It prefers the Azure MCP server for AKS and falls back to az aks and kubectl. Creating clusters costs money, so review each command.

Good for

Platform engineers designing an AKS cluster for production
Developers who need a Day-0 checklist before creating a cluster
Teams cutting AKS costs with rightsizing, autoscaling or Spot nodes

Install azure-kubernetes

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

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

npx skills add https://github.com/microsoft/azure-skills --skill azure-kubernetes

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.

From its listing on skills.sh. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Plan, create, and configure production-ready Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters. Covers Day-0 checklist, SKU selection (Automatic vs Standard), networking options (private API server, Azure CNI Overlay, egress configuration), security, and operations (autoscaling, upgrade strategy, cost analysis). WHEN: create AKS environment, provision AKS, enable AKS observability, design AKS networking, choose AKS SKU, secure AKS, optimize AKS, AKS spot nodes, AKS cluster-autoscaler, rightsize AKS pod, pod rightsizing, over-provisioned AKS pod, pod resource requests and limits, Vertical Pod Autoscaler, VPA recommendations.

Sections in SKILL.md

Quick Reference
When to Use This Skill
Rules
Required Inputs (Ask only what’s needed)
Workflow
1. Cluster Type
2. Networking (Pod IP, Egress, Ingress, Dataplane)
3. Security
4. Observability
5. Upgrades & Patching
6. Performance
7. Node Pools & Compute
8. Reliability
9. Cost Controls
Guardrails / Safety
MCP Tools

Key facts

Author: Microsoft
License: MIT
Installs on skills.sh: 441,142 as of 2026-11-02
GitHub stars: 1,609 for the whole microsoft/azure-skills repo
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk pass
What is inside: 56 files: SKILL.md, 7 reference files (autoscaler, NAP readiness, rightsizing, Spot, VPA, CLI reference, optional operations) and two sub-skills, azure-kubernetes-app-deploy (Dockerfile, Kubernetes and GitHub Actions templates) and azure-kubernetes-automatic-readiness (includes one jq script)
Needs: An Azure account and the Azure CLI signed in with az login; kubectl for cluster work; the Azure MCP server is preferred, not required
Last commit to the repo: 2026-10-30

What it includes

Asks only for missing requirements
Environment type, region and zones, VM sizes, scale, networking, security and identity, upgrades and observability, and cost limits. Safe defaults if you are unsure.
Try: “Plan a production AKS cluster in West Europe for a small API.”
Read · Required inputs
AKS Automatic by default, Standard for full control
Chooses Automatic unless networking, autoscaling or node pool needs are beyond Node Auto-Provisioning.
Read · 1. Cluster type
Pod IP model, dataplane, egress, ingress, DNS
Recommends Azure CNI Overlay, Azure CNI powered by Cilium, App Routing with Gateway API, and LocalDNS.
Read · 2. Networking
Entra ID, Key Vault, Azure Policy, image rules
Uses Microsoft Entra ID and Workload Identity, Key Vault through the Secrets Store CSI Driver, and Azure Policy with Deployment Safeguards.
Read · 3. Security
Observability, upgrades, performance, node pools, reliability
Managed Prometheus, maintenance windows and auto-upgrades, 3 availability zones, a dedicated system node pool.
Read · 4 to 8. Operations
Spot node pools, stop/start, focused workflows
Reference files cover pod rightsizing, VPA, cluster autoscaler and Spot nodes. A full cost review returns one ranked report.
Runs code · 9. Cost controls
Creates and inspects clusters
Used when the Azure MCP server (mcp_azure_mcp_aks) does not expose what is needed.
Runs code · az aks / kubectl
No secrets, no pasted subscription IDs
Claude must not request or output tokens or keys, and finds subscriptions through MCP tools or az account show.
Read · Guardrails

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

With your Azure sign-in, Claude can create and change AKS clusters, which cost money. Review each az aks command and use a test subscription first.

What it can do

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

Watch out for

It can create billable Azure resources
az aks create and node pools cost money. Check the subscription and region before you approve a command.
Some Day-0 choices are hard to undo
Networking and API server access may need a cluster rebuild to change, per SKILL.md. Review the recommended setup first.
It should not handle secrets
SKILL.md says not to request or output tokens or keys. If Claude asks for one, stop.

Technical details

Talks to	Azure Resource Manager through the Azure CLI or the Azure MCP server
Scopes	Runs az aks and kubectl commands, or the Azure MCP tools, with your Azure sign-in Can create and change AKS clusters, which cost money

Questions

What does the azure-kubernetes skill do?

It helps Claude plan and configure production AKS clusters. It separates hard-to-change Day-0 decisions from Day-1 features and covers networking, security, upgrades, observability and cost.

How do I install azure-kubernetes?

Use the install box at the top of this page. Microsoft's Azure skills plugin also bundles it with the Azure MCP server, per the azure-skills README.

Do I need the Azure MCP server?

It is preferred, not required. SKILL.md says to use the Azure MCP tool for AKS first and fall back to az aks and kubectl when it does not cover the task. You still need Azure sign-in with az login.

Does it create clusters for me?

It can run az aks create and similar commands when you ask. The skill's main output is a recommended configuration with the reasons for each Day-0 choice. Review the commands before approving.

AKS Automatic or Standard?

The skill defaults to Automatic for most production workloads. It suggests Standard when you need full control that Automatic's node auto-provisioning does not give you.

Can it help cut AKS costs?

Yes. It has workflows for pod rightsizing, Vertical Pod Autoscaler, the cluster autoscaler and Spot node pools. SKILL.md says savings from Node Auto Provisioning are not guaranteed.

Is azure-kubernetes safe?

It needs care: it can create billable Azure resources with your Azure sign-in. Its folder also holds two sub-skills (app deploy and Automatic readiness) with templates and one jq script. On skills.sh the audits read Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass and Snyk pass. Use a test subscription first.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

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

microsoft/azure-skills skills.sh

Sources

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

Show all 3

azure-kubernetes SKILL.md · github.com
microsoft/azure-skills README · github.com
skills.sh listing and audits · skills.sh