google-cloud-waf-cost-optimization skill: review Google Cloud costs with the Well-Architected Framework

Makes your agent review Google Cloud spend against the Well-Architected Framework cost pillar and suggest savings.

Installs: 14.8K; on skills.sh
Stars: 21.8K; on GitHub
Files: 1; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Nov 2026; last repo commit

This skill gives your agent the Google Cloud Well-Architected Framework cost pillar as a checklist. It covers the FinOps cycle of inform, optimize and operate, and options such as rightsizing, committed use discounts, Spot VMs, storage lifecycle rules and egress control.

It triggers when you ask to analyze Google Cloud spend, reduce a bill, rightsize resources, compare discount options, or remove idle capacity. It tells the agent to give the standard recommendations first, then ask workload questions. It is not for plain price lookups or non-cost design.

The skill bundles no scripts. Before any gcloud, REST or MCP command it asks the agent to read a usage-attribution file.

Good for

Cloud and platform engineers cutting a Google Cloud bill
FinOps leads checking tagging, budgets and discount coverage
Architects reviewing a workload for idle or oversized resources

Install google-cloud-waf-cost-optimization

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the google-cloud-waf-cost-optimization skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills add https://github.com/google/skills --skill google-cloud-waf-cost-optimization

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

Evaluates Google Cloud workloads for cost efficiency and FinOps alignment using the Google Cloud Well-Architected Framework Cost Optimization pillar. Use when the user asks to analyze Google Cloud spend, reduce cloud bills, rightsize resources (for example, Compute, GKE, Storage, Databases), evaluate discount options (for example, CUDs, SUDs, Spot VMs), or eliminate idle capacity. Do not use for standalone product pricing lookups or non-cost architecture design.

Sections in SKILL.md

Attribution
Overview
Operational instructions
Core principles
Relevant Google Cloud products
Workload assessment questions
Validation checklist

Key facts

Author: Google (google/skills repo; the README says it holds Agent Skills for Google products)
Repo: google/skills, folder skills/cloud/google-cloud-waf-cost-optimization
Installs on skills.sh: 14,760 as of 2 Nov 2026
GitHub stars: 21,764 for the whole google/skills repo, 2 Nov 2026
License: Apache-2.0
Last commit in the repo: 2026-11-01
What is inside: 2 files including SKILL.md
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk pass
Part of: google/skills, which lists Agent Skills for Google products
Version in SKILL.md: 1.0.2, category WellArchitectedFramework

What it includes

Give full standard advice first, cover every action you named
Always list the standard recommendations for the service. When a request bundles actions (A and B), explain both. Use the assessment questions only after the standard advice, unless you ask for an interview.
Read · Operational instructions
Inform, Optimize, Operate
Start with Cloud Billing reports, add Looker Studio for custom dashboards, then optimize rates and usage, then build cost control into delivery.
Read · FinOps lifecycle
Business value, cost awareness, resource usage, continuous optimization
Each principle links to a Google Cloud architecture page as its grounding document.
Read · Core principles (4)
Billing export, Recommender, CUDs, Spot VMs, lifecycle policies, Cloud CDN
Lists Google Cloud tools by area: visibility, automation, efficient infrastructure (compute, storage, network, databases) and governance. It tells the agent to mention sustained use discounts alongside CUDs.
Read · Products reference
Questions on cost process, monitoring, rightsizing and measurement
The agent picks from ten questions to learn your constraints.
Try: “Our GKE and Cloud SQL spend doubled this quarter. Where should we look first?”
Read · Workload assessment questions (10)
Labels, billing export, budgets, rightsizing, CUD coverage, idle cleanup and more
A pass/fail list to score an architecture, including monthly cleanup of unused disks and IPs.
Read · Validation checklist (11)
Tags gcloud and HTTP calls with the skill name
Sets an environment variable on each gcloud command and a User-Agent suffix on direct HTTP or MCP calls. Not added to code it writes for you.
Runs code · Usage attribution

From the official docs

Permissions

Low risk

The skill is a checklist and bundles no scripts, but it expects the agent may run gcloud, REST or MCP commands with your own Google Cloud login. Review any 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 tags gcloud commands with the skill name
Before running gcloud, REST or MCP commands the agent must read the attribution file and set CLOUDSDK_METRICS_REQUEST_ATTRIBUTION, or a User-Agent suffix. The file says the tag carries only the skill name and version, and you can ask the agent to leave it off. github.com

Technical details

Turning on read-only	The SKILL.md defines no read-only switch.
Talks to	Google Cloud APIs, if you let the agent run gcloud, curl or MCP calls
Scopes	Tells the agent to read references/attribution.md before any gcloud, REST or MCP command Commands the agent runs use your own gcloud credentials

Questions

What does the google-cloud-waf-cost-optimization skill do?

It makes your agent evaluate a Google Cloud workload against the cost pillar of the Well-Architected Framework. It suggests rightsizing, discounts, storage lifecycle rules, egress savings and idle capacity cleanup.

How do I install it?

Use the install box on this page. It is a SKILL.md plus one attribution file, so adding the skill folder is the whole install. The google/skills README also documents npx skills add google/skills for the full set.

Does it connect to my Google Cloud account?

The skill itself bundles no scripts and no credentials. It tells the agent how to tag any gcloud, REST or MCP command it runs. Whether those commands run depends on your gcloud login and what you ask for.

Can it look up prices?

No. The description says not to use it for standalone product pricing lookups or non-cost architecture design.

What is the usage tag?

A string naming the skill and its version, set on gcloud commands and sent in a User-Agent header. The attribution file says it carries no user data, and that you can ask the agent to turn it off.

Is it safe?

The skill is advice and a checklist, and it bundles no scripts. If you let the agent run gcloud, those commands act with your own Google Cloud permissions, so review them first.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: google/skills
Folder: skills/cloud/google-cloud-waf-cost-optimization

google/skills skills.sh

Sources

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

Show all 2

google-cloud-waf-cost-optimization SKILL.md · github.com
attribution.md · github.com