Guide · Agent skill
How to use the Firebase Basics agent skill: CLI setup and config files
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
The firebase-basics skill is a set of instructions that tells an AI agent how to prepare a Firebase project for a mobile app: check the Firebase command-line tool, log you in, choose or create a project, and download the config files Android and iOS apps need. It is aimed at developers starting a Firebase-backed Android, iOS or Flutter app who want the agent to handle that setup. After this guide you will know what the skill does, how to install it, how to trigger it with a plain request, and what it needs to run.
Firebase Basics Setupgoogle/skills · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install the skill. Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or your project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills in the Claude apps.
- 2Check prerequisites. Confirm Node.js with npx is installed and that you have a Google account with Firebase access.
- 3Log in to Firebase. Ask the agent to log you in, which runs npx -y firebase-tools@latest login, or the --no-localhost version on remote machines.
- 4Choose a project. Answer the agent's question: provide an existing project ID to select with firebase use, or let it create a new project with projects:create.
- 5Fetch app config files. Have the agent run apps:sdkconfig for your Android or iOS app and save google-services.json or GoogleService-Info.plist to the right place.
What is an agent skill and what does firebase-basics do?
An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file and reference documents. When a skill is installed, an compatible AI agent can read those instructions and follow them for matching tasks. The firebase-basics skill covers foundational Firebase setup only.
When triggered, the skill tells the agent to check that the Firebase CLI is available by running npx -y firebase-tools@latest --version, log you in, ask whether you have an existing project ID or want a new one, and then select or create that project. For mobile apps it fetches the config files rather than sending you to the Firebase Console.
- Checks the Firebase CLI version and availability
- Runs CLI login, with a --no-localhost option for browserless environments
- Selects an existing project (firebase use) or creates one (projects:create)
- Downloads google-services.json for Android and GoogleService-Info.plist for iOS
Install the firebase-basics skill
Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. Then place the resulting folder in one of these locations, depending on how you want it available:
In the Claude apps, you can instead upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
- Personal (all projects): unzip into ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: unzip into your project's .claude/skills/ folder
Trigger the skill with a natural request
You do not need a special command. Describe the setup task in plain language and mention the Firebase part. The skill's description says it applies to CLI login, project creation or switching, and downloading app config files.
The agent should then ask whether you want to use an existing project ID or create a new one before it changes any project configuration.
- "Log me in to Firebase and check the Firebase CLI is set up for this app."
- "Create a new Firebase project called MyCoolApp for my Android app."
- "Use my existing Firebase project with ID my-project-123 for this Flutter app."
- "Download the google-services.json for my Android app and put it in app/."
Example: setting up an Android app
For a new Android app, the skill's reference guide shows the core commands. Authenticate first, then create a project with a unique ID and a display name, register the app, and fetch the Android config into your project.
Replace the placeholders with your own values. The project ID must be 6 to 30 characters, lowercase, may contain digits and hyphens, and must be globally unique.
npx -y firebase-tools@latest login
npx -y firebase-tools@latest projects:create <project-id> --display-name "<display-name>"
npx -y firebase-tools@latest apps:sdkconfig ANDROID <APP_ID> --project <PROJECT_ID>What you need before you start
The skill runs Firebase tooling through npx, so Node.js with npx must be installed. The Firebase CLI (firebase-tools) is fetched on demand, so you do not install it globally. You also need a Google account with access to Firebase and permission to create or edit projects.
A Firebase MCP server is optional. The instructions tell the agent to check for one but do not require it.
- Node.js with npx
- A Google account with Firebase access and project permissions
- Network access, since commands fetch firebase-tools and talk to Firebase
- Optional: Firebase MCP server
Safety notes: scripts and network access
This skill runs scripts and uses the network. Its commands log you into your Google account, create cloud projects and download configuration files. Review the commands the agent proposes before you approve them, especially project creation, since that changes resources in your Google Cloud account.
The skill also includes an attribution rule: before running gcloud, REST or MCP commands, the agent tags them with an environment variable that identifies only the skill and its version. The skill says it carries no user data.
- Confirm the project ID before any command that changes a project
- Use --no-localhost if the browser login fails or you are on a remote shell
- Do not use this skill for Hosting deploys, Firestore, Auth, Crashlytics or Remote Config; the description excludes them
Tips and common issues
If the browser does not open during login, run the login command with --no-localhost. If you use Genkit, the skill's Common Issues section points to a separate install command for its skills.
The skill tells the agent to always use npx -y firebase-tools@latest rather than a bare firebase command, so the latest CLI is used.
- Login fails in a browser: use npx -y firebase-tools@latest login --no-localhost
- Genkit users: run npx skills add genkit-ai/skills
- Keep the skill updated; the source asks agents to check for updates regularly
What people use it for
- Starting a new Android app and having the agent create the Firebase project and fetch google-services.json into app/
- Setting up an iOS app by fetching GoogleService-Info.plist by command instead of downloading it from the Firebase Console
- Starting a Flutter app that needs Firebase config files and a project selected for the CLI
- Switching an agent session to an existing Firebase project by project ID
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the firebase-basics agent skill?
Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder for one project. In the Claude apps, you can upload it under Settings → Capabilities → Skills instead.
What do I need to use the firebase-basics skill?
You need Node.js with npx, a Google account with Firebase access, and permission to create or edit projects. The Firebase CLI is fetched through npx, so you do not install it separately. A Firebase MCP server is optional.
Is the firebase-basics skill free?
The skill is published under the Apache-2.0 licence, as listed on this page. The source does not mention pricing for Firebase or Google Cloud, so check those services' own terms for any costs.
Why does the login command fail or not open a browser?
The skill's Common Issues section says that if the browser fails to open during login, you should use npx -y firebase-tools@latest login --no-localhost instead. This is also the recommended option for remote shells.
Can this skill deploy to Firebase Hosting or set up Firestore and Auth?
No. The skill's description says not to use it for Hosting deploys, Firestore, Auth, App Hosting, Data Connect, Crashlytics or Remote Config. It covers CLI login, project creation or switching, and app config file downloads.
Why does the agent always use npx instead of firebase?
The skill instructs the agent to prepend commands with npx -y firebase-tools@latest so it always uses the latest Firebase CLI, and it says never to suggest the bare firebase command.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you are starting a Firebase-backed Android, iOS or Flutter app and want an agent to handle CLI login, project selection and config file downloads. Skip it for Hosting, Firestore, Auth, Crashlytics or Remote Config work, and if you do not have a Firebase account or project permissions, since the steps depend on them.
Download the skill