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AlloyDB Basics

Guides an agent through creating and administering Google AlloyDB for PostgreSQL clusters, instances and backups.

Source Download skill
Repository
google/skills
Stars
21,782
Licence
Apache-2.0
Files
7 files

What it does

Once installed, the agent knows how to set up and manage AlloyDB for PostgreSQL, Google Cloud's managed PostgreSQL-compatible database, including clusters, primary and read instances, scaling, backups and point-in-time recovery. It gives commands using the gcloud CLI, Terraform or Kubernetes Config Connector, and steers toward safer defaults such as IAM database authentication, private connectivity and the AlloyDB Auth Proxy instead of static passwords or public IPs. The skill also points to MCP tools for AlloyDB AI features and Google Cloud's developer knowledge search for product details it does not cover.

Great for

  • Engineers provisioning or operating AlloyDB databases on Google Cloud
  • Teams wanting security-conscious defaults for database access and networking
  • Developers who want an agent to draft gcloud or Terraform setup for AlloyDB

Skip it if

  • General PostgreSQL or Cloud SQL databases, which the skill explicitly says it should not be used for
  • Production changes run without review, since the examples use plaintext passwords and --quiet flags that skip confirmations
  • Anyone without a Google Cloud project and billing, since the commands create paid cloud resources

Try asking

  • “Create an AlloyDB cluster and primary instance in us-central1 on my existing VPC”
  • “Set up IAM database authentication for a new service account using the AlloyDB Auth Proxy”
  • “Show me how to add a read pool and enable backups for my AlloyDB cluster, in both the console and gcloud”
  • “Write Terraform to deploy an AlloyDB cluster with private IP connectivity”
Step-by-step guide: how to use AlloyDB BasicsInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

Install in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Download the skill

    The ZIP contains the 7 original files, the Apache-2.0 licence and an attribution note.

    alloydb-basics.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

    mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && unzip alloydb-basics.zip -d ~/.claude/skills/

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip alloydb-basics.zip -d .claude/skills/

    Claude apps (web/desktop): Settings → Capabilities → Skills → Upload skill, and choose the ZIP.

  3. 3

    Ask for the task

    No special command needed — the agent reads the skill's description and loads it when your request matches. Try one of the prompts above.

Get better results

  • Ask the agent to use IAM database authentication and Secret Manager rather than the password example in the quick start.
  • Review every gcloud command before running it, especially those with --quiet, since they can create billable resources without confirmation.
  • Specify your region, VPC and whether you need Private IP (PSC recommended) so the agent tailors the commands.

What's inside

  • references/attribution.md
  • references/cli-usage.md
  • references/core-concepts.md
  • references/iac-usage.md
  • references/iam-security.md
  • references/mcp-usage.md
  • SKILL.md

Redistributed unmodified from google/skills under the Apache-2.0 licence. The assessment was drafted with AI from the skill's files on 2026-10-29. Skills can instruct your agent to run code — read SKILL.md and any scripts before installing.