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GKE Basics for Google Kubernetes Engine

Guides an agent through creating GKE clusters, fetching credentials, and choosing Autopilot vs Standard

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

What it does

This skill gives an AI agent working knowledge of Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Google Cloud's managed Kubernetes service. Once installed, the agent defaults to Autopilot cluster mode, knows the gcloud commands for creating clusters and fetching kubectl credentials, and applies rules such as CPU request rounding and private cluster flags. It also points to other skills for Workload Identity, networking, security and upgrades.

Great for

  • Developers setting up a GKE cluster on Google Cloud for the first time
  • Platform engineers who need the agent to pick Autopilot or Standard mode correctly
  • Teams that want consistent gcloud usage and attribution headers across agent-run commands

Skip it if

  • Anyone without a Google Cloud project and GKE access, since the commands will fail without credentials and billing
  • Security-critical hardening or upgrade planning, which the skill itself routes to other skills
  • Running commands against production clusters without review, because the agent may execute gcloud and kubectl commands that create or change billable infrastructure

Try asking

  • “Create a private Autopilot GKE cluster in us-central1 with restricted control plane access”
  • “Fetch kubectl credentials for my regional GKE cluster named prod-api”
  • “Should I use Autopilot or Standard for a workload that needs custom sysctls?”
  • “Write a Terraform google_container_cluster resource for an Autopilot cluster”
Step-by-step guide: how to use GKE Basics for Google Kubernetes EngineInstall, 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.

    gke-basics.zip
  2. 2

    Add it to your agent

    Claude Code (all projects)

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

    Claude Code / Agent SDK (this project only)

    mkdir -p .claude/skills && unzip gke-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

  • Specify the cluster name, region or zone, and whether you want private nodes so the agent does not guess defaults.
  • Review any gcloud command the agent proposes before it runs, especially cluster creation, since it provisions paid resources.
  • Ask for Standard mode only when you truly need custom node kernel settings, taints or hostPath mounts; otherwise let the default Autopilot apply.

What's inside

  • references/attribution.md
  • references/cli-reference.md
  • references/client-library-usage.md
  • references/core-concepts.md
  • references/iac-usage.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.