Guide · Agent skill

How to use the Cloud SQL Basics agent skill

Updated 2026-10-29 · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

The Cloud SQL Basics skill gives an AI agent working knowledge of Google Cloud SQL, a managed service that runs MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQL Server databases and handles backups, patches and high availability for you. This guide is for developers who want an agent to set up a Cloud SQL database step by step instead of guessing at commands. By the end you will know how to install the skill, how to ask for it, and what to check before anything is created.

Cloud SQL Basicsgoogle/skills · Apache-2.0 Download the skill

Quick start

1Download the ZIP. Get the cloud-sql-basics ZIP from this page.
2Install the skill. Unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use or .claude/skills/ in a project, or upload the ZIP under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.
3Check prerequisites. Make sure you have a Google Cloud account with billing enabled, and that gcloud is installed and authenticated.
4Ask for a database. Describe the engine (MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQL Server) and what you need in plain language.
5Review the commands. Read the gcloud commands the agent proposes and replace any placeholders with your own values.
6Create and connect. Let the agent create the instance and database, then start the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy and connect with psql or your client library.

What the skill makes the agent do

Cloud SQL is a fully managed relational database service. Once the skill is installed, the agent uses it when you ask to create a Cloud SQL instance or database for MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQL Server. It follows the documented commands for creating an instance, setting a password for the default user, creating a database and getting the connection name for the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy.

Creates and describes Cloud SQL instances with the gcloud sql command group
Explains core concepts such as editions, read pools and high availability
Provides Terraform, client library and connection guidance
Points to reference notes on IAM security, disaster recovery and backups

Install the cloud-sql-basics skill

Download the ZIP for this skill from this page and unzip it. You can install it for yourself or for a single project. For yourself, place the unzipped skill folder in ~/.claude/skills/. For one project, place it in that project's .claude/skills/ folder.

You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

Personal install: ~/.claude/skills/
Project install: .claude/skills/ inside your project
Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload the ZIP

Trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need a special command. Describe the database you want in plain language. The skill is meant to be used when you ask to create a Cloud SQL instance or database for MySQL, PostgreSQL or SQL Server, so name the engine and the goal in your request.

Set up a managed PostgreSQL database on Google Cloud for my app
Create a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance in us-central1 and a database called orders
Explain how to connect to my Cloud SQL instance with the Auth Proxy
Write Terraform to provision a Cloud SQL instance and database

Walk through a PostgreSQL quick start

The skill's quick start covers a PostgreSQL instance from start to finish. Replace the uppercase placeholders such as INSTANCE_NAME, REGION, PASSWORD and DATABASE_NAME with your own values. Review every command before running it, because creating instances and setting passwords creates paid resources and changes access.

Enable the API, create an instance, set the postgres user password, create a database, get the connection name, then connect through the proxy

gcloud services enable sqladmin.googleapis.com --quiet
gcloud sql instances create INSTANCE_NAME \
  --database-version=POSTGRES_18 \
  --cpu=2 \
  --memory=7680MiB \
  --region=REGION \
  --quiet
gcloud sql users set-password postgres \
  --instance=INSTANCE_NAME --password=PASSWORD \
  --quiet
gcloud sql databases create DATABASE_NAME \
  --instance=INSTANCE_NAME \
  --quiet

Connect with the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy

The connection name has the form PROJECT_ID:REGION:INSTANCE_NAME. Retrieve it with gcloud, start the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy in one terminal, then connect with psql in another. The proxy must be running before the connection will work.

The skill's references cover Python, Java, Node.js and Go client libraries, which the source describes as connecting without managing IP allowlists or SSL certificates

gcloud sql instances describe INSTANCE_NAME \
  --format="value(connectionName)" \
  --quiet
./cloud-sql-proxy INSTANCE_CONNECTION_NAME
psql "host=127.0.0.1 port=5432 user=postgres dbname=DATABASE_NAME password=PASSWORD sslmode=disable"

Check requirements and safety before running

The skill needs a Google Cloud account with billing enabled, the gcloud CLI installed and authenticated, and the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy for connections. A psql or other database client is optional. The skill does not run scripts, but it does use the network, because its commands call Google Cloud.

The skill's attribution reference asks the agent to tag gcloud commands it runs directly in the terminal with an environment variable that identifies the skill and its version. It also asks the agent not to put that tag into generated scripts, Terraform or user code. The tag carries no user data.

Confirm the project and billing account before any create command
Check that the generated password and any flags are what you intend
Review production changes with a second person before applying them
The skill's prerequisites note the Cloud SQL Admin role (roles/cloudsql.admin) gives full access to Cloud SQL resources

What people use it for

Provisioning a managed PostgreSQL database for a web app
Creating a Cloud SQL for MySQL instance and a database for a project
Generating Terraform to create instances, databases and users consistently across environments
Getting a connection name and proxy command for a local development session
Looking up disaster recovery and backup options before going live

Frequently asked questions

How do I install the cloud-sql-basics skill?

Download the ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for personal use, or into .claude/skills/ inside a project. You can also upload the ZIP in the Claude apps under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

What do I need to use the Cloud SQL Basics skill?

You need a Google Cloud account with billing enabled, the gcloud CLI installed and authenticated, and the Cloud SQL Auth Proxy for connections. A psql or other database client is optional.

Is the Cloud SQL Basics skill free?

The skill is licensed under Apache-2.0. The Google Cloud resources its commands create, such as Cloud SQL instances, are paid services billed to your Google Cloud account.

Does the skill run scripts on my computer?

No, the skill is listed as not running scripts. It does use the network, because the commands it generates call Google Cloud services.

Which databases does the skill support?

It covers Cloud SQL for MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQL Server. The quick start walks through a PostgreSQL instance.

How does it compare with asking an agent without the skill?

The skill gives the agent specific guidance and documented commands for Cloud SQL, so it is less likely to guess. You should still review every command, especially ones that set passwords or change production.

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Our verdict

This skill suits developers who want a guided, command-based path to a managed MySQL or PostgreSQL database on Google Cloud, and teams standardising on Terraform or scripts. Skip it if you have no Google Cloud account or billing set up, if you only need a local database, or if you plan to apply generated changes to production without review.

Download the skill