Prerequisites for Running google/skills Locally: Complete Setup Guide

To run google/skills locally, you need Node.js ≥14 with npm, Google Cloud SDK (gcloud), Application Default Credentials (ADC), Terraform ≥1.0, Python ≥3.8, Git, and optionally Docker and additional language runtimes.

The google/skills repository is Google's official collection of interactive, Markdown-based SKILL files designed to guide developers through Google Cloud workflows. While the skills themselves are documentation, executing them requires a properly configured local environment with Google Cloud tooling, infrastructure-as-code capabilities, and multiple language runtimes. This guide walks through every prerequisite based on the actual source code structure and requirements.

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Core Prerequisites for google/skills

The following tools are mandatory for installing and running skills from the google/skills repository.

Node.js ≥14 and npm

The entry point for all skills is the npx command. The repository's root [README.md](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/README.md) specifies that you install skills using:

npx skills add google/skills

Installation steps:

1. Download the LTS version from nodejs.org
2. Verify your installation:

node -v
npm -v

The npx utility bundled with npm fetches and executes the skills CLI without global installation.

Google Cloud SDK (gcloud)

Most skills authenticate to Google Cloud and invoke gcloud commands directly. The Google Cloud Authentication Skill at [skills/cloud/google-cloud-recipe-auth/SKILL.md](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/cloud/google-cloud-recipe-auth/SKILL.md) documents this requirement explicitly.

Installation and configuration:

# Install from https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install

# Then initialize and authenticate:

gcloud init
gcloud auth login

This establishes your default project and user credentials for interactive use.

Application Default Credentials (ADC)

Skills that call Google Cloud client libraries require ADC — a local credential file that client libraries automatically discover. According to the authentication skill source, create this with:

gcloud auth application-default login

This command creates $HOME/.config/gcloud/application_default_credentials.json. Python, Go, Java, and Node.js client libraries all check this location when GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS is unset.

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Infrastructure and Development Tools

Additional tooling is required for skills involving resource provisioning and multi-language examples.

Terraform ≥1.0

Several skills — including Workload Manager and GKE skills — embed Terraform configurations for enabling APIs, configuring IAM roles, and creating BigQuery datasets or KMS keys. The setup prerequisites at [skills/cloud/workload-manager-basics/references/setup-prerequisites.md](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/cloud/workload-manager-basics/references/setup-prerequisites.md) demonstrate this pattern.

Verify your installation:

terraform -version

Install from your package manager or HashiCorp's official downloads.

Python ≥3.8

The repository contains numerous helper scripts in scripts/*.py directories. For example, [skills/cloud/agent-platform-alert-configuration/scripts/requirements.txt](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/skills/cloud/agent-platform-alert-configuration/scripts/requirements.txt) defines dependencies for Python-based automation.

Recommended setup:

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

pip install -r skills/cloud/agent-platform-alert-configuration/scripts/requirements.txt

Git

Required for cloning the repository and for npx skills add to cache the skill files locally. The [CONTRIBUTING.md](https://github.com/google/skills/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) guidelines also assume Git for submitting new skills.

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Optional but Recommended Tools

Depending on which skills you intend to run, consider these additional components.

Tool	Use Case	Source Reference
Docker	Container-based examples (GKE AI inference, Cloud Run deployments)	GKE skills with inference workloads
Go	BigFrames, Analytics Data API examples	Language-specific skill snippets
Java	BigQuery, Pub/Sub client examples	Enterprise API skill files
.NET	Cloud Storage, Firestore examples	.NET-specific reference implementations

Network Requirements

Your local environment must allow outbound HTTPS traffic to *.googleapis.com. Skills that enable APIs, create service accounts, or provision resources make direct calls to Google Cloud control plane endpoints. Corporate firewalls or proxy configurations may block these requests.

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Verification: Running Your First Skill

Once all core prerequisites are installed, verify your setup:

# Install the repository

npx skills add google/skills

# Run the authentication skill to validate ADC configuration

skills run google/cloud/google-cloud-recipe-auth

The skill CLI will detect missing prerequisites and prompt you to run the necessary gcloud commands if ADC or project configuration is incomplete.

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Summary

• Node.js ≥14 with npm — Required for npx skills add installation
• Google Cloud SDK — Essential for gcloud commands and project authentication
• Application Default Credentials — Mandatory for client library authentication via gcloud auth application-default login
• Terraform ≥1.0 — Needed for infrastructure provisioning skills
• Python ≥3.8 — Used by helper scripts throughout the repository
• Git — Required for repository operations and skill caching
• Docker and additional runtimes — Optional, depending on target skills

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum Node.js version for google/skills?

Node.js 14 or higher is required. The npx skills add command used to install the repository relies on npm features available in Node 14+. Verify with node -v before installation.

Do I need a Google Cloud project to run skills locally?

Yes. Most skills interact with Google Cloud APIs and require an active project. Run gcloud init to set your default project, and ensure billing is enabled for services the skill provisions.

Why does the skills CLI fail with "Application Default Credentials not found"?

This error indicates ADC is not configured. Run gcloud auth application-default login to create the credential file at $HOME/.config/gcloud/application_default_credentials.json. The authentication skill at skills/cloud/google-cloud-recipe-auth/SKILL.md handles this automatically when invoked.

Is Docker mandatory for google/skills?

No. Docker is only required for skills involving container builds, such as GKE AI inference or Cloud Run deployments. You can run the majority of skills without Docker if you skip container-based examples.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instagit": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "instagit@latest"]
    }
  }
}