GKE Basics
FreeStreamline your GKE cluster setup with best practices.
Free · Opens the source repo
What GKE Basics does
The GKE Basics skill simplifies the process of planning, creating, and configuring production-ready Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) clusters. It leverages the golden path Autopilot configuration, which provides a set of best practices and guardrails to ensure your clusters are optimized for security, performance, and cost efficiency. This skill is particularly useful for developers and DevOps engineers looking to deploy containerized applications on Google Cloud without delving into the complexities of Kubernetes setup.
With this skill, users can quickly enable necessary Google Cloud services and create an Autopilot cluster in just a few commands. The skill also provides a structured approach to managing critical aspects of GKE, including networking, scaling, observability, and AI/ML inference. The bundled reference materials cover a wide range of topics, from core concepts and cluster creation to security practices and cost optimization strategies, making it a comprehensive resource for both beginners and experienced users.
The GKE Basics skill is designed for teams looking to adopt Kubernetes in their workflows without the steep learning curve typically associated with Kubernetes management. By providing clear guidelines and a streamlined process, this skill helps users focus on deploying their applications rather than managing infrastructure. Whether you are onboarding new applications, managing existing workloads, or exploring advanced features like batch processing or AI/ML workloads, this skill offers the foundational tools necessary for success.
In summary, GKE Basics is an essential tool for anyone involved in deploying and managing applications on Google Kubernetes Engine. It provides the necessary guidance and automation to help users build robust, production-ready clusters efficiently, ensuring adherence to best practices throughout the process.
When to use it
Use this skill when you need to quickly deploy a GKE cluster with production-ready configurations and best practices.
When not to use it
This skill may not be suitable for advanced users who require highly customized Kubernetes configurations or those working in environments outside of Google Cloud.
What you can build with it
Quick GKE Cluster Setup
Use the skill to create a new GKE cluster in minutes with production-ready configurations.
Deploying Containerized Applications
Easily deploy applications using the provided commands and best practices for Kubernetes.
Managing GKE Security and Costs
Leverage the skill's references to optimize security settings and manage costs effectively.
How to install GKE Basics
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add davila7/claude-code-templates/gke-basics --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by davila7Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) Basics
GKE is a managed Kubernetes platform on Google Cloud for deploying, scaling, and operating containerized applications. This skill defaults to the golden path Autopilot configuration — see gke-golden-path.md for defaults, rules, and guardrails.
Quick Start
gcloud services enable container.googleapis.com --quiet
gcloud container clusters create-auto my-cluster --region=us-central1 --quiet
gcloud container clusters get-credentials my-cluster --region=us-central1 --quiet
kubectl create deployment hello-server \
--image=us-docker.pkg.dev/google-samples/containers/gke/hello-app:1.0
Reference Directory
Load the relevant reference based on trigger keywords. Prefer the most specific match; if ambiguous, ask the user to clarify.
| Scenario | Trigger Keywords | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Core Concepts | Autopilot vs Standard, architecture, pricing, what is GKE | core-concepts.md |
| Golden Path & Defaults | golden path, Day-0 checklist, production defaults, cluster defaults | gke-golden-path.md |
| Cluster Creation | create cluster, new cluster, provision GKE | gke-cluster-creation.md |
| Networking | private cluster, VPC, subnet, Gateway API, DNS, ingress, egress, datapath | gke-networking.md |
| Security & IAM | Workload Identity, Secret Manager, RBAC, Binary Auth, hardening, audit, gVisor, IAM roles | gke-security.md |
| Scaling | HPA, VPA, autoscaler, autoscaling, NAP, scale pods, scale nodes | gke-scaling.md |
| Compute Classes | ComputeClass, machine family, Spot fallback, GPU node pool, node selection | gke-compute-classes.md |
| Cost | cost, savings, Spot VMs, rightsizing, CUD, optimize spend, budget | gke-cost.md |
| AI/ML Inference | inference, model serving, LLM, GPU, TPU, GIQ, vLLM | gke-inference.md |
| Upgrades | upgrade, maintenance window, release channel, patching, version | gke-upgrades.md |
| Observability | monitoring, logging, Prometheus, Grafana, metrics, alerts, dashboards | gke-observability.md |
| Multi-tenancy | multi-tenant, namespace isolation, team access, enterprise, RBAC planning | gke-multitenancy.md |
| Batch & HPC | batch, HPC, job queue, high performance, MPI, parallel | gke-batch-hpc.md |
| App Onboarding | containerize, deploy app, Dockerfile, onboard, migrate to GKE | gke-app-onboarding.md |
| Backup & DR | backup, restore, disaster recovery, CMEK | gke-backup-dr.md |
| Storage | storage, PVC, persistent volume, StorageClass, Filestore, GCS FUSE | gke-storage.md |
| Reliability | PDB, health probe, liveness, readiness, topology spread, graceful shutdown | gke-reliability.md |
| Client Libraries | client library, client-go, kubernetes python, kubernetes java, kubernetes SDK | client-library-usage.md |
| Infrastructure as Code | Terraform, IaC, HCL, infrastructure as code | iac-usage.md |
| MCP Server | MCP tools, MCP server, MCP setup | mcp-usage.md |
| CLI / Tools | gcloud, kubectl, commands, how to | cli-reference.md |
| Production Audit | production readiness, compliance, golden path check | gke-cluster-creation.md |
If you need product information not found in these references, use the Developer Knowledge MCP server search_documents tool.
Frequently asked questions about GKE Basics
Similar skills
Turborepo
Optimized build system for JavaScript/TypeScript monorepos.
Azure Pipelines Validation
Streamline your Azure DevOps pipeline changes locally.
Azure Developer CLI
Streamline your Azure project workflows with best practices.
Azure Container Registry CLI
Manage Azure Container Registry resources with ease.
Aspire
Build and orchestrate polyglot distributed applications seamlessly.
Vercel CLI
Manage and deploy Vercel projects from the command line.