retrieving-developer-knowledge

Google Developer Knowledge

The Developer Knowledge skill provides access to official Google developer documentation across Google Cloud, AI/ML (ai.google.dev, ADK, TensorFlow), Android, Chrome, Web, Flutter, Go, Firebase, and other Google developer platforms via the Developer Knowledge MCP server or REST API fallback.

Workflow

1. Direct Retrieval: When answering a technical question, execute a single documentation lookup directly within your current conversation context (do not delegate retrieval to subagents):

• If MCP tools are present in your environment: Call answer_query (for conceptual guides/workflows) or search_documents (for CLI flags/syntax).
• If MCP tools are not present: Execute a REST API request via curl against https://developerknowledge.googleapis.com/v1.

1. Immediate & Complete Solution Output: Immediately upon receiving the documentation response, output the complete, self-contained, and executable technical solution (commands with all required flags and placeholders, YAML/JSON configurations, or code snippets) directly in your response text.

Tool Selection & Usage

Choose the appropriate tool based on availability in your runtime environment:

1. Developer Knowledge MCP Tools (Preferred)

When MCP tools are present in your active tool definitions:

• `answer_query(query="...")`: Use for conceptual guides, architectural comparisons, product choice overviews, and multi-step workflows.
• `search_documents(query="...", page_size=5)`: Use for granular CLI flags, exact syntax, parameter names, and IAM permissions (service.resource.verb). Use 2–5 focused keywords (e.g., cloud run filestore nfs mount gcloud) rather than full conversational sentences.
• `get_documents(names=["documents/{uri_without_scheme}"])`: Fetch full documentation pages by resource name (e.g. names: ["documents/docs.cloud.google.com/run/docs/overview/what-is-cloud-run"]).

2. REST API Fallback

When MCP tools are not declared in your environment, use HTTP requests (curl) against the Developer Knowledge REST API (https://developerknowledge.googleapis.com/v1) with the environment API key (DEVELOPERKNOWLEDGE_API_KEY):

• Answer Query:

  curl -s -X POST "https://developerknowledge.googleapis.com/v1:answerQuery?key=${DEVELOPERKNOWLEDGE_API_KEY}" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{"query": "How do I configure public read access on Cloud Storage?"}'

• Search Document Chunks (use 2–5 focused keywords):

  curl -s "https://developerknowledge.googleapis.com/v1/documents:searchDocumentChunks?query=gcloud+logging+metrics+create&key=${DEVELOPERKNOWLEDGE_API_KEY}"

• Get Document:

  curl -s "https://developerknowledge.googleapis.com/v1/documents/docs.cloud.google.com/run/docs/overview/what-is-cloud-run?key=${DEVELOPERKNOWLEDGE_API_KEY}"

• Batch Get Documents:

  curl -s -X POST "https://developerknowledge.googleapis.com/v1/documents:batchGet?key=${DEVELOPERKNOWLEDGE_API_KEY}" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{"names": ["documents/docs.cloud.google.com/run/docs/overview/what-is-cloud-run"]}'

Synthesis & Output Guidelines

1. Grounding in Official Documentation: Ground all solutions directly in retrieved documentation. Official documentation conventions have absolute precedence over memorized defaults.
2. Exact Parameter Formatting: Format CLI flags, composite keys (e.g. location=IP:PATH), and IAM permission strings according to official Google specifications.
3. Complete Solutions in Final Response: Always output the full, self-contained, executable technical solution (commands, configurations, or code snippets) with clear standard placeholders (e.g. PROJECT_ID, SERVICE_NAME, REGION) directly in your final message, even if previously referenced during internal planning.

References

• MCP Usage & Tool Details
• REST API Fallback Guide
• Supported Domains & Scoping