---
title: "Agent Skills - Xata"
description: "Guided workflows that teach AI coding agents how to operate Xata."
source: "https://xata.io/docs/ai-agents/agent-skills"
---

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# ​Agent Skills

Agent skills extend AI coding assistants with Xata-specific knowledge: branch workflows, CLI commands, API conventions, and PostgreSQL troubleshooting.

## ​What are agent skills?

Agent skills follow the [Agent Skills](https://agentskills.io) open format. Each skill is a markdown file (`SKILL.md`) with metadata, step-by-step instructions, and reference files for common tasks. When you ask an agent to create a branch, run a migration, or diagnose a slow query, it can load the matching skill and follow Xata-specific procedures instead of guessing.

### ​Supported tools

Any MCP client connected to the [Xata MCP server](/docs/platform/mcp) can list and read skills through the `list_skills` and `get_skill` tools, including Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and any other client documented on the MCP setup page.

## ​Available skills

| Skill                 | Use when                                                                                                                                     |
| --------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `using-xata-cli`      | Working with projects, branches, auth, migrations, clone, keys, or organizations from the terminal                                           |
| `using-xata-api`      | Calling the Xata HTTP API directly, scripting against `api.xata.tech`, or building apps that manage Xata programmatically                    |
| `managing-postgresql` | Diagnosing slow queries, high CPU, connection issues, locks, vacuum, indexes, backups, replication, or other PostgreSQL problems on a branch |

## ​Access skills through MCP

After connecting to the Xata MCP server, ask your agent:

> List the available Xata skills.

The agent calls `list_skills` and returns the skill catalog. To load a skill:

> Read the `using-xata-cli` skill and create a development branch for this task.

The agent calls `get_skill` with the skill name and follows the instructions.

Skills are served by the hosted MCP server. There is nothing to install locally. Connect once in your agent client and the skills are available automatically.

## ​Related docs

- [Xata for Agents](/docs/ai-agents/overview)
- [MCP Server](/docs/platform/mcp)
- [CLI Reference](/docs/cli)

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