Google Ads API AI agent skills are portable, self-contained modules of Google Ads API-specific knowledge, instructions, and workflows. These skills work with AI coding agents that support the [open Agent Skills standard](https://agentskills.io/home), including Google Antigravity, Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor. These AI agent skills help AI coding agents understand Google Ads API best practices, configure tools, and execute workflows with higher accuracy and lower token cost. For a list of available skills, see [Available skills](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/developer-toolkit/agent-skills.md.txt#available-skills). ## Get started Install the AI agent skills appropriate for your development environment. ### Install Google Ads API AI agent skills In most cases, you can install Google Ads API AI agent skills in your preferred editor with a single command: ### Antigravity Google Ads API AI agent skills are included as one of the **Build with Google** integration bundles for Antigravity. You can enable this bundle for global-level access at two points: - **During onboarding**: Select the checkbox for the Google Ads API stack. - **In Settings** : 1. Navigate to **Settings** \> **Customizations**. 2. Under **Build with Google Plugins** , click **Customize** , then click **Download** for the Google Ads API integration. If you prefer project-level access, run the following command in your project's directory: ```bash npx skills add google/skills/skills/ads --agent=antigravity ``` ### Claude Code ```bash npx skills add google/skills/skills/ads --agent=claude-code ``` ### Codex ```bash npx skills add google/skills/skills/ads --agent=codex ``` ### Cursor You can install Google Ads API AI agent skills directly by adding the skill's GitHub repository endpoint (for example, `https://github.com/google/skills`) in your editor's settings under custom rules. For more details, see the [Cursor documentation on installing skills from GitHub](https://cursor.com/docs/skills#installing-skills-from-github). You can also install the skills by using the `npx` command (requires [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/)): ```bash npx skills add google/skills/skills/ads --agent=cursor ``` ### Other agents For other AI coding agents that support the open Agent Skills standard, you can install the skills by using the `npx` command (requires [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/)): ```bash npx skills add google/skills/skills/ads ``` > [!NOTE] > **Note:** **Important:** AI agent skills are actively developed. To keep your AI coding agent updated with the latest Google Ads API features, best practices, and security recommendations, regularly [update your skills](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/developer-toolkit/agent-skills.md.txt#update-skills). ### Update Google Ads API AI agent skills You can get all available updates and clean up out-of-date skills by running the `update` command: ### Antigravity Integrations enabled through **Build with Google** are managed and updated automatically by the editor. If you installed AI agent skills by using the `npx` command, you can get all available updates by running the `update` command: ```bash npx skills update --all ``` ### Claude Code ```bash npx skills update --all ``` ### Codex ```bash npx skills update --all ``` ### Cursor ```bash npx skills update --all ``` ### Other agents For other AI coding agents that support the open Agent Skills standard, you can update all active skills by using the `npx` command: ```bash npx skills update --all ``` ### Use Google Ads API AI agent skills AI coding agents use skills automatically whenever they detect that a skill's description matches your current request. Globally installed skills remain dormant in unrelated projects unless your prompt context matches Google Ads API tasks. You can also invoke skills manually by entering `/` in the AI agent chat and searching for the skill name. ## Core components of a skill Each AI agent skill is a specialized package that provides the AI coding agent with the following components: - **Specialized instructions**: Detailed prompt instructions injected into the context window to guide the assistant with generating GAQL queries, configuring OAuth credentials, and handling common error codes. - **Best practices**: Standard performance, security, and integration recommendations defined by the Google Ads API DevRel team. - **Automation scripts**: Executable scripts (such as for environment validation or workspace setup) included in the skill packages to execute tasks locally. ## Benefits of using skills AI agent skills extend an AI coding agent's capabilities with specialized knowledge on demand without the overhead of loading bulky instructions into every conversation. ### Reduced token costs Conventional AI integrations often load massive amounts of documentation upfront, which consumes significant tokens and increases session costs. AI agent skills use **progressive disclosure** to minimize this overhead: - The AI assistant initially only checks the skill's name and description to see if it is relevant to your request. - The skill's full instructions and references are only added to the active context window when the assistant determines they're necessary for your specific task, saving context space. ### AI-guided implementation Instead of manually searching through documentation, you can describe your intent in natural language. Skills guide your AI assistant to perform tasks such as the following: - *Generate a GAQL query to retrieve campaign performance metrics from my account.* - *Write a Python script using client libraries to create a new campaign.* - *Retrieve campaign conversions and diagnostic data using the Google Ads API.* For a full list of the available skills, see [Available skills](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/developer-toolkit/agent-skills#available-skills). ## Use skills alongside the Google Ads API MCP server AI agent skills complement the [Google Ads API Model Context Protocol (MCP) server](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/developer-toolkit/mcp-server): - **Google Ads API MCP server**: Designed for AI-assisted development workflows, enabling AI assistants to interact with your Google Ads API resources, campaigns, and metrics programmatically. - **Google Ads API AI agent skills**: Provide prompt instructions and recommended practices that guide an AI coding agent to perform tasks through token-efficient progressive disclosure. They instruct the AI coding agent on how to use tools such as the MCP server and client libraries effectively. > [!NOTE] > **Note:** **Tip:** When you have both the Google Ads API MCP server and Google Ads API AI agent skills installed, skills instruct models on how to use the MCP tools to accomplish complex tasks efficiently. ## Available skills The Google Ads API team provides a [suite of skills](https://github.com/google/skills/tree/main/skills/ads) for building with the Google Ads API: | Skill | Description | |---|---| | [`google-ads-api-account-diagnostics`](https://github.com/google/skills/tree/main/skills/ads/google-ads-api-account-diagnostics) | Diagnoses Google Ads account performance issues such as conversion loss, low lead volume, and lost impression share due to ad rank, bids, or budgets using the Google Ads API MCP server. | | [`google-ads-api-mcp-setup`](https://github.com/google/skills/tree/main/skills/ads/google-ads-api-mcp-setup) | Assists with setting up and configuring the Google Ads API Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, simplifying authentication and configuration in local environments. | | [`google-ads-api-quickstart`](https://github.com/google/skills/tree/main/skills/ads/google-ads-api-quickstart) | Guides you through setting up your developer environment, configuring credentials, and making your first API call to the Google Ads API. | ## Next steps - [Connect your AI client to the Google Ads MCP server](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/developer-toolkit/mcp-server.md.txt) - [Learn about the Google Ads API Developer Assistant](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/developer-toolkit/what-is-developer-assistant.md.txt) - [Install and use the Google Ads API Developer Assistant](https://developers.google.com/google-ads/api/docs/developer-toolkit/ai-assistant.md.txt) - [Learn how to use AI agent skills with Claude Code](https://code.claude.com/docs/en/skills) - [Learn how to use AI agent skills with Google Antigravity](https://antigravity.google/docs/skills)