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Aurora DSQL steering: Plugins, skills, and powers - Amazon Aurora DSQL
OverviewClaude Code pluginCodex pluginCursor pluginKiro PowerOther AI tools: Standalone skill

Aurora DSQL steering: Plugins, skills, and powers

Use the databases-on-aws plugin to give your AI coding agent guidance for Aurora DSQL development. The plugin includes the dsql skill, which helps with schema design, queries, migrations, and troubleshooting. Install the plugin in Claude Code, Codex, or Cursor. You can also use the Kiro Power or install the skill on its own.

Overview

Choose the format that your AI tool supports:

  • Plugins bundle skills with tools and hooks. The databases-on-aws plugin is available from Agent Plugins for AWS on the GitHub website.

  • Skills give an agent instructions and reference files to load as needed. Use the Skills CLI to install the dsql skill on its own.

  • Powers package guidance and Model Context Protocol (MCP) server configuration for Kiro. The Aurora DSQL power helps you set up tools and develop applications in the Kiro IDE.

Why use steering

Steering gives your agent Aurora DSQL guidance that you don't need to repeat in each prompt. After setup, start a new chat. Ask the agent to review an Aurora DSQL schema or plan a migration. The agent can load guidance for the task. You can also ask it to use the Aurora DSQL skill or power by name.

Choose the setup path for your AI tool:

Claude Code plugin

Install the databases-on-aws plugin in Claude Code.

Setup

Run these commands in Claude Code to add the marketplace and install the plugin:

/plugin marketplace add awslabs/agent-plugins
/plugin install databases-on-aws@agent-plugins-for-aws

For more information, see Claude Code in Agent Plugins for AWS on the GitHub website.

Codex plugin

Install the databases-on-aws plugin from the repository's marketplace:

  1. Use Git to clone the Agent Plugins for AWS repository:

    git clone https://github.com/awslabs/agent-plugins.git

  2. Open the cloned agent-plugins directory in Codex. Restart Codex to discover the marketplace.

  3. Open the plugin directory, choose the Agent Plugins for AWS marketplace, and install databases-on-aws.

  4. Start a new chat to use the plugin's skills and tools.

For more information, see Codex in Agent Plugins for AWS on the GitHub website. To install only the skill, see Other AI tools: Standalone skill.

Cursor plugin

Install AWS Databases from the Cursor Marketplace. This is the databases-on-aws plugin, which includes the Aurora DSQL skill.

For more information, see Cursor in Agent Plugins for AWS on the GitHub website.

Kiro Power

Use the Aurora DSQL power for guidance and MCP tools in the Kiro IDE.

Setup

  1. Open the Aurora DSQL power from the Kiro Powers Registry. The link opens the power in the Kiro IDE.

  2. Choose Try power for guided MCP server setup, or open a new Kiro chat and describe an Aurora DSQL task.

  3. (Optional) To connect to an existing cluster, add your cluster details to the power's MCP configuration. Test the connection. For more information, see AWS Labs Aurora DSQL MCP Server.

Other AI tools: Standalone skill

Use the Skills CLI to install the dsql skill in other supported AI tools. You can also choose this path when you want only the skill. It installs instructions and reference files, without the plugin's MCP servers or hooks. To set up database tools, see AWS Labs Aurora DSQL MCP Server.

Skills CLI

You can install the skill for one or more coding agents, including Codex. For more information, see CLI Reference on the skills.sh website.

Setup

Install Node.js 22.20.0 or later and npm. Run this command to install the Aurora DSQL skill: 

npx skills add https://github.com/awslabs/agent-plugins --skill dsql

Follow the prompts:

  • Choose the coding agents that use the skill.

  • Choose project scope for the current directory, or global scope for all projects.

  • Use symlinks to share one copy of the skill, or keep a copy for each agent.

Managing skills

To list skills in the current project, run this command: 

npx skills list

To list only global skills, run this command: 

npx skills list --global

To update the Aurora DSQL skill in both the current project and global scope, run this command. The command defaults to both scopes. 

npx skills update dsql

To update only the current project's Aurora DSQL skill, run this command: 

npx skills update dsql --project

To update only the global Aurora DSQL skill, run this command: 

npx skills update dsql --global