# Getting started with business context in the Data Catalog
<a name="catalog-business-context-getting-started"></a>

**Note**  
Business context and semantic search is in preview for AWS Glue and is subject to change.

This tutorial walks you through creating a glossary, tagging assets, and using semantic search to discover data by meaning.

## Prerequisites
<a name="business-context-getting-started-prereqs"></a>
+ An AWS account with the AWS Glue Data Catalog configured in a supported Region.
+ The AWS CLI installed and configured.
+ At least one table registered in the Data Catalog.
+ An IAM role or user with permissions for AWS Glue Data Catalog actions.

Attach the following IAM policy to grant the required permissions:

```
{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [{
        "Effect": "Allow",
        "Action": [
            "glue:Search", "glue:PutAsset", "glue:GetAsset", "glue:DeleteAsset",
            "glue:PutAssetType", "glue:GetAssetType", "glue:DeleteAssetType", "glue:ListAssetTypes",
            "glue:CreateGlossary", "glue:UpdateGlossary", "glue:GetGlossary", "glue:ListGlossaries", "glue:DeleteGlossary",
            "glue:CreateGlossaryTerm", "glue:UpdateGlossaryTerm", "glue:GetGlossaryTerm", "glue:ListGlossaryTerms", "glue:DeleteGlossaryTerm",
            "glue:AssociateGlossaryTerms", "glue:DisassociateGlossaryTerms",
            "glue:PutFormType", "glue:GetFormType", "glue:DeleteFormType", "glue:ListFormTypes",
            "glue:PutAttachment", "glue:DeleteAttachment",
            "glue:ListIterableForms", "glue:BatchGetIterableForms"
        ],
        "Resource": "*"
    }]
}
```

## Step 1: Create a glossary and tag an asset
<a name="business-context-step1-create-glossary"></a>

**To create a glossary**  
Run the following command:

```
aws glue create-glossary \
  --name "Enterprise Data Glossary" \
  --description "Standardized business definitions for enterprise data assets."
```

Example output:

```
{
    "Id": "d7xm3np5rk2w9j",
    "Name": "Enterprise Data Glossary"
}
```

**To create a glossary term**  
Replace the glossary identifier with the `Id` from the preceding output.

```
aws glue create-glossary-term \
  --glossary-identifier "d7xm3np5rk2w9j" \
  --name "Active User" \
  --short-description "A user with at least one login in the last 30 days." \
  --long-description "An account that has logged in at least once within the trailing 30-day window."
```

Example output:

```
{
    "Id": "c2fymbu18rtsx5",
    "GlossaryId": "d7xm3np5rk2w9j",
    "Name": "Active User"
}
```

**To associate the term with an asset**  
Run the following command:

```
aws glue associate-glossary-terms \
  --identifier "arn:aws:glue:us-east-1:123456789012:table/mydb/sales_transactions" \
  --glossary-term-identifiers "c2fymbu18rtsx5"
```

## Step 2: Search for data using business context
<a name="business-context-step2-search"></a>

Use the `Search` API to find assets by business meaning.

```
aws glue search \
  --search-text "active users"
```

Example output:

```
{
    "Items": [
        {"Id": "c9vq7sh2fk4t2h", "AssetName": "Customer Sales Transactions", "AssetTypeId": "Table"}
    ]
}
```

To filter results by asset type:

```
aws glue search \
  --search-text "active users" \
  --filter-clause '{"AttributeFilter":{"Attribute":"type","Operator":"equals","Value":{"StringValue":"Table"}}}' \
  --max-results 10
```

## Using AI agents with the catalog
<a name="business-context-getting-started-agent-toolkit"></a>

MCP-compatible AI agents can discover catalog assets, retrieve business context, and load skill content using skills from the AWS Agent Toolkit. You can get catalog skills in the following ways:
+ **Bundled with a plugin** – Install the `aws-data-analytics` plugin, which includes a curated set of catalog skills available to the agent immediately after installation. For instructions, see [Installing plugins](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/agent-toolkit/latest/userguide/plugins.html#installing-plugins) in the AWS Agent Toolkit User Guide.
+ **Installed locally** – Download individual skills from the Agent Toolkit for AWS repository on GitHub and add them to your agent's skills directory. The following skills support catalog workflows:
  + [exploring-data-catalog](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/tree/main/skills/specialized-skills/analytics-skills/exploring-data-catalog)
  + [finding-data-lake-assets](https://github.com/aws/agent-toolkit-for-aws/tree/main/skills/specialized-skills/analytics-skills/finding-data-lake-assets)

## Next steps
<a name="business-context-getting-started-next-steps"></a>
+ Attach forms to standardize metadata fields such as data residency or retention policy.
+ Create skill assets that provide AI agents with domain context for your data.