About ai-services
ai-services is a skill for configuring DigitalOcean Gradient AI Platform in App Platform applications. It covers Serverless Inference for direct LLM calls and the Agent Development Kit for agents, knowledge bases, guardrails, and multi-agent workflows.
Key features
- 01Choose inference or agent development
- 02Configure model access credentials
- 03Use an OpenAI-compatible inference API
- 04Set up agents with Gradient ADK
- 05Check available models
Use cases
- 01Add LLM inference to an App Platform app
- 02Build agents with knowledge bases or guardrails
- 03Configure credentials for AI deployments
Install
Copy the command and run it in a terminal.
npx skills add https:/ / github.com/ digitalocean-labs/ do-app-platform-skills --skill ai-servicesAfter installing, type/ai-servicesin Claude Code to confirm it loaded.
Bundled files
References and scripts installed along with SKILL.md.
README.mdreference/agent-development-kit.mdserverless-inference.mdDetails
From the project READMEAI Services Skill
Configure DigitalOcean Gradient AI Platform for App Platform applications.
Tip: This is one specialized skill in the App Platform library. For complex multi-step projects, consider using the planner skill to generate a staged approach. For an overview of all available skills, see the root SKILL.md.
Quick Decision
What do you need?
├── Simple LLM API calls → Serverless Inference
│ OpenAI-compatible API, no agent management
│
└── Full AI agents → Agent Development Kit (ADK)
Knowledge bases, RAG, guardrails, multi-agent routing
| Need | Solution | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Call LLM models directly | Serverless Inference | serverless-inference.md |
| Build agents with knowledge bases | ADK | agent-development-kit.md |
| Content filtering / guardrails | ADK | agent-development-kit.md |
| Multi-agent workflows | ADK | agent-development-kit.md |
Credential Handling
Model access keys follow the standard credential hierarchy:
- GitHub Secrets (recommended): User creates key → adds to GitHub Secrets → app spec references
- App Platform Secrets: Set via
doctl apps updatewithtype: SECRET
# App Spec pattern
envs:
- key: MODEL_ACCESS_KEY
scope: RUN_TIME
type: SECRET
value: ${MODEL_ACCESS_KEY} # From GitHub Secrets
Key creation: Control Panel → Serverless Inference → Model Access Keys
Keys shown only once after creation—store securely.
Quick Start: Serverless Inference
# .do/app.yaml
services:
- name: api
envs:
- key: MODEL_ACCESS_KEY
scope: RUN_TIME
type: SECRET
value: ${MODEL_ACCESS_KEY}
- key: INFERENCE_ENDPOINT
value: https://inference.do-ai.run
# Python SDK (OpenAI-compatible)
from openai import OpenAI
import os
client = OpenAI(
base_url=os.environ["INFERENCE_ENDPOINT"] + "/v1",
api_key=os.environ["MODEL_ACCESS_KEY"],
)
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model="llama3.3-70b-instruct",
messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "Hello!"}],
)
Full guide: See serverless-inference.md
Quick Start: Agent Development Kit
# Install and configure
pip install gradient-adk
gradient agent configure
# Run locally
gradient agent run
# → http://localhost:8080/run
# Deploy to DigitalOcean
gradient agent deploy
# Agent entrypoint
from gradient_adk import entrypoint
@entrypoint
def entry(payload, context):
query = payload["prompt"]
return {"response": "Hello from agent!"}
Full guide: See agent-development-kit.md
Available Models
| Model | Use Case |
|---|---|
llama3.3-70b-instruct | General purpose, high quality |
llama3-8b | Faster, lower cost |
mistral-7b | Efficient, multilingual |
# List all available models
doctl genai list-models
Check Gradient AI Models for current availability.
Reference Files
- serverless-inference.md — SDK setup, API parameters, examples
- agent-development-kit.md — ADK workflow, knowledge bases, guardrails
Quick Troubleshooting
| Error | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
401 Unauthorized | Invalid model access key | Verify key in GitHub Secrets |
Model not found | Invalid model ID | Run doctl genai list-models |
Rate limit exceeded | Too many requests | Implement exponential backoff |
| ADK deploy fails | Missing token scopes | Ensure genai CRUD + project read scopes |
Integration with Other Skills
- → designer: Add AI service environment variables to app spec
- → deployment: Model access key stored in GitHub Secrets
- → devcontainers: Test AI integrations locally before deployment
- → planner: Plan AI-enabled app deployments