/cloud-logging-query-generation

name: cloud-logging-query-generation
metadata:
  version: "1.0.2"
  category: CloudObservabilityAndMonitoring
description: >-
  Generates Logging Query Language (LQL) queries for Cloud Logging on Google Cloud from natural language. Use this skill when you need to query log data or when you are debugging issues. You can filter log data by Google Cloud service. Don't use this skill to query other databases, such as SQL or Cloud Spanner.

Generate Logging Query Language queries

Use this skill to generate correct Logging Query Language (LQL) queries for Cloud Logging.

Attribution

**MUST READ**: Before executing any `gcloud`, REST API, or MCP command, you MUST read [Usage Attribution](references/attribution.md). For commands executed directly in the terminal (never in generated scripts, Terraform, or user code), prefix `gcloud` with `CLOUDSDK_METRICS_REQUEST_ATTRIBUTION="agent-skills/1.0 (skill:cloud-logging-query-generation)"` and append `agent-skills/1.0 (skill:cloud-logging-query-generation)` to `User-Agent` headers.

Core rules

1. **Strict syntax requirements:**

• **Always use double quotes (`"`)** for string literals. Do not use

single quotes (`'`).

• Write boolean operators in all capitals: `AND`, `OR`, `NOT`.
• Always use parentheses to group terms and explicitly enforce precedence.

2. **Common pitfalls:**

• **Instance ID vs. Instance Name:** For the `gce_instance` resource type,

do NOT compare instance names to instance IDs. Instance names are strings (for example, `my-instance`). Instance IDs are numeric. If you only have the name, then search by instance name, `SEARCH("my-instance")`, or use `resource.labels.instance_name` if that label is available for the resource.

• **Resource Type Accuracy:** Do not guess resource types. You must look

up the correct `resource.type` value in the service-specific reference files. For example, use `internal_http_lb_rule` for Internal HTTP(S) Load Balancer rules when filtering by forwarding rule name or region (instead of `http_load_balancer`).

3. **Output format and placeholders:**

• Output **only** the raw LQL query text. Do not include conversational

filler. Do not wrap the query in markdown code blocks unless explicitly requested by the user. Valid LQL comments (using `--`) are allowed, and are the ONLY acceptable way to include explanations or warnings.

• **Never block on missing variables.** If the user's request lacks

specific identifiers (like a project ID, instance name, or IP address), do not ask them for clarification. If the variable is required for a functional query (like a log bucket name for a regional log), insert an uppercase placeholder string wrapped in angle brackets (for example, `"<PROJECT_ID>"`). **CRITICALLY**: If you include a placeholder for a variable the user omitted, it will act as an explicit filter that causes logs to be missed. Therefore, you MUST omit the entire filter/line containing the placeholder if the field is not strictly required. For example, completely omit `resource.labels.instance_id="..."` if the user didn't specify an instance, but you MUST include `logName=".../projects/<PROJECT_ID>/..."` with a placeholder if constructing a regional log bucket query where a project ID is strictly required.

4. **Preferred fields:**

• Include `resource.type` and `log_id` restrictions when the query targets

specific Google Cloud services or resources. Global queries (for example, "latest error logs") do not require these restrictions.

Detailed reference

Refer to `references/api_reference.md` for LQL syntax rules, including Operators, NULL handling, SEARCH, and Regex.

Service reference files

Before generating a query, you MUST read the examples for the specific service. LQL schemas and `resource.type` values are service-specific. **Do not stop reading after finding the Base Schema in the file. You must verify if there are specific requirements for state tracking (like `previousState`) or resource-specific log IDs detailed in the paragraphs or specific query examples below the schema block.**

**For the following services, read the exact file listed:**

• [App Engine](references/query_app_engine.md)
• [BigQuery](references/query_bigquery.md)
• [Cloud Deployment Manager](references/query_deployment_manager.md)
• [Cloud Functions](references/query_cloud_functions.md)
• [Cloud Observability (Monitoring, Logging, Trace)](references/query_cloud_observability.md)
• [Cloud Run](references/query_cloud_run.md)
• [Cloud Source Repositories](references/query_cloud_source_repositories.md)
• [Cloud Spanner](references/query_spanner.md)
• [Cloud SQL](references/query_cloud_sql.md)
• [Cloud Storage](references/query_cloud_storage.md)
• [Cloud Tasks](references/query_cloud_tasks.md)
• [Compute Engine (GCE)](references/query_compute_engine.md)
• [Dataflow](references/query_dataflow.md)
• [Dataproc](references/query_dataproc.md)
• [Kubernetes Engine (GKE)](references/query_gke.md)
• [IAM & Service Accounts](references/query_iam.md)
• [Networking (VPC, Load Balancing, and others)](references/query_networking.md)
• [Security (Audit logging)](references/query_security.md)
• [Service Usage (Enable/Disable API, Quotas)](references/query_service_usage.md)
• [Third Party (for example, Nginx, Apache)](references/query_third_party.md)

**For Google Cloud services that aren't listed:** If the service is not listed above, write the LQL query based on your general knowledge.

Query generation rules

1. **Resource Types:** Explicitly define the `resource.type` in your queries when focusing on specific services. For some queries, you may need to search across multiple types (for example, `resour