explainx.ainewsletter3.4k
AI/ML

gws-gmail-watch▌

googleworkspace/cli · updated Apr 8, 2026

MDX-style export adds YAML metadata + attribution linking explainx.ai and this canonical listing URL.

$npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli --skill gws-gmail-watch
0 commentsdiscussion
summary

Stream new Gmail messages as NDJSON with Pub/Sub-backed polling and optional file output.

  • ›Monitors incoming emails via Gmail API with configurable label filtering (INBOX, UNREAD, etc.) and message format options (full, metadata, minimal, raw)
  • ›Supports two setup modes: automatic Pub/Sub topic and subscription creation, or connection to existing resources
  • ›Configurable polling interval, batch size, and one-time pull mode; graceful shutdown with optional resource cleanup
  • ›Can write eac
skill.md

gmail +watch

PREREQUISITE: Read ../gws-shared/SKILL.md for auth, global flags, and security rules. If missing, run gws generate-skills to create it.

Watch for new emails and stream them as NDJSON

Usage

gws gmail +watch

Flags

Flag Required Default Description
--project — — GCP project ID for Pub/Sub resources
--subscription — — Existing Pub/Sub subscription name (skip setup)
--topic — — Existing Pub/Sub topic with Gmail push permission already granted
--label-ids — — Comma-separated Gmail label IDs to filter (e.g., INBOX,UNREAD)
--max-messages — 10 Max messages per pull batch
--poll-interval — 5 Seconds between pulls
--msg-format — full Gmail message format: full, metadata, minimal, raw
--once — — Pull once and exit
--cleanup — — Delete created Pub/Sub resources on exit
--output-dir — — Write each message to a separate JSON file in this directory

Examples

gws gmail +watch --project my-gcp-project
gws gmail +watch --project my-project --label-ids INBOX --once
gws gmail +watch --subscription projects/p/subscriptions/my-sub
gws gmail +watch --project my-project --cleanup --output-dir ./emails

Tips

  • Gmail watch expires after 7 days — re-run to renew.
  • Without --cleanup, Pub/Sub resources persist for reconnection.
  • Press Ctrl-C to stop gracefully.

See Also

how to use gws-gmail-watch

How to use gws-gmail-watch on Cursor

AI-first code editor with Composer

1

Prerequisites

Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

  • ›Cursor installed and configured on your development machine
  • ›Node.js version 16.0+ with npm package manager (verify with node --version)
  • ›Active project directory or workspace where you want to add gws-gmail-watch
2

Execute installation command

Execute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:

$npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli --skill gws-gmail-watch

The skills CLI fetches gws-gmail-watch from GitHub repository googleworkspace/cli and configures it for Cursor.

3

Select Cursor when prompted

The CLI will show a list of available agents. Use arrow keys to navigate and space to select Cursor:

◆ Which agents do you want to install to?
│
│ ── Universal (.agents/skills) ── always included ────
│ • Amp
│ • Antigravity
│ • Cline
│ • Codex
│ ●Cursor(selected)
│ • Cursor
│ • Windsurf
4

Verify installation

Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:

.cursor/skills/gws-gmail-watch

Reload or restart Cursor to activate gws-gmail-watch. Access the skill through slash commands (e.g., /gws-gmail-watch) or your agent's skill management interface.

⚠

Security & Verification Notice

We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.

Skills execute code in your development environment. Always verify the publisher's identity, review recent commits, and test in isolated environments before production deployment.

Additional Resources

›View source code on GitHub›Skills CLI documentation›Learn more about Cursor›What are agent skills?

List & Monetize Your Skill

Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning

GET_STARTED →

Use Cases▌

Task Automation & Efficiency

Automate repetitive workflows and reduce manual effort

Example

Generate reports, summarize documents, draft communications

✓

Save 3-5 hours per week on routine tasks

Knowledge Enhancement

Learn new skills, understand complex topics, get expert guidance

Example

Explain concepts, provide examples, suggest learning resources

✓

Accelerate learning and skill development by 2x

Quality Improvement

Enhance output quality through reviews, suggestions, and refinements

Example

Review drafts, suggest improvements, catch errors

✓

Improve work quality by 30-40% with less effort

Implementation Guide▌

Prerequisites

  • ›Claude Desktop or compatible AI client with skill support
  • ›Clear understanding of task or problem to solve
  • ›Willingness to iterate and refine outputs

Time Estimate

15-45 minutes depending on use case complexity

Installation Steps

  1. 1.Install skill using provided installation command
  2. 2.Test with simple use case relevant to your work
  3. 3.Evaluate output quality and relevance
  4. 4.Iterate on prompts to improve results
  5. 5.Integrate into regular workflow if valuable

Common Pitfalls

  • ⚠Expecting perfect results without iteration
  • ⚠Not providing enough context in prompts
  • ⚠Using skill for tasks outside its intended scope
  • ⚠Accepting outputs without review and validation

Best Practices▌

✓ Do

  • +Start with clear, specific prompts
  • +Provide relevant context and constraints
  • +Review and refine all outputs before using
  • +Iterate to improve output quality
  • +Document successful prompt patterns

✗ Don't

  • −Don't use without understanding skill limitations
  • −Don't skip validation of outputs
  • −Don't share sensitive information in prompts
  • −Don't expect skill to replace human judgment

💡 Pro Tips

  • ★Be specific about desired format and style
  • ★Ask for multiple options to choose from
  • ★Request explanations to understand reasoning
  • ★Combine AI efficiency with human expertise

When to Use This▌

✓ Use When

Use when skill capabilities match your task, clear ROI on time saved, and you can validate outputs. Best for repetitive tasks, learning, and quality improvement.

✗ Avoid When

Avoid when task requires deep expertise you can't validate, involves sensitive decisions, or when learning process is more valuable than speed of completion.

Learning Path▌

  1. 1Familiarize yourself with skill capabilities and limitations
  2. 2Start with low-risk, non-critical tasks
  3. 3Progress to more complex and valuable use cases
  4. 4Build expertise through regular use and experimentation

Discussion

Product Hunt–style comments (not star reviews)
  • No comments yet — start the thread.
general reviews

Ratings

4.6★★★★★33 reviews
  • ★★★★★Kiara Shah· Dec 28, 2024

    gws-gmail-watch is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.

  • ★★★★★Pratham Ware· Dec 12, 2024

    gws-gmail-watch fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.

  • ★★★★★Noor Reddy· Dec 4, 2024

    gws-gmail-watch fits our agent workflows well — practical, well scoped, and easy to wire into existing repos.

  • ★★★★★Xiao Wang· Nov 19, 2024

    gws-gmail-watch reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.

  • ★★★★★Daniel Agarwal· Nov 7, 2024

    Keeps context tight: gws-gmail-watch is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.

  • ★★★★★Kiara Sethi· Oct 26, 2024

    gws-gmail-watch is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.

  • ★★★★★Dev Abebe· Oct 10, 2024

    Registry listing for gws-gmail-watch matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.

  • ★★★★★Yash Thakker· Sep 17, 2024

    I recommend gws-gmail-watch for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • ★★★★★Aarav Yang· Sep 9, 2024

    I recommend gws-gmail-watch for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.

  • ★★★★★Aarav Abebe· Aug 28, 2024

    Useful defaults in gws-gmail-watch — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.

showing 1-10 of 33

1 / 4