Prerequisites
Toolbox version
0.28.0
Environment
- OS: macOS (darwin/arm64)
- Looker: Original 26.2.16
Client
- Client: Google ADK Python
- Version: latest (
pip install google-adk)
Summary
The Looker dev tools currently provide dev_mode to toggle Development Mode on/off, plus a full set of file management tools (get_project_file, create_project_file, update_project_file, etc.) and validate_project. However, there are no tools for git branch management — all file operations happen on the user's personal dev branch (dev-<username>) with no way to create shared branches, switch between branches, list available branches, or deploy changes to production.
The Looker API has full support for these operations through the Project methods, but none of them are exposed in the Toolbox.
Current state
| Capability |
Available in Toolbox |
Available in Looker API |
| Toggle dev/production mode |
Yes (dev_mode) |
Yes (update_session) |
| File CRUD (create, read, update, delete) |
Yes |
Yes |
| Validate LookML |
Yes (validate_project) |
Yes |
| List git branches |
No |
Yes (all_git_branches) |
| Get current branch |
No |
Yes (git_branch) |
| Create a new branch |
No |
Yes (create_git_branch) |
| Switch/checkout branch |
No |
Yes (update_git_branch) |
| Delete a branch |
No |
Yes (delete_git_branch) |
| Deploy branch to production |
No |
Yes (deploy_ref_to_production) |
Without branch tools, the Toolbox covers file editing but not the full LookML development lifecycle. Users cannot work on shared branches, develop multiple features in parallel, or programmatically deploy validated changes.
Requested tools
| Tool |
Looker API endpoint |
Parameters |
Description |
list_git_branches |
GET /projects/{project_id}/git_branches |
project_id |
List all branches (personal and shared) with metadata |
get_git_branch |
GET /projects/{project_id}/git_branch |
project_id |
Get the currently checked-out branch |
create_git_branch |
POST /projects/{project_id}/git_branch |
project_id, name, ref (optional) |
Create and checkout a new branch. Requires dev mode. |
switch_git_branch |
PUT /projects/{project_id}/git_branch |
project_id, name |
Checkout an existing branch. Requires dev mode. |
delete_git_branch |
DELETE /projects/{project_id}/git_branch/{branch_name} |
project_id, branch_name |
Delete a branch (shared branches only — personal branches cannot be deleted) |
deploy_to_production |
POST /projects/{project_id}/deploy_ref_to_production |
project_id, branch (optional), ref (optional) |
Deploy a branch or ref to the production environment |
Use cases
- Shared branch collaboration: Multiple developers (or tools) working on the same feature branch — the standard Looker team workflow
- Parallel development: Creating separate branches for independent features (
feature/sales-views, feature/inventory-explores) and switching between them
- Branch inspection: Listing branches before starting work to check if a branch already exists for the intended task
- Programmatic deployment: After
validate_project succeeds, deploying validated LookML changes to production without switching to Looker IDE
- Full development lifecycle:
dev_mode → create_git_branch → file edits → validate_project → deploy_to_production — the complete cycle within the Toolbox
Looker API reference
Notes
- All write operations (
create_git_branch, switch_git_branch, deploy_to_production) require the session to be in dev mode — consistent with existing dev_mode → file edit workflow.
list_git_branches and get_git_branch work in both dev and production mode.- The
GitBranch response includes personal (boolean) and owner_name fields that distinguish personal branches from shared ones.
- Complementary to existing dev tools — no changes needed to
dev_mode or file management tools.
Prerequisites
Toolbox version
0.28.0
Environment
Client
pip install google-adk)Summary
The Looker dev tools currently provide
dev_modeto toggle Development Mode on/off, plus a full set of file management tools (get_project_file,create_project_file,update_project_file, etc.) andvalidate_project. However, there are no tools for git branch management — all file operations happen on the user's personal dev branch (dev-<username>) with no way to create shared branches, switch between branches, list available branches, or deploy changes to production.The Looker API has full support for these operations through the
Projectmethods, but none of them are exposed in the Toolbox.Current state
dev_mode)update_session)validate_project)all_git_branches)git_branch)create_git_branch)update_git_branch)delete_git_branch)deploy_ref_to_production)Without branch tools, the Toolbox covers file editing but not the full LookML development lifecycle. Users cannot work on shared branches, develop multiple features in parallel, or programmatically deploy validated changes.
Requested tools
list_git_branchesGET /projects/{project_id}/git_branchesproject_idget_git_branchGET /projects/{project_id}/git_branchproject_idcreate_git_branchPOST /projects/{project_id}/git_branchproject_id,name,ref(optional)switch_git_branchPUT /projects/{project_id}/git_branchproject_id,namedelete_git_branchDELETE /projects/{project_id}/git_branch/{branch_name}project_id,branch_namedeploy_to_productionPOST /projects/{project_id}/deploy_ref_to_productionproject_id,branch(optional),ref(optional)Use cases
feature/sales-views,feature/inventory-explores) and switching between themvalidate_projectsucceeds, deploying validated LookML changes to production without switching to Looker IDEdev_mode→create_git_branch→ file edits →validate_project→deploy_to_production— the complete cycle within the ToolboxLooker API reference
all_git_branchesgit_branchcreate_git_branchupdate_git_branchdelete_git_branchdeploy_ref_to_productionGitBranchtypeNotes
create_git_branch,switch_git_branch,deploy_to_production) require the session to be in dev mode — consistent with existingdev_mode→ file edit workflow.list_git_branchesandget_git_branchwork in both dev and production mode.GitBranchresponse includespersonal(boolean) andowner_namefields that distinguish personal branches from shared ones.dev_modeor file management tools.