DA

databricks-app-apx

Framework for developing full-stack apps within Databricks.

Install

mkdir -p .claude/skills/databricks-app-apx && curl -L -o skill.zip "https://agentskills.codes/api/skills/download/16292" && unzip -o skill.zip -d .claude/skills/databricks-app-apx && rm skill.zip

Installs to .claude/skills/databricks-app-apx

Activation

This is the description your AI agent reads to decide when to run this skill — the better it matches your request, the more reliably it fires.

<!-- AUTO-GENERATED by export-skills.py — DO NOT EDIT --> --- name: databricks-app-apx description: Build full-stack Databricks applications using APX framework (FastAPI + React). tags: [cloud, databricks] ---
209 chars · catalog descriptionno explicit “when” trigger
Advanced

Key capabilities

  • Initialize Databricks applications using APX
  • Design Pydantic models for backend data handling
  • Create API routes with `response_model` and `operation_id`
  • Add UI components using `shadcn`
  • Create list and detail pages for the frontend
  • Deploy APX applications to Databricks using DABs

How it works

This skill outlines a multi-phase workflow for building full-stack Databricks applications using the APX framework, covering initialization, backend and frontend development, testing, and deployment.

Inputs & outputs

You give it
Request to build a Databricks application, Pydantic models, API routes, UI components, pages
You get back
A full-stack Databricks application built with APX (FastAPI + React)

When to use databricks-app-apx

  • Initialize databricks app
  • Build full-stack databricks tools
  • Setup apis in databricks

About this skill

<!-- AUTO-GENERATED by export-skills.py — DO NOT EDIT -->

name: databricks-app-apx description: Build full-stack Databricks applications using APX framework (FastAPI + React). tags: [cloud, databricks]

Databricks APX Application

Build full-stack Databricks applications using APX framework (FastAPI + React).

Trigger Conditions

Invoke when user requests:

  • "Databricks app" or "Databricks application"
  • Full-stack app for Databricks without specifying framework
  • Mentions APX framework

Do NOT invoke if user specifies: Streamlit, Dash, Node.js, Shiny, Gradio, Flask, or other frameworks.

Prerequisites Check

Option A) Repository configured for use with APX. 1.. Verify APX MCP available: mcp-cli tools | grep apx 2. Verify shadcn MCP available: mcp-cli tools | grep shadcn 3. Confirm APX project (check pyproject.toml)

Option B) Install APX

  1. Verify uv available or prompt for install. On Mac, suggest: brew install uv.
  2. Verify bun available or prompt for install. On Mac, suggest:
brew tap oven-sh/bun
brew install bun
  1. Verify git available or prompt for install.
  2. Run APX setup commands:
uvx --from git+https://github.com/databricks-solutions/apx.git apx init

Workflow Overview

Total time: 55-70 minutes

  1. Initialize (5 min) - Start servers, create todos
  2. Backend (15-20 min) - Models + routes with mock data
  3. Frontend (20-25 min) - Components + pages
  4. Test (5-10 min) - Type check + manual verification
  5. Document (10 min) - README + code structure guide

Phase 1: Initialize

# Start APX development server
mcp-cli call apx/start '{}'
mcp-cli call apx/status '{}'

Create TodoWrite with tasks:

  • Start servers ✓
  • Design models
  • Create API routes
  • Add UI components
  • Create pages
  • Test & document

Phase 2: Backend Development

Create Pydantic Models

In src/{app_name}/backend/models.py:

Follow 3-model pattern:

  • EntityIn - Input validation
  • EntityOut - Complete output with computed fields
  • EntityListOut - Performance-optimized summary

See backend-patterns.md for complete code templates.

Create API Routes

In src/{app_name}/backend/router.py:

Critical requirements:

  • Always include response_model (enables OpenAPI generation)
  • Always include operation_id (becomes frontend hook name)
  • Use naming pattern: listX, getX, createX, updateX, deleteX
  • Initialize 3-4 mock data samples for testing

See backend-patterns.md for complete CRUD templates.

Type Check

mcp-cli call apx/dev_check '{}'

Fix any Python type errors reported by basedpyright.

Phase 3: Frontend Development

Wait 5-10 seconds after backend changes for OpenAPI client regeneration.

Add UI Components

# Get shadcn add command
mcp-cli call shadcn/get_add_command_for_items '{
  "items": ["@shadcn/button", "@shadcn/card", "@shadcn/table",
            "@shadcn/badge", "@shadcn/select", "@shadcn/skeleton"]
}'

Run the command from project root with --yes flag.

Create Pages

List page: src/{app_name}/ui/routes/_sidebar/{entity}.tsx

  • Table view with all entities
  • Suspense boundaries with skeleton fallback
  • Formatted data (currency, dates, status colors)

Detail page: src/{app_name}/ui/routes/_sidebar/{entity}.$id.tsx

  • Complete entity view with cards
  • Update/delete mutations
  • Back navigation

See frontend-patterns.md for complete page templates.

Update Navigation

In src/{app_name}/ui/routes/_sidebar/route.tsx, add new item to navItems array.

Phase 4: Testing

# Type check both backend and frontend
mcp-cli call apx/dev_check '{}'

# Test API endpoints
curl http://localhost:8000/api/{entities} | jq .
curl http://localhost:8000/api/{entities}/{id} | jq .

# Get frontend URL
mcp-cli call apx/get_frontend_url '{}'

Manually verify in browser:

  • List page displays data
  • Detail page shows complete info
  • Mutations work (update, delete)
  • Loading states work (skeletons)
  • Browser console errors are automatically captured in APX dev logs

Phase 5: Deployment & Monitoring

Deploy to Databricks

Use DABs to deploy your APX application to Databricks. See the asset-bundles skill for complete deployment guidance.

Monitor Application Logs

Automated log checking with APX MCP:

The APX MCP server can automatically check deployed application logs. Simply ask: "Please check the deployed app logs for <app-name>"

The APX MCP will retrieve logs and identify issues automatically, including:

  • Deployment status and errors
  • Runtime exceptions and stack traces
  • Both [SYSTEM] (deployment) and [APP] (application) logs
  • Browser console errors (now included in APX dev logs)

Manual log checking (reference):

For direct CLI access:

databricks apps logs <app-name> --profile <profile-name>

Key patterns to look for:

  • Deployment successful - App deployed correctly
  • App started successfully - Application is running
  • Error: - Check stack traces for issues

Phase 6: Documentation

Create two markdown files:

README.md:

  • Features overview
  • Technology stack
  • How app was created (AI tools + MCP servers used)
  • Application architecture
  • Getting started instructions
  • API documentation
  • Development workflow

CODE_STRUCTURE.md:

  • Directory structure explanation
  • Backend structure (models, routes, patterns)
  • Frontend structure (routes, components, hooks)
  • Auto-generated files warnings
  • Guide for adding new features
  • Best practices
  • Common patterns
  • Troubleshooting guide

Key Patterns

Backend

  • 3-model pattern: Separate In, Out, and ListOut models
  • operation_id naming: listEntitiesuseListEntities()
  • Type hints everywhere: Enable validation and IDE support

Frontend

  • Suspense hooks: useXSuspense(selector())
  • Suspense boundaries: Always provide skeleton fallback
  • Formatters: Currency, dates, status colors
  • Never edit: lib/api.ts or types/routeTree.gen.ts

Success Criteria

  • Type checking passes (apx dev check succeeds)
  • API endpoints return correct data (curl verification)
  • Frontend displays and mutates data correctly
  • Loading states work (skeletons display)
  • Documentation complete

Common Issues

Deployed app not working: Ask to check deployed app logs (APX MCP will automatically retrieve and analyze them) or manually use databricks apps logs <app-name> Python type errors: Use explicit casting for dict access, check Optional fields TypeScript errors: Wait for OpenAPI regen, verify hook names match operation_ids OpenAPI not updating: Check watcher status with apx dev status, restart if needed Components not added: Run shadcn from project root with --yes flag

Reference Materials

Read these files only when actively writing that type of code or debugging issues.

<!-- Source: .faos/custom/skills/cloud/databricks/databricks-app-apx/SKILL.md -->

When not to use it

  • If the user specifies Streamlit, Dash, Node.js, Shiny, Gradio, or Flask
  • If the user specifies other frameworks than APX
  • If the user does not request a Databricks application

Prerequisites

uv availablebun availablegit available

Limitations

  • Requires specific tools like `uv`, `bun`, and `git` to be installed
  • Backend changes require waiting for OpenAPI client regeneration
  • Manual verification in the browser is needed for frontend testing

How it compares

This skill provides a structured, APX-specific workflow for Databricks application development, integrating FastAPI for the backend and React for the frontend, which differs from general Databricks development or other frameworks.

Compared to similar skills

databricks-app-apx side by side with the closest alternatives in the catalog.

SkillInstallsUpdatedSafetyDifficulty
databricks-app-apx (this skill)05moReviewAdvanced
debugging-streamlit75moReviewIntermediate
fullstack-guardian13moNo flagsAdvanced
javascript-typescript-typescript-scaffold34moReviewBeginner

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