# render-private-services

A skill that walks your agent through setting up a Render private service: an internal API, gRPC server or microservice with no public URL.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 346 installs · ★ 88
- Author: Render
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/render-oss/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/render-private-services/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-08
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/render-private-services

## What it does

The skill teaches the agent how Render private services work. These apps have no public address; only other services in the same region and workspace reach them over the private network. Inside are instructions for Blueprint config, port binding and wiring addresses with `fromService`.

The agent will sort out whether you need a private service or a background worker. A process that listens on a port and gets called by other services is a private service. One that only pulls work from a queue is a worker. The skill also covers connecting a gateway to internal services through `hostport`.

Private services run on paid Render plans. Your process has to bind to `0.0.0.0`, not `127.0.0.1`. A service with an attached disk stays single-instance, so autoscaling and zero-downtime deploys are off the table. Worth checking before you plan around scaling.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-private-services -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/render-private-services/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/render-private-services/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-private-services -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/render-private-services/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-private-services -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/render-private-services/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install render-oss/skills render-private-services
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/render-private-services/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-private-services -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/render-oss/skills --path skills/render-private-services
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/render-private-services/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add render-oss/skills --skill render-private-services -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/render-oss/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/render-private-services/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- stand up an internal API that the internet cannot reach
- wire a gateway to microservices over the private network
- run a gRPC server only your own services call
- decide between a private service and a background worker
- declare a private service in `render.yaml` with `fromService`

## Example prompts
- Set up a Render private service for my internal Node API so only the gateway can reach it
- Help me declare a private gRPC server in `render.yaml` and pass its address into an env var
- My process listens on a port and other services call it — private service or background worker?

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 1f398f8bc66dd81b.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 1f398f8bc66dd81b
```text
---
name: render-private-services
description: >-
  Configures Render private services—internal-only apps that accept traffic
  exclusively from other Render services over the private network. Use when
  the user needs an internal API, microservice, gRPC server, sidecar, or any
  service that should not be publicly accessible. Also use when choosing
  between a private service and a background worker.
  Trigger terms: private service, pserv, internal service, internal API,
  microservice, gRPC, not public, private network service.
license: MIT
compatibility: Render private services (paid plans)
metadata:
  author: Render
  version: "1.0.0"
  category: compute
---

# Render Private Services

Private services are identical to web services except they have **no public URL**. They are reachable only by other Render services on the same **private network** (same region + workspace). Use them for internal APIs, microservices, gRPC servers, sidecar processes, and anything that should never face the internet.

## When to Use

- Building an **internal API** or **microservice** behind a public gateway
- Running a **gRPC**, **TCP**, or other non-HTTP server that only your services call
- Deploying infrastructure components (**Elasticsearch**, **ClickHouse**, **RabbitMQ**)
- Choosing between a **private service** and a **background worker**

For public-facing HTTP services, use **render-web-services**. For services that don't receive any traffic, use **render-background-workers**.

Before configuring or troubleshooting private connectivity, read `references/private-networking.md`.
Before attaching or changing a persistent disk, read `references/persistent-disks.md`.
When choosing between a private service, web service, and worker, read `references/service-types.md`.

## Private Service vs Background Worker

| Criterion | Private Service | Background Worker |
|-----------|----------------|-------------------|
| Binds to a port | **Yes** (required) | No |
| Receives private network traffic | **Yes** | No |
| Sends outbound traffic | Yes | Yes |
| Has internal hostname | **Yes** | No |
| Use case | Internal APIs, gRPC, TCP servers | Queue consumers, async processors |

**Rule of thumb:** If the process **listens on a port** and other services call it, it's a private service. If it **pulls work from a queue** and never receives requests, it's a background worker.

## How Private Services Work

- No `onrender.com` subdomain—not reachable from the internet
- Reachable at `<service-name>:<port>` on the private network by services in the same region and workspace
- Can listen on **any port** (except restricted system ports)—not limited to HTTP or port 10000
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 1f398f8bc66dd81b

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First 2691 of 7500 bytes. © Render · MIT · https://github.com/render-oss/skills/tree/HEAD/skills/render-private-services/SKILL.md

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---
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