| name | find-software-developer |
| description | Use whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US software development firms — custom software, web development, mobile app development, backend/API development, DevOps/cloud, system integration, and hosting. Triggers on "find a software dev shop in Austin", "shortlist three custom-software firms with healthcare experience", "we need a mobile app developer for our iOS launch", or "pull contact info for these 10 dev shop domains", even when described indirectly (build a tool, ship a feature, technical partner). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Defer to find-web-developer for strictly website/landing-page projects. Defer AI/ML, ML pipelines, model building, and data-engineering asks — those are a sibling industry, not software development. Skip in-house engineer hires, code-writing/debugging tasks, cloud-product comparisons, hardware/civil engineering, non-US firms, individual freelancers. |
| version | 0.4.0 |
| metadata | {"api_base":"https://api.servicegraph.co","dataset_id":"pro_services","industry":"it_services"} |
find-software-developer
Drive the ServiceGraph API (https://api.servicegraph.co) to find,
shortlist, and enrich US software development firms via the
pro_services dataset. The catalog has tens of thousands of US
IT-services firms tagged across ~21 service sub-tags including
web-development, mobile-app-development, api-integration
(singular), devops-services, cloud-services, system-integration,
application-modernization, staff-augmentation, and
managed-services.
The catalog has no custom-software, devops, api-integrations
(plural), or hosting tag — for those user-facing concepts, pin
application-modernization + web-development (for custom software),
devops-services, or api-integration (singular) as the closest tags
and add the keyword.
Always pin industry:it_services. This skill exists to do that
automatically — the user shouldn't have to think about catalog
taxonomy.
Any HTTP client works (curl, fetch, requests). Examples below use curl.
Sibling skills — defer when scope is narrow
- Strictly website / landing-page work (build or refresh a marketing site, simple WordPress) →
find-web-developer. If unsure, this skill is the safer default — it covers web dev too.
- AI/ML modeling specifically (recommendation engines, LLM apps, ML pipelines as the core deliverable) →
find-ai-consultancy. Those firms live in a sibling industry (data_ai_consulting), not it_services.
- Strictly marketing work (SEO, paid media, branding, content) →
find-marketing-agency or find-seo-agency.
MCP server (preferred for authed calls)
If your harness has the ServiceGraph MCP server loaded (tools
containing servicegraph), prefer those — OAuth 2.1 + PKCE keeps the
token in the harness sandbox. Otherwise use the REST flow below.
API surface (dataset id: pro_services)
Every endpoint requires the bearer (Authorization: Bearer vk_…).
No anonymous tier.
| Endpoint | Cost | Use it for |
|---|
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/fields[?include_values=1] | free | Confirm it_services industry value and sub-tag names. |
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/check?filter=… | free | Validate filter. |
POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/translate-intent | free | {intent} → DSL filter + sanity count. |
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=…&limit= | free | Brief firm cards + per-row unlock hint + total. |
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/:apex | free | One row brief; detail only if unlocked. |
POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/unlocks | 10 credits / firm | {apexes:[...]} ≤100; atomic; 30-day TTL on detail. |
GET /v1/me/credits | free | Balance. |
Cost model. Discovery / validation / search / brief reads are
free. Detail (url, phone, email, social, address, full platforms
map) costs 10 credits per firm and lasts 30 days.
Auth
vk_* API keys minted in the dashboard. Keep the token out of the
LLM context — never read .env* into your context; dispatch via
shell.
-
Try the call first through a shell wrapper that sources .env.local:
( set -a; [ -f .env.local ] && . ./.env.local; set +a;
curl -sS -H "Authorization: Bearer $SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY" \
'https://api.servicegraph.co/v1/datasets/pro_services/fields' )
-
On 401 prompt the user:
"Open https://servicegraph.co/profile/api-keys, create a
key, and add SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY=vk_… to .env.local here
(or export it). Tell me when done. Please don't paste the key
into chat."
-
Retry after the user signals ready.
Filter DSL
GitHub-search-style.
filter := orExpr
orExpr := andExpr ("OR" andExpr)*
andExpr := notExpr (("AND")? notExpr)* # whitespace = implicit AND
notExpr := ("NOT" | "-") notExpr | atom
atom := "(" filter ")" | predicate
predicate:= IDENT op valueOrList | bareword
op := ":" | "=" | ">=" | "<=" | ">" | "<"
valueOrList := value ("," value)*
value := IDENT | NUMBER | tagAtEvidence
tagAtEvidence := IDENT "@" ("low"|"medium"|"high")
bareword := IDENT | NUMBER # → keyword:<bareword>
Four rules that bite: AND binds tighter than OR (use parens);
comma list = OR within one predicate; negation is -x or NOT x;
bareword = keyword search (quote multi-word phrases).
IT-flavored examples (validate yours with /check):
industry:it_services custom software state:TX
industry:it_services service_provided:mobile-app-development
industry:it_services service_provided:devops-services aws
industry:it_services service_provided:api-integration fintech
industry:it_services python aws state:CA
industry:it_services service_provided:system-integration@high rating>=4 has:clutch
industry:it_services service_provided:application-modernization legacy
Tech stack / vertical → keyword mapping (the catalog tags services,
not languages or industries served):
| User mentions | Add as keyword |
|---|
| Python / Django / Flask | python |
| Node.js / TypeScript / React | node, react |
| Go / Rust / Java / .NET | go, rust, java, .net |
| AWS / GCP / Azure | aws, gcp, azure |
| Fintech / healthcare / govtech / SaaS | fintech, healthcare, govtech, saas |
| SOC 2 / HIPAA / compliance | soc2, hipaa, compliance |
Identifying firms — apex
Firms are identified by their apex domain (thoughtworks.com, not
www.thoughtworks.com/about).
Recipes
A. Custom-software shop in a state
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:it_services+service_provided:application-modernization+custom+software+state:TX&limit=10
# Present, get pick of 3. "Unlocking 3 = 30 credits, 30-day TTL."
POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/unlocks
{ "apexes": ["firm-a.com", "firm-b.com", "firm-c.com"] }
B. Mobile app — vertical and platform
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:it_services+service_provided:mobile-app-development+ios&limit=10
iOS / Android distinctions aren't separate tags — use barewords.
C. DevOps + cloud migration
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:it_services+service_provided:devops-services+aws+migration&limit=10
If thin, drop migration first — it's a vertical keyword, not a service tag.
D. Indirect intent — "technical partner to build out tooling"
User: "We need a technical partner to build out our internal tooling, Northeast preferred."
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:it_services+custom+software+state:NY,MA,CT,NJ,PA&limit=10
Or use the translator:
POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/translate-intent
{ "intent": "technical partner to build internal tooling, Northeast preferred" }
E. Vertical + cert (fintech + SOC 2)
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:it_services+custom+software+fintech+soc2&limit=10
F. Quality threshold + third-party signals
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:it_services+service_provided:application-modernization+custom+software+rating>=4+review_count_total>=50&limit=10
G. API/backend specialty + remote
User: "API/backend team to extend our SaaS — Bay Area or remote-friendly."
remote-friendly isn't structured. Use geography_served:national_US
(national-scope firms typically serve remotely) plus keywords:
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=industry:it_services+service_provided:api-integration+(state:CA OR geography_served:national_US)+saas&limit=10
H. BYO apex list — enrich domains
User pastes 8–20 domains:
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/:apex per domain — free brief
(404 = not in catalog, no charge).- User picks N to fully enrich.
POST /unlocks = 10×N credits,
atomic, detail returned.
- Re-runs within 30-day TTL are free.
Gotchas
- Always pin
industry:it_services. Without it, web-development / mobile-app-development keywords leak into marketing or design firms.
- Tag drift: there is no
custom-software, devops, api-integrations (plural), or hosting tag. Map to application-modernization + web-development, devops-services, api-integration (singular) plus keywords.
industry:data_ai_consulting is a sibling industry, not a sub-tag. AI/ML-focused firms live there — defer to find-ai-consultancy.- Defer to
find-web-developer for strictly website/landing-page projects. This skill covers web dev as a sub-service, but the dedicated skill ranks higher on narrow web-only asks.
- Programming language and tech stack are NOT structured tags.
python, react, aws, kubernetes, rust are keyword substring matches. Multi-word stacks split into ANDs unless quoted ("ruby on rails").
- Client-vertical (fintech, healthcare, govtech) is NOT a structured tag. Keyword it.
- Catalog is US-only B2B. Refuse offshore asks ("a software firm in Bangalore"), individual freelancers, in-house engineering hires, and DIY/code tasks ("debug this", "review this PR").
- Cloud product comparisons aren't procurement. "Which is better, AWS or GCP?" is a knowledge question.
- Briefs DO include
apex, name, location, ratings. They DON'T include url, phone_primary, email_primary, legal_name, address_full, full platforms — those require an unlock.
not_found / not_in_dataset 404 = not in pro_services. Skip; not charged.- Unlock is atomic. N apexes either all charge (up to 10×N credits) or none on 402.
- Within-TTL re-views are free (
was_cached:true).
Errors
JSON envelope: {"error": {"code": "...", "message": "..."}}.
| Status | Code | What to do |
|---|
| 400 | filter_parse_error | position included; fix and re-validate with /check. |
| 400 | kind_in_filter | Strip any kind: from filter. |
| 400 | field_not_in_dataset | Drop the disallowed field. |
| 400 | invalid_apex | Re-normalize. |
| 401 | unauthorized / invalid_audience | Re-prompt for fresh vk_…. |
| 402 | insufficient_credits | needed and balance; nothing charged. |
| 404 | not_found / not_in_dataset | Skip; not charged. |
| 429 | rate_limited | Honor Retry-After. |
End-to-end example
User: "Three custom software firms with healthcare-industry experience,
SOC 2-ready, ideally with at least a 4-star rating."
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/fields?include_values=1
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/check?filter=industry:it_services+service_provided:application-modernization+custom+software+healthcare+soc2+rating>=4
GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=...&limit=10
# Present briefs. "Unlocking 3 = 30 credits, 30-day TTL."
POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/unlocks
{ "apexes": ["firm-a.com", "firm-b.com", "firm-c.com"] }
GET /v1/me/credits
