Developing Kafka Python Client

---
name: developing-kafka-python-client
description: "Use when the user wants to build a Python Kafka producer or consumer, add Schema Registry to existing Python code, migrate from raw JSON to schema-backed serialization, or scaffold a confluent-kafka-python project for Confluent Cloud, local Docker, or WarpStream. Also use when user wants to optimize Python Kafka client configuration for WarpStream."
metadata:
  version: "1.0.0"
---

<HARD-GATE>
Do NOT generate any code, scaffold any project, or modify any file until you have
explicitly asked and received answers for questions #1 (existing app or greenfield),
#2 (target environment), and #3 (producer, consumer, or both). If the user's prompt
partially answers some questions, still confirm your understanding before generating.
This applies to EVERY prompt regardless of how specific it appears.
</HARD-GATE>

Begin by announcing: "Using the Confluent Kafka Python Client skill to guide this project."

# Confluent Kafka Python Client Creation

Generate a production-ready Python project for producing to and/or consuming from Kafka using `confluent-kafka-python`. Supports three target environments: **Confluent Cloud** (managed), **Local Docker** (open-source Kafka), and **WarpStream** (Kafka-compatible, object-storage-backed), and two producer styles: **AsyncIO** (non-blocking) and **Synchronous** (blocking). The generated code follows Confluent's best practices.

## Step 1: Gather Requirements

Before generating any code, work through the questions below. **Skip any question the user has already answered explicitly in their prompt** — do not re-ask just for form's sake. For example, "build a producer and consumer on Confluent Cloud with an async producer" already answers #2, #3, and #4; only #1, #5, #6, #7, and #8 remain.