find-ai-directories#

Drive the ServiceGraph API ( https://api.servicegraph.co) to find and rank directories where a founder can submit an AI product — AI tools, AI apps, AI agents, and agent skills / plugins — via the product_directory dataset. The catalog has 1,000+ directories, each enriched with Domain Rating ( dr), backlink counts, and organic traffic. The AI slice is large and fast-moving: ~370 dirs match "AI tools", ~28 match "AI agents", and a growing set are dedicated agent-skill / plugin registries (e.g. clawhub.ai, smithery.ai).

This is a "where to launch / where to get backlinks" skill, not a "who to hire" skill. Each row is a directory you submit to, not a firm and not a product. The payoff is a backlink from a high-authority domain (SEO) plus discovery traffic from people browsing for AI tools.

Any HTTP client works (curl, fetch, requests). Examples below use curl.

Sibling skills — defer when the niche is narrower or broader#

• MCP servers specifically ("where do I list my MCP server", "MCP directories") → find-mcp-directories. (MCP registries that also list agent skills/tools overlap both — if the ask is broadly "AI agent tooling," this skill is fine.)
• General SaaS / software / app launch with no AI angle ("Product Hunt alternatives for our SaaS") → find-product-directories.

This skill owns the AI-tool / AI-agent / agent-skill niche.

MCP server (preferred for authed calls)#

If your harness has the ServiceGraph MCP server loaded (tool names contain servicegraph), prefer those tools — credentials stay in the harness sandbox via OAuth 2.1 + PKCE, no token in LLM context. Otherwise use the REST flow.

API surface (dataset id: product_directory)#

Every endpoint requires the bearer ( Authorization: Bearer vk_…).

EndpointCostUse it forGET /v1/datasets/product_directory/fields[?include_values=1&q=]freeFilter-field catalog + DSL grammar. Call first per session.GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/values/:field[?q=&limit=]freeEnumerate values for one field.GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/check?filter=…freeValidate a filter.POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/translate-intentfree{intent} → DSL filter + sanity count.GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=…&limit=&offset=freeBrief cards (incl. dr) + per-row unlock hint + total.GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/:apexfreeSingle row brief; gated fields only if unlocked.POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/unlocks10 credits / row{apexes:[...]} ≤100. Atomic; 30-day TTL; was_cached:true free.GET /v1/me/creditsfreeBalance.

Cost model. Discovery / search / brief reads are free — including the dr ranking signal. Unlocking a row costs 10 credits, lasts 30 days, and reveals the gated fields: editor_note (how to submit + whether the listing gives a backlink), organic_traffic, and total_visits.

Auth#

Tokens are vk_* API keys. Keep the token out of the LLM context — never read .env* into context; route authed calls through a shell wrapper.

1. Try the call through a wrapper that sources .env.local: bash

   ( set -a; [ -f .env.local ] && . ./.env.local; set +a;
     curl -sS -H "Authorization: Bearer $SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY" \
          'https://api.servicegraph.co/v1/datasets/product_directory/fields' )
   
   

2. On 401, prompt the user (don't accept the key in chat):

   "Open https://servicegraph.co/profile/api-keys, sign in, create a key, and add SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY=vk_… to .env.local (or export it). Tell me when done — please don't paste the key into chat."

3. Retry after the user signals ready.

Filter DSL#

GitHub-search-style. AND binds tighter than OR; comma list = OR within one predicate; negation is -x / NOT x; any bareword is a keyword search across the directory's name, title, description, listed metadata, and the niche tag (so "ai agents" matches dirs whose niche is "AI agent tools"). Multiple barewords AND; wrap multi-word phrases in double quotes.

text

"ai tools" dr>=50
("ai agents" OR "ai agent") dr>=40
skills agent          # → keyword:skills AND keyword:agent  (agent-skill registries)
industry:software_saas ai

Fields that matter here#

FieldFree in brief?Use it fordryesDomain Rating 0–100 — the primary authority filter. Briefs come sorted by dr descending, so rank for free.referring_main_domains, backlinks, organic_keywordsyes (when populated)Backlink-source strength signals.organic_traffic, total_visitsgatedReal reach. Filterable while hidden ( organic_traffic>=10000); value shows after unlock.editor_notegatedSubmission instructions + backlink yes/no.industryyesCoarse vertical refiner ( software_saas, etc.); keyword on niche is usually sharper for AI sub-niches.hasyesPresence flags ( has:pricing, has:g2, …).

Because dr is free and briefs are pre-sorted by it, rank a shortlist by authority for zero credits — unlock only to reveal submission notes + traffic.

Identifying rows — apex#

Keyed by apex domain ( aiagentsdirectory.com, not a full URL). Strip user-supplied URLs to the apex before :apex or unlock calls.

Recipes#

A. AI-tool directories (the broad case)#

User: "Where can I list our new AI tool to get backlinks and traffic?"

text

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter="ai tools"+dr>=50&limit=20
# → aichief.com, aiagentstore.ai, … sorted by dr desc. Present top N (free).

Broaden with the bare ai keyword if the pool is thin; tighten with dr>=60.

B. AI-agent directories#

User: "Directories specifically for AI agents, not just AI tools."

text

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=("ai agents" OR "ai agent")&limit=20
# → aiagentsdirectory.com, agenthunter.io, aiagentstore.ai, smithery.ai, …

C. Agent-skill / plugin registries#

User: "Where do I publish our Claude/agent skill so people find it?"

These are emerging registries for agent skills and plugins (distinct from generic AI-tool lists). Lead with the skills/ agent keywords:

text

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=skills+agent&limit=15
# → skills.sh, smithery.ai, aiagentsdirectory.com, agentskills.so, … sorted by dr desc

Present the top hits by dr (free), then unlock the user's picks to get each one's submission note + traffic numbers before publishing.

Many agent-skill registries overlap with MCP registries (Smithery lists both). If the user's artifact is specifically an MCP server, route to find-mcp-directories for the tuned recipes.

D. High-reach only (gate on traffic)#

User: "Only directories that actually drive traffic."

text

GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter="ai tools"+organic_traffic>=20000&limit=15
# organic_traffic is gated but filterable — unlock picks to see the numbers.

E. Intent translator#

text

POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/translate-intent
  { "intent": "directories to list an AI agent for backlinks and discovery" }
# → {filter, normalized, count}. Sanity-check count, then search.

F. Unlock submission instructions#

text

# Present briefs ranked by dr (free). "Unlocking 6 = 60 credits, 30-day TTL —
# reveals each one's submission note (how + backlink yes/no) and traffic."
POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/unlocks
  { "apexes": ["clawhub.ai", "aiagentsdirectory.com", "aichief.com", "..."] }

Surface each editor_note verbatim — it tells the user the submission effort and whether they actually get a backlink.

G. BYO apex list — score AI directories I already have#

1. GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/:apex per domain — free brief with dr (404 = not in catalog, no charge). Flag misses, rank hits by dr.
2. User picks N. POST /unlocks (10×N credits, atomic) reveals notes + traffic.
3. Within 30-day TTL, repeat unlocks are free.

Gotchas#

• Rows are directories, not firms or products. Hiring an AI consultancy → find-ai-consultancy. Comparing AI products ("ChatGPT vs Claude") is not what this dataset answers.
• dr is free and briefs are pre-sorted by it — rank for zero credits.
• Gated fields are still filterable ( organic_traffic>=10000).
• Catalog is global, not US-only. Don't refuse non-US asks.
• AI ↔ MCP ↔ agent-skill registries overlap. When the artifact is specifically an MCP server, defer to find-mcp-directories.
• Multi-word phrases must be quoted. ai agents = two AND'd keywords; "ai agents" is one phrase.
• Unlock is atomic (402 charges nothing) and within-TTL re-views are free.

Errors#

JSON envelope: {"error": {"code": "...", "message": "..."}}.

StatusCodeWhat to do400filter_parse_error``position included; fix and re-validate with /check.400field_not_in_datasetDrop the field.400invalid_apexRe-normalize to apex.401unauthorizedRe-prompt for a fresh vk_….402insufficient_credits``needed/ balance in payload; nothing charged.404not_found / not_in_datasetApex not in dataset. Skip; not charged.429rate_limitedHonor Retry-After.

End-to-end example#

User: "We just shipped an AI agent and an accompanying agent skill. Find the highest-authority directories to submit both to, and tell me how to submit to the top few."

text

# 1. Discover (once per session)
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/fields?include_values=1

# 2. Two scoped searches (free), both pre-sorted by dr desc
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=("ai agents" OR "ai agent")+dr>=40&limit=15
GET /v1/datasets/product_directory/search?filter=skills+agent&limit=15   # agent-skill registries

# 3. Present merged shortlist ranked by dr. User picks 5.
#    "Unlocking 5 = 50 credits, 30-day TTL — reveals submission notes + traffic."

# 4. Atomic unlock (charges 50 credits)
POST /v1/datasets/product_directory/unlocks
  { "apexes": ["smithery.ai", "skills.sh", "aiagentsdirectory.com", "agenthunter.io", "aichief.com"] }

# 5. Surface each editor_note verbatim + traffic so the user can prioritize.