G Suite Developers Blog: Google Spreadsheets API

Introducing the Google Sheets API v4: Transferring data from a SQL database to a Sheet

June 15, 2016

Posted by Wesley Chun (@wescpy), Developer Advocate, Google Apps

At Google I/O 2016, we launched a new Google Sheets API—click here to watch the entire announcement. The updated API includes many new features that weren’t available in previous versions, including access to functionality found in the Sheets desktop and mobile user interfaces. My latest DevByte video shows developers how to get data into and out of a Google Sheet programmatically, walking through a simple script that reads rows out of a relational database and transferring the data to a brand new Google Sheet.Let’s take a sneak peek of the code covered in the video. Assuming that SHEETS has been established as the API service endpoint, SHEET_ID is the ID of the Sheet to write to, and data is an array with all the database rows, this is the only call developers need to make to write that raw data into the Sheet:SHEETS.spreadsheets().values().update(spreadsheetId=SHEET_ID, range='A1', body=data, valueInputOption='RAW').execute()SHEETSSHEET_IDrows = SHEETS.spreadsheets().values().get(spreadsheetId=SHEET_ID, range='Sheet1').execute().get('values', []) for row in rows: print(row) If you’re ready to get started, take a look at the Python or other quickstarts in a variety of languages before checking out the DevByte. If you want a deeper dive into the code covered in the video, check out the post at my Python blog. Once you get going with the API, one of the challenges developers face is in constructing the JSON payload to send in API calls—the common operations samples can really help you with this. Finally, if you’re ready to get going with a meatier example, check out our JavaScript codelab where you’ll write a sample Node.js app that manages customer orders for a toy company, the database of which is used in this DevByte, preparing you for the codelab. We hope all these resources help developers create amazing applications and awesome tools with the new Google Sheets API! Please subscribe to our channel, give us your feedback below, and tell us what topics you would like to see in future episodes!

Build add-ons for Google Docs and Sheets

March 11, 2014

We've just announced Google Docs and Sheets add-ons — new tools created by developers like you that give Google users even more features in their documents and spreadsheets. Joining the launch are more than 60 add-ons that partners have built using Apps Script. Now, we're opening up the platform in a developer-preview phase. If you have a cool idea for Docs and Sheets users, we'd love to publish your code in the add-on store and get it in front of millions of users.To browse through add-ons for Docs and Sheets, select Get add-ons in the Add-ons menu of any document or spreadsheet. (Add-ons for spreadsheets are only available in the new Google Sheets).Under the hoodDocs and Sheets add-ons are powered by Google Apps Script, a server-side JavaScript platform that requires zero setup. Even though add-ons are in developer preview right now, the tools and APIs are available to everyone. The only restriction is on final publication to the store.Once you have a great working prototype in Docs or Sheets, please apply to publish. Scripts that are distributed as add-ons gain a host of benefits:

Better discovery: Apps Script has long been popular among programmers and other power users, but difficult for non-technical users to find and install. Add-ons let you distribute your code through a polished storefront—as well as direct links and even Google search results.

Sharing: When two people collaborate on a document and one of them uses an add-on, it appears in the Add-ons menu for both to see. Similarly, once you get an add-on from the store, it appears in the menu in every document you create or open, although your collaborators will only see it in documents where you use it. For more info on this sharing model, see the guide to the add-on authorization lifecycle.

Automatic updates: When you republish an add-on, the update pushes out automatically to all your users. There's no more hounding people to switch to the latest version.

Share functionality without sharing code: Unlike regular Apps Script projects, add-ons don't expose your source code for all to see. That's reassuring both to less-technical users and to the keepers of your codebase's secrets.

Enterprise features: If your company has its own Google Apps domain, you can publish add-ons restricted just to your employees. This private distribution channel is a great way for organizations that run on Google Apps to solve their own unique problems.

Beautiful, professional appearanceThanks to hard work from our developer partners, the add-ons in the store look and feel just like native features of Google Docs and Sheets. We're providing a couple of new resources to help all developers achieve the same visual quality: a CSS package that applies standard Google styling to typography, buttons, and other form elements, and a UI style guide that provides great guidance on designing a Googley user experience.A replacement for the script galleryAdd-ons are available in the new version of Google Sheets as a replacement for the older version's script gallery. If you have a popular script in the old gallery, now's a great time to upgrade it to newer technology.We can't wait to see the new uses you'll dream up for add-ons, and we're looking forward to your feedback on Google+ and questions on Stack Overflow. Better yet, if you're free at noon Eastern time this Friday, join us live on YouTube for a special add-on-centric episode of Apps Unscripted.

Dan Lazin profile | twitter

Dan is a technical writer on the Developer Relations team for Google Apps Script. Before joining Google, he worked as video-game designer and newspaper reporter. He has bicycled through 17 countries.

Requiring SSL for Documents List, Spreadsheets and Sites APIs

September 7, 2011

In March, we announced that we would start requiring clients to use SSL when making requests to the Google Documents List API, the Google Spreadsheets API, and the Google Sites API. This is part of our ongoing effort to increase the security of user data.The time has come, and we are starting to roll out this requirement. On average, about 86% of requests to these APIs are already using SSL, so we expect there to be minimal migration required. The implementation will continue throughout September. If an application receives an HTTP 400 Bad Request response to a request, then it may be because the request was not made using HTTPS.Clients that have not already started using SSL for all requests should do so immediately. This is as simple as upgrading to the latest version of the relevant API client library. Developers with questions should post in the API forums.

Ali Afshar profile | twitter

Ali is a Developer Programs engineer at Google, working on Google Docs and the Shopping APIs which help shopping-based applications upload and search shopping content. As an eternal open source advocate, he contributes to a number of open source applications, and is the author of the PIDA Python IDE. Once an intensive care physician, he has a special interest in all aspects of technology for healthcare.

Deprecating Tables and Records feeds of the Spreadsheets API

March 17, 2011

LabsTableRecordGoogle Spreadsheets APIListCellListSpreadsheets API forumPosted by Vic Fryzel, Google Spreadsheets API TeamWant to weigh in on this topic? Discuss on Buzz

Requiring SSL when using Google APIs

March 15, 2011

Google Documents List APISpreadsheets APISites APIthis post on the Google Code blog
Although we’re initially requiring SSL for only a few APIs, we strongly recommend that you convert all of your API clients as soon as possible to use SSL in order to help protect your users’ data.

Posted by Adam Feldman, Google Developer Team

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