Lab Intro: Getting Started with Cloud Shell and gcloud

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through getting started with Cloud Shell and the gcloud command-line tool. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refresh your skills, this step-by-step guide will help you set up your environment and understand the basics of using gcloud.

Step 1: Accessing Cloud Shell

To begin using gcloud, you first need to access Cloud Shell.

• Open your web browser and navigate to the Google Cloud Console at https://console.cloud.google.com/.
• Sign in with your Google account.
• Look for the Cloud Shell icon in the upper right corner (it looks like a terminal window) and click on it.
• Wait for Cloud Shell to initialize. This might take a few moments.

Step 2: Understanding Cloud Shell Environment

Once Cloud Shell is open, familiarize yourself with the environment.

• Cloud Shell provides you with a command-line interface directly in your browser.
• It comes pre-installed with the gcloud SDK, so you don’t need to install anything.
• You have access to a temporary virtual machine with 5 GB of persistent storage.

Step 3: Configuring gcloud

Before using gcloud, you may need to configure it for your project.

• Run the following command to set your active project:

  gcloud config set project PROJECT_ID
  

  Replace PROJECT_ID with your actual Google Cloud project ID.

• To verify your configuration, use:

  gcloud config list
  

Step 4: Exploring gcloud Commands

Get comfortable with basic gcloud commands.

• To see a list of available commands, type:

  gcloud help
  

• For detailed help on a specific command, use:

  gcloud COMMAND --help
  

  Replace COMMAND with the specific command you want to learn more about.

Step 5: Practice Common gcloud Commands

Try out some common gcloud commands to familiarize yourself with their functionality.

• To list all available Google Cloud resources:

  gcloud compute instances list
  

• To create a new instance, use:

  gcloud compute instances create INSTANCE_NAME --zone=ZONE
  

  Replace INSTANCE_NAME with your desired name and ZONE with the appropriate zone.

Conclusion

You have now accessed Cloud Shell, configured gcloud, and practiced some common commands. As next steps, consider exploring more complex commands and functionalities, such as managing storage, networking, or deploying applications. Continue practicing to build your confidence with gcloud and Cloud Shell.