Cloud Shell

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide to using Cloud Shell, a browser-based command-line interface that allows you to manage your Google Cloud resources directly from your web browser. Cloud Shell is a powerful tool for developers and system administrators, streamlining the process of managing cloud services.

Step 1: Accessing Cloud Shell

• Open your web browser and navigate to the Google Cloud Console at console.cloud.google.com.
• Sign in with your Google account if prompted.
• Once signed in, locate the Cloud Shell icon, which looks like a terminal window, in the top right corner of the console.
• Click on the icon to launch Cloud Shell. The shell will open at the bottom of your console.

Step 2: Understanding the Cloud Shell Environment

• Cloud Shell provides a temporary virtual machine with pre-installed tools for managing Google Cloud resources.
• The environment comes with:
  • Access to the gcloud command-line tool for managing Google Cloud resources.
  • A built-in code editor for editing files directly in the shell.
  • 5 GB of persistent storage available for your projects.

Step 3: Running Commands in Cloud Shell

• Use the command line to interact with your Google Cloud resources. For example:
  • To list your active projects, run:

    gcloud projects list
    

• Familiarize yourself with basic command syntax and options. You can type gcloud help to see a list of available commands.

Step 4: Editing Files with the Code Editor

• To edit files, click on the pencil icon in Cloud Shell to open the built-in code editor.
• You can create new files, edit existing ones, and save changes directly from this interface.
• Use the terminal commands to navigate and manipulate files as needed.

Step 5: Customizing Your Cloud Shell Session

• Customize your Cloud Shell environment by setting preferences such as:
  • Changing the default project with:

    gcloud config set project [PROJECT_ID]
    

  • Modifying your shell prompt for better clarity.

Step 6: Storing and Retrieving Files

• Cloud Shell allows you to store files persistently. Use the ~/ directory to save files that should remain available across sessions.
• To upload files from your local machine, click on the three vertical dots in the Cloud Shell window and select "Upload file."
• To download files, use the same menu option and select "Download file."

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to access and utilize Cloud Shell for managing your Google Cloud resources efficiently. With its built-in tools and customizable environment, Cloud Shell simplifies cloud management significantly. As next steps, consider exploring more advanced features of Cloud Shell, such as integrating it with other Google Cloud services, or learning about specific gcloud commands related to your projects.