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Description
Summary
As a regular Google user (e.g., @gmail.com), I want to use gws to access my own Google Drive, Gmail, etc. without needing to set up a Google Cloud Console project, configure OAuth consent screens, or create OAuth client credentials.
Problem
Currently, all authentication paths require the user to either:
- Run
gws auth setup(requiresgcloudCLI + a GCP project) - Manually create an OAuth client in the Google Cloud Console
- Already have a credentials file or access token from another tool
This gates the CLI's value behind Google Cloud Console knowledge and setup — a significant barrier for the average Google Workspace user who just wants to interact with their own files, emails, and calendars from the terminal.
Why this matters
gws is described as "One CLI for all of Google Workspace — built for humans and AI agents." The target audience includes regular users of Google services, not just developers with GCP experience. Requiring a Cloud Console setup to get started contradicts this positioning — it turns a ~1 minute "install and go" experience into a ~10 minute detour through unfamiliar infrastructure.
Possible approaches
- Ship a default OAuth client ID with the CLI (the way
gcloudand many other Google-integrated tools do), so users can just rungws auth loginimmediately after install - Provide a hosted OAuth flow that handles consent without requiring users to create their own client credentials
- Document a zero-GCP path if one can be constructed from existing capabilities
Environment
- Regular Google account (
@gmail.com) - No Google Cloud Console project
- Installed via
npm install -g @googleworkspace/cli