google-workspace-cli

name

google-workspace-cli

description

Interact with all Google Workspace APIs via the gws CLI. Use when managing Drive files, sending/reading Gmail, creating Calendar events, reading/writing Sheets/Docs/Slides, managing Chat spaces, contacts, Admin users/groups, Vault eDiscovery, Classroom, Apps Script, Workspace Events, or configuring the gws MCP server. Triggers on Google Workspace, gws, Drive, Gmail, Calendar, Sheets, Docs, Slides, Chat, Tasks, Meet, Forms, Keep, Admin, People, Vault, Classroom, Apps Script, Cloud Identity, Alert Center, Groups Settings, Licensing, Reseller, Model Armor, gws CLI, gws mcp, Google API, Workspace automation, npx skills add.

Google Workspace CLI (gws)

One CLI for all of Google Workspace — Drive, Gmail, Calendar, Sheets, Docs, Slides, Chat, Tasks, Admin, Meet, Forms, Keep, and every other Workspace API. Built for humans and AI agents. Structured JSON output. 100+ agent skills included.

Note: This is not an officially supported Google product.

Important: This project is under active development. Expect breaking changes as we march toward v1.0.

Repository: https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli

How It Works

gws does NOT ship a static list of commands. It reads Google's own Discovery Service at runtime and builds its entire command surface dynamically. When Google adds a new API endpoint or method, gws picks it up automatically — zero updates needed.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ — for npm install (or download a pre-built binary from GitHub Releases)
• A Google Cloud project — required for OAuth credentials. You can create one via the Google Cloud Console, with the gcloud CLI, or with the gws auth setup command.
• A Google account with access to Google Workspace

Installation

# Install globally via npm (recommended — bundles native binaries, no Rust needed)
npm install -g @googleworkspace/cli

# Verify installation
gws --version

Alternative installation methods:

# From GitHub Releases (pre-built binaries)
# Download from: https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/releases

# Build from source (requires Rust toolchain)
cargo install --git https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli --locked

# Nix flake
nix run github:googleworkspace/cli

Quick Start

gws auth setup     # walks you through Google Cloud project config
gws auth login     # subsequent OAuth login
gws drive files list --params '{"pageSize": 5}'

Authentication

Which setup should I use?

I have…	Use
gcloud installed and authenticated	gws auth setup (fastest — one command)
A GCP project but no gcloud	Manual OAuth setup in Cloud Console
An existing OAuth access token	GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_TOKEN env var
Existing credentials JSON (service account or exported)	GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_CREDENTIALS_FILE env var

Quick Setup (recommended — requires gcloud CLI)

gws auth setup       # one-time: creates a Cloud project, enables APIs, logs you in
gws auth login       # subsequent logins with scope selection

Credentials are encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM) with the key stored in your OS keyring.

Scoped Login (for unverified/testing OAuth apps, limited to ~25 scopes)

Warning: Unverified (testing-mode) apps are limited to ~25 OAuth scopes. The recommended scope preset includes 85+ scopes and will fail for unverified apps (especially for @gmail.com accounts). Choose individual services instead:

# Select only the services you need to stay under the scope limit
gws auth login -s drive,gmail,sheets
gws auth login --scopes drive,gmail,calendar,docs,chat

Multiple Accounts

gws auth login --account [e-mail]
gws auth login --account [e-mail]

gws auth list                                    # list registered accounts
gws auth default [e-mail]                   # set the default

gws --account [e-mail] drive files list  # one-off override
export GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_ACCOUNT=[e-mail]  # env var override

Credentials are stored per-account as credentials.<b64-email>.enc in ~/.config/gws/, with an accounts.json registry tracking defaults.

Manual OAuth Setup (no gcloud)

Use this when gws auth setup cannot automate project/client creation, or when you want explicit control.

1. Open Google Cloud Console in the target project:
   • OAuth consent screen: https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials/consent?project=<PROJECT_ID>
   • Credentials: https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials?project=<PROJECT_ID>
2. Configure OAuth branding/audience if prompted — App type: External (testing mode is fine)
3. Add your account under Test users
4. Create an OAuth client — Type: Desktop app
5. Download the client JSON → save to ~/.config/gws/client_secret.json

Important: You must add yourself as a test user. In the OAuth consent screen, click Test users → Add users and enter your Google account email. Without this, login will fail with a generic "Access blocked" error.

Then run:

gws auth login

Headless / CI

# On a machine with a browser:
gws auth export --unmasked > credentials.json

# On the headless machine:
export GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_CREDENTIALS_FILE=/path/to/credentials.json
gws drive files list   # just works

Service Account (server-to-server)

export GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_CREDENTIALS_FILE=/path/to/service-account.json
gws drive files list

# For Domain-Wide Delegation:
export GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_IMPERSONATED_USER=[e-mail]

Pre-obtained Access Token

export GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_TOKEN=$(gcloud auth print-access-token)

Browser-Assisted Auth (for AI agents)

Agents can complete OAuth with browser automation:

• Human flow: Run gws auth login, open the printed URL, approve scopes.
• Agent-assisted flow: The agent opens the URL, selects the account, handles consent prompts, and returns control once the localhost callback succeeds.

If consent shows "Google hasn't verified this app" (testing mode), click Continue. If scope checkboxes appear, select required scopes (or Select all) before continuing.

Auth Precedence

Priority	Method	Source
1	Access token	GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_TOKEN
2	Credentials file	GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_CREDENTIALS_FILE
3	Per-account encrypted credentials	gws auth login --account EMAIL
4	Plaintext credentials	~/.config/gws/credentials.json

Account resolution: --account flag > GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_ACCOUNT env var > default in accounts.json.

All environment variables can also live in a .env file in your project root.

Command Structure

The universal pattern for ALL gws commands:

gws <service> <resource> <method> [--params '{ JSON }'] [--json '{ JSON }'] [flags]

Global Flags

Flag	Description
--help	Show help for any service, resource, or method
--params '{ JSON }'	URL/query parameters as JSON
--json '{ JSON }'	Request body as JSON
--dry-run	Preview the HTTP request without executing
--page-all	Auto-paginate, one JSON line per page (NDJSON)
--page-limit <N>	Max pages to fetch (default: 10)
--page-delay <MS>	Delay between pages (default: 100ms)
--upload <path>	Multipart file upload
--account <email>	Use a specific authenticated account
--sanitize <template>	Model Armor response sanitization

Introspecting Schemas

# See the full request/response schema for any method
gws schema drive.files.list
gws schema gmail.users.messages.send
gws schema calendar.events.insert

Core Services — Commands & Examples

Google Drive

# List files (paginated)
gws drive files list --params '{"pageSize": 10}'

# List ALL files (auto-paginate as NDJSON)
gws drive files list --params '{"pageSize": 100}' --page-all

# Search for files
gws drive files list --params '{"q": "name contains '\''report'\'' and mimeType = '\''application/pdf'\''", "pageSize": 20}'

# Get file metadata
gws drive files get --params '{"fileId": "FILE_ID"}'

# Upload a file
gws drive files create --json '{"name": "report.pdf", "parents": ["FOLDER_ID"]}' --upload ./report.pdf

# Create a folder
gws drive files create --json '{"name": "Project Docs", "mimeType": "application/vnd.google-apps.folder"}'

# Move a file to a folder
gws drive files update --params '{"fileId": "FILE_ID", "addParents": "FOLDER_ID", "removeParents": "OLD_PARENT_ID"}'

# Share a file
gws drive permissions create --params '{"fileId": "FILE_ID"}' --json '{"role": "writer", "type": "user", "emailAddress": "[e-mail]"}'

# Download a file (export Google Docs as PDF)
gws drive files export --params '{"fileId": "FILE_ID", "mimeType": "application/pdf"}'

# Delete a file
gws drive files delete --params '{"fileId": "FILE_ID"}'

# List shared drives
gws drive drives list --params '{"pageSize": 10}'

# Create a shared drive
gws drive drives create --params '{"requestId": "unique-id"}' --json '{"name": "Team Drive"}'

Gmail

# List messages in inbox
gws gmail users messages list --params '{"userId": "me", "maxResults": 10}'

# Search messages
gws gmail users messages list --params '{"userId": "me", "q": "from:[e-mail] is:unread", "maxResults": 20}'

# Get a specific message
gws gmail users messages get --params '{"userId": "me", "id": "MESSAGE_ID"}'

# Send an email
gws gmail users messages send --params '{"userId": "me"}' --json '{
  "raw": "<BASE64_ENCODED_RFC2822_MESSAGE>"
}'

# List labels
gws gmail users labels list --params '{"userId": "me"}'

# Create a label
gws gmail users labels create --params '{"userId": "me"}' --json '{"name": "Important/Projects"}'

# Modify message labels
gws gmail users messages modify --params '{"userId": "me", "id": "MESSAGE_ID"}' --json '{"addLabelIds": ["LABEL_ID"], "removeLabelIds": ["INBOX"]}'

# Trash a message
gws gmail users messages trash --params '{"userId": "me", "id": "MESSAGE_ID"}'

# List drafts
gws gmail users drafts list --params '{"userId": "me"}'

# Create a draft
gws gmail users drafts create --params '{"userId": "me"}' --json '{
  "message": {"raw": "<BASE64_ENCODED_RFC2822_MESSAGE>"}
}'

# Set vacation auto-reply
gws gmail users settings updateVacation --params '{"userId": "me"}' --json '{
  "enableAutoReply": true,
  "responseSubject": "Out of Office",
  "responseBodyPlainText": "I am out of office until March 10.",
  "restrictToContacts": false,
  "restrictToDomain": false
}'

Google Calendar

# List upcoming events
gws calendar events list --params '{"calendarId": "primary", "timeMin": "2026-03-05T00:00:00Z", "maxResults": 10, "singleEvents": true, "orderBy": "startTime"}'

# Get a specific event
gws calendar events get --params '{"calendarId": "primary", "eventId": "EVENT_ID"}'

# Create an event
gws calendar events insert --params '{"calendarId": "primary"}' --json '{
  "summary": "Team Standup",
  "description": "Daily standup meeting",
  "start": {"dateTime": "2026-03-06T09:00:00-05:00", "timeZone": "America/New_York"},
  "end": {"dateTime": "2026-03-06T09:30:00-05:00", "timeZone": "America/New_York"},
  "attendees": [{"email": "[e-mail]"}, {"email": "[e-mail]"}]
}'

# Update an event
gws calendar events update --params '{"calendarId": "primary", "eventId": "EVENT_ID"}' --json '{
  "summary": "Updated Standup",
  "start": {"dateTime": "2026-03-06T10:00:00-05:00"},
  "end": {"dateTime": "2026-03-06T10:30:00-05:00"}
}'

# Delete an event
gws calendar events delete --params '{"calendarId": "primary", "eventId": "EVENT_ID"}'

# List calendars
gws calendar calendarList list

# Check free/busy
gws calendar freebusy query --json '{
  "timeMin": "2026-03-06T08:00:00Z",
  "timeMax": "2026-03-06T18:00:00Z",
  "items": [{"id": "[e-mail]"}, {"id": "[e-mail]"}]
}'

# Create a recurring event
gws calendar events insert --params '{"calendarId": "primary"}' --json '{
  "summary": "Weekly Review",
  "recurrence": ["RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=FR"],
  "start": {"dateTime": "2026-03-06T16:00:00-05:00", "timeZone": "America/New_York"},
  "end": {"dateTime": "2026-03-06T17:00:00-05:00", "timeZone": "America/New_York"}
}'

Google Sheets

Important: Sheets ranges use ! which bash interprets as history expansion. Always wrap values in single quotes.

# Create a spreadsheet
gws sheets spreadsheets create --json '{"properties": {"title": "Q1 Budget"}}'

# Read cells
gws sheets spreadsheets values get --params '{"spreadsheetId": "SPREADSHEET_ID", "range": "Sheet1!A1:C10"}'

# Write cells
gws sheets spreadsheets values update --params '{"spreadsheetId": "SPREADSHEET_ID", "range": "Sheet1!A1", "valueInputOption": "USER_ENTERED"}' --json '{"values": [["Name", "Score"], ["Alice", 95], ["Bob", 87]]}'

# Append rows
gws sheets spreadsheets values append --params '{"spreadsheetId": "SPREADSHEET_ID", "range": "Sheet1!A1", "valueInputOption": "USER_ENTERED"}' --json '{"values": [["Charlie", 92]]}'

# Get spreadsheet metadata
gws sheets spreadsheets get --params '{"spreadsheetId": "SPREADSHEET_ID"}'

# Clear a range
gws sheets spreadsheets values clear --params '{"spreadsheetId": "SPREADSHEET_ID", "range": "Sheet1!A1:C10"}'

# Batch update (add sheet, format cells, etc.)
gws sheets spreadsheets batchUpdate --params '{"spreadsheetId": "SPREADSHEET_ID"}' --json '{
  "requests": [
    {"addSheet": {"properties": {"title": "March Data"}}},
    {"repeatCell": {
      "range": {"sheetId": 0, "startRowIndex": 0, "endRowIndex": 1},
      "cell": {"userEnteredFormat": {"textFormat": {"bold": true}}},
      "fields": "userEnteredFormat.textFormat.bold"
    }}
  ]
}'

Google Docs

# Create a document
gws docs documents create --json '{"title": "Meeting Notes"}'

# Get document content
gws docs documents get --params '{"documentId": "DOC_ID"}'

# Update document (insert text)
gws docs documents batchUpdate --params '{"documentId": "DOC_ID"}' --json '{
  "requests": [
    {"insertText": {"location": {"index": 1}, "text": "Hello, World!\n"}}
  ]
}'

Google Slides

# Create a presentation
gws slides presentations create --json '{"title": "Q1 Review"}'

# Get presentation
gws slides presentations get --params '{"presentationId": "PRES_ID"}'

# Add a slide
gws slides presentations batchUpdate --params '{"presentationId": "PRES_ID"}' --json '{
  "requests": [
    {"createSlide": {"slideLayoutReference": {"predefinedLayout": "TITLE_AND_BODY"}}}
  ]
}'

Google Chat

# List spaces
gws chat spaces list

# Send a message to a space
gws chat spaces messages create --params '{"parent": "spaces/SPACE_ID"}' --json '{"text": "Deploy complete."}'

# Get a message
gws chat spaces messages get --params '{"name": "spaces/SPACE_ID/messages/MSG_ID"}'

# List messages in a space
gws chat spaces messages list --params '{"parent": "spaces/SPACE_ID", "pageSize": 25}'

# Create a space
gws chat spaces create --json '{"displayName": "Project Alpha", "spaceType": "SPACE"}'

Google Tasks

# List task lists
gws tasks tasklists list

# Create a task list
gws tasks tasklists insert --json '{"title": "Sprint 42"}'

# List tasks in a list
gws tasks tasks list --params '{"tasklist": "TASKLIST_ID"}'

# Create a task
gws tasks tasks insert --params '{"tasklist": "TASKLIST_ID"}' --json '{"title": "Review PR #123", "due": "2026-03-07T00:00:00Z"}'

# Complete a task
gws tasks tasks update --params '{"tasklist": "TASKLIST_ID", "task": "TASK_ID"}' --json '{"status": "completed"}'

Google Meet

# Create a meeting space
gws meet spaces create --json '{}'

# Get meeting space info
gws meet spaces get --params '{"name": "spaces/SPACE_ID"}'

Google Forms

# Create a form
gws forms forms create --json '{"info": {"title": "Feedback Survey"}}'

# Get form
gws forms forms get --params '{"formId": "FORM_ID"}'

# List responses
gws forms forms responses list --params '{"formId": "FORM_ID"}'

Google Admin (Directory)

# List users
gws admin users list --params '{"domain": "example.com", "maxResults": 100}'

# Get a user
gws admin users get --params '{"userKey": "[e-mail]"}'

# Create a user
gws admin users insert --json '{
  "primaryEmail": "[e-mail]",
  "name": {"givenName": "Jane", "familyName": "Doe"},
  "password": "TempP@ssw0rd!"
}'

# List groups
gws admin groups list --params '{"domain": "example.com"}'

# Add member to group
gws admin members insert --params '{"groupKey": "[e-mail]"}' --json '{"email": "[e-mail]", "role": "MEMBER"}'

Google Keep

# List notes
gws keep notes list

# Get a note
gws keep notes get --params '{"name": "notes/NOTE_ID"}'

Google People (Contacts & Profiles)

# List contacts
gws people people connections list --params '{"resourceName": "people/me", "personFields": "names,emailAddresses,phoneNumbers", "pageSize": 50}'

# Get a specific contact
gws people people get --params '{"resourceName": "people/PERSON_ID", "personFields": "names,emailAddresses,organizations"}'

# Search contacts
gws people people searchContacts --params '{"query": "Alice", "readMask": "names,emailAddresses"}'

# Create a contact
gws people people createContact --json '{
  "names": [{"givenName": "Jane", "familyName": "Smith"}],
  "emailAddresses": [{"value": "[e-mail]"}],
  "phoneNumbers": [{"value": "[phone]"}]
}'

# List directory (domain contacts)
gws people people listDirectoryPeople --params '{"readMask": "names,emailAddresses", "sources": ["DIRECTORY_SOURCE_TYPE_DOMAIN_PROFILE"], "pageSize": 100}'

Google Workspace Events

# Create a subscription to watch for changes
gws events subscriptions create --json '{
  "targetResource": "//calendar.googleapis.com/calendars/primary",
  "eventTypes": ["google.workspace.calendar.event.v1.created"],
  "notificationEndpoint": {"pubsubTopic": "projects/PROJECT/topics/TOPIC"},
  "payloadOptions": {"includeResource": true}
}'

# List subscriptions
gws events subscriptions list

# Delete a subscription
gws events subscriptions delete --params '{"name": "subscriptions/SUB_ID"}'

Google Vault (eDiscovery)

# List matters
gws vault matters list

# Create a matter
gws vault matters create --json '{"name": "Investigation Q1", "description": "Q1 compliance audit"}'

# Create a hold
gws vault matters holds create --params '{"matterId": "MATTER_ID"}' --json '{
  "name": "Email Hold",
  "corpus": "MAIL",
  "accounts": [{"accountId": "[e-mail]"}]
}'

Google Classroom

# List courses
gws classroom courses list

# Create a course
gws classroom courses create --json '{"name": "CS101", "section": "Fall 2026", "ownerId": "me"}'

# List students in a course
gws classroom courses students list --params '{"courseId": "COURSE_ID"}'

# Create coursework
gws classroom courses courseWork create --params '{"courseId": "COURSE_ID"}' --json '{
  "title": "Assignment 1",
  "workType": "ASSIGNMENT",
  "dueDate": {"year": 2026, "month": 3, "day": 15}
}'

Admin Reports (Audit Logs)

# List admin activities
gws admin-reports activities list --params '{"userKey": "all", "applicationName": "admin", "maxResults": 50}'

# List login activities
gws admin-reports activities list --params '{"userKey": "all", "applicationName": "login", "maxResults": 50}'

# List Drive audit logs
gws admin-reports activities list --params '{"userKey": "all", "applicationName": "drive", "maxResults": 50}'

Alert Center (Security Alerts)

# List alerts
gws alertcenter alerts list

# Get alert details
gws alertcenter alerts get --params '{"alertId": "ALERT_ID"}'

Cloud Identity

# List groups
gws cloudidentity groups list --params '{"parent": "customers/CUSTOMER_ID"}'

# Search groups
gws cloudidentity groups search --params '{"query": "parent == \"customers/CUSTOMER_ID\""}'

# List memberships
gws cloudidentity groups memberships list --params '{"parent": "groups/GROUP_ID"}'

Groups Settings

# Get group settings
gws groupssettings groups get --params '{"groupUniqueId": "[e-mail]"}'

# Update group settings
gws groupssettings groups update --params '{"groupUniqueId": "[e-mail]"}' --json '{
  "whoCanPostMessage": "ALL_MEMBERS_CAN_POST",
  "messageModerationLevel": "MODERATE_NONE"
}'

Licensing

# List license assignments
gws licensing licenseAssignments listForProduct --params '{"productId": "Google-Apps", "customerId": "CUSTOMER_ID"}'

# Assign a license
gws licensing licenseAssignments insert --params '{"productId": "Google-Apps", "skuId": "SKU_ID"}' --json '{"userId": "[e-mail]"}'

Reseller

# List subscriptions
gws reseller subscriptions list --params '{"customerId": "CUSTOMER_ID"}'

# Get a subscription
gws reseller subscriptions get --params '{"customerId": "CUSTOMER_ID", "subscriptionId": "SUB_ID"}'

Apps Script

# List projects
gws apps-script projects list

# Get project content
gws apps-script projects getContent --params '{"scriptId": "SCRIPT_ID"}'

# Deploy a project
gws apps-script projects deployments create --params '{"scriptId": "SCRIPT_ID"}' --json '{"versionNumber": 1}'

# Run a function
gws apps-script scripts run --params '{"scriptId": "SCRIPT_ID"}' --json '{"function": "myFunction", "parameters": []}'

Workflow Helpers (Shortcut Commands)

gws ships higher-level helper commands for the most common multi-step operations:

# --- Drive ---
# Upload a file to Drive with automatic metadata
gws drive-upload ./report.pdf

# --- Sheets ---
# Append a row to a sheet
gws sheets-append --spreadsheet-id ID --range 'Sheet1!A1' --values '[["Name", "Score"]]'

# Read sheet values
gws sheets-read --spreadsheet-id ID --range 'Sheet1!A1:C10'

# --- Gmail ---
# Send an email (simplified)
gws gmail-send --to [e-mail] --subject "Hello" --body "Hi there"

# Triage inbox — show unread summary (sender, subject, date)
gws gmail-triage

# Watch for new emails and stream them as NDJSON
gws gmail-watch

# --- Calendar ---
# Show upcoming calendar agenda across all calendars
gws calendar-agenda

# Insert a calendar event quickly
gws calendar-insert --summary "Lunch" --start "2026-03-06T12:00:00" --end "2026-03-06T13:00:00"

# --- Docs ---
# Append text to a Google Doc
gws docs-write --document-id DOC_ID --text "New paragraph here"

# --- Chat ---
# Send a Chat message to a space
gws chat-send --space "spaces/SPACE_ID" --text "Hello team!"

# --- Apps Script ---
# Upload local files to an Apps Script project
gws apps-script-push --script-id SCRIPT_ID --source ./src

# --- Workspace Events ---
# Subscribe to Workspace events and stream them as NDJSON
gws events-subscribe --target "//calendar.googleapis.com/calendars/primary" --event-types "google.workspace.calendar.event.v1.created"

# Renew/reactivate Workspace Events subscriptions
gws events-renew --subscription-id SUB_ID

# --- Model Armor ---

gws modelarmor-sanitize-prompt --template  --text 


gws modelarmor-sanitize-response --template  --text 


gws modelarmor-create-template --project PROJECT --location LOCATION --template-id my-template



gws workflow-standup-report


gws workflow-meeting-prep


gws workflow-email-to-task --message-id MSG_ID


gws workflow-weekly-digest


gws workflow-file-announce --file-id FILE_ID --space 

Installing gws Skills Into Your Agent Project

The gws repo ships 100+ SKILL.md files you can install directly into your agent's skills directory:

# Install ALL gws skills at once
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli

# Or pick only what you need
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/gws-drive
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/gws-gmail
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/gws-calendar
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/gws-sheets
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/gws-docs
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/gws-chat

OpenClaw setup

# Symlink all skills (stays in sync with repo)
ln -s $(pwd)/skills/gws-* ~/.openclaw/skills/

# Or copy specific skills
cp -r skills/gws-drive skills/gws-gmail ~/.openclaw/skills/

The gws-shared skill includes an install block so OpenClaw auto-installs the CLI via npm if gws isn't on PATH.

This places SKILL.md files into your project's .github/skills/ (Copilot), .claude/skills/ (Claude Code), or equivalent directory, giving your agent deep per-service knowledge.

Personas (Role-Based Skill Bundles)

The gws repo includes 10 pre-built persona bundles that combine multiple services for common roles:

Persona	Description	Services Used
persona-exec-assistant	Manage an executive's schedule, inbox, and communications	Calendar, Gmail, Chat, Tasks
persona-project-manager	Coordinate projects — track tasks, schedule meetings, share docs	Tasks, Calendar, Drive, Chat
persona-hr-coordinator	Handle HR workflows — onboarding, announcements, employee comms	Admin, Gmail, Calendar, Docs
persona-sales-ops	Manage sales workflows — track deals, schedule calls, client comms	Sheets, Gmail, Calendar, Chat
persona-it-admin	Administer IT — manage users, monitor security, configure Workspace	Admin, Alert Center, Cloud Identity
persona-content-creator	Create, organize, and distribute content across Workspace	Docs, Slides, Drive, Gmail
persona-customer-support	Manage customer support — track tickets, respond, escalate issues	Gmail, Sheets, Chat, Tasks
persona-event-coordinator	Plan and manage events — scheduling, invitations, and logistics	Calendar, Gmail, Drive, Chat
persona-team-lead	Lead a team — run standups, coordinate tasks, communicate	Calendar, Tasks, Chat, Gmail
persona-researcher	Organize research — manage references, notes, collaboration	Drive, Docs, Keep, Sheets

Install a persona:

npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/persona-exec-assistant
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/persona-it-admin

Recipes (Multi-Step Task Sequences)

The gws repo ships 50 curated recipes — multi-step task sequences with real commands. Key recipes:

Recipe	What It Does
recipe-audit-external-sharing	Find and review Drive files shared outside the org
recipe-label-and-archive-emails	Apply Gmail labels to matching messages and archive them
recipe-send-personalized-emails	Read from Sheets, send personalized Gmail to each row
recipe-draft-email-from-doc	Read a Google Doc and use it as Gmail body
recipe-organize-drive-folder	Create folder structure and move files into place
recipe-share-folder-with-team	Share a Drive folder with collaborators
recipe-email-drive-link	Share a file and email the link
recipe-create-doc-from-template	Copy a Docs template, fill content, share
recipe-create-expense-tracker	Set up Sheets for expense tracking
recipe-block-focus-time	Create recurring focus time on Calendar
recipe-reschedule-meeting	Move event and notify attendees
recipe-search-and-export-emails	Find matching Gmail messages and export
recipe-create-gmail-filter	Auto-label/star incoming messages
recipe-cancel-and-notify	Delete event and send cancellation email
recipe-find-free-time	Query free/busy for multiple users
recipe-bulk-download-folder	Download all files from a Drive folder

Install recipes:

npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/recipe-send-personalized-emails
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/recipe-audit-external-sharing

Full list: https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/blob/main/docs/skills.md

MCP Server Integration

gws mcp starts a Model Context Protocol server over stdio, exposing Google Workspace APIs as structured tools for any MCP-compatible client.

# Start MCP server for specific services
gws mcp -s drive                  # Drive only
gws mcp -s drive,gmail,calendar   # multiple services
gws mcp -s all                    # all services (many tools!)

# Include workflow and helper tools
gws mcp -s drive,gmail -w -e

# Compact tool mode — reduces context window usage for LLMs
gws mcp -s drive,gmail --compact

MCP Client Configuration

VS Code / Copilot (settings.json or .vscode/mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gws": {
      "command": "gws",
      "args": ["mcp", "-s", "drive,gmail,calendar,sheets,docs"]
    }
  }
}

Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gws": {
      "command": "gws",
      "args": ["mcp", "-s", "drive,gmail,calendar,sheets,docs"]
    }
  }
}

Cursor (.cursor/mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gws": {
      "command": "gws",
      "args": ["mcp", "-s", "drive,gmail,calendar"]
    }
  }
}

Gemini CLI Extension:

gws auth setup
gemini extensions install https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli

Installing the Gemini extension gives your Gemini CLI agent direct access to all gws commands and skills. The extension automatically inherits your terminal credentials.

Tip: Each service adds roughly 10–80 tools. Keep the list to what you actually need to stay under your client's tool limit (typically 50–100 tools). Use --compact flag to reduce context window usage.

MCP Flags

Flag	Description
-s, --services <list>	Comma-separated services to expose, or all
-w, --workflows	Also expose workflow tools
-e, --helpers	Also expose helper tools
--compact	Compact tool mode — reduces tool descriptions to save context window

Advanced Usage

Dry Run (preview requests without executing)

gws drive files list --params '{"pageSize": 5}' --dry-run

Pagination

# Auto-paginate everything as NDJSON
gws drive files list --params '{"pageSize": 100}' --page-all

# Limit pages
gws drive files list --params '{"pageSize": 100}' --page-all --page-limit 5

# Delay between pages (rate limiting)
gws drive files list --params '{"pageSize": 100}' --page-all --page-delay 200

Piping & Processing Output

All output is structured JSON. Pipe to jq for processing:

# Get just file names
gws drive files list --params '{"pageSize": 100}' --page-all | jq -r '.files[].name'

# Get unread email subjects
gws gmail users messages list --params '{"userId": "me", "q": "is:unread", "maxResults": 5}' | jq '.messages[].id'

# Count events this week
gws calendar events list --params '{"calendarId": "primary", "timeMin": "2026-03-02T00:00:00Z", "timeMax": "2026-03-08T00:00:00Z", "singleEvents": true}' | jq '.items | length'

Multipart Uploads

gws drive files create --json '{"name": "report.pdf"}' --upload ./report.pdf

Model Armor (Response Sanitization)

Scan API responses for prompt injection before they reach your agent:

gws gmail users messages get --params '{"userId": "me", "id": "MSG_ID"}' \
  --sanitize "projects/P/locations/L/templates/T"

Environment Variable	Description
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_SANITIZE_TEMPLATE	Default Model Armor template
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_SANITIZE_MODE	warn (default) or block

Agent Decision Guide

Use this table to decide which gws command to run based on what the user is asking:

User Intent	Service	Example Command
List, search, upload, download, share files	drive	gws drive files list
Create folders, manage permissions	drive	gws drive files create, gws drive permissions create
Read, send, search, label emails	gmail	gws gmail users messages list/send
Create drafts, manage filters	gmail	gws gmail users drafts create
View, create, update, delete calendar events	calendar	gws calendar events list/insert/update/delete
Check availability / free-busy	calendar	gws calendar freebusy query
Read, write, append spreadsheet data	sheets	gws sheets spreadsheets values get/update/append
Create spreadsheets, format cells	sheets	gws sheets spreadsheets create/batchUpdate
Create, read, edit documents	docs	gws docs documents create/get/batchUpdate
Create, edit presentations	slides	gws slides presentations create/batchUpdate
Send messages, manage chat spaces	chat	gws chat spaces messages create

Environment Variables Reference

Variable	Description
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_TOKEN	Pre-obtained OAuth access token
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_CREDENTIALS_FILE	Path to credentials JSON (service account or exported)
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_ACCOUNT	Default account email
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_IMPERSONATED_USER	User to impersonate (domain-wide delegation)
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_SANITIZE_TEMPLATE	Default Model Armor template
GOOGLE_WORKSPACE_CLI_SANITIZE_MODE	warn or block

Troubleshooting

Error	Fix
"Access blocked" or 403 during login	Add yourself as a test user in OAuth consent screen
"Google hasn't verified this app"	Click Advanced → Continue (safe for personal use)
Too many scopes error	Use gws auth login -s drive,gmail,sheets to select fewer services
gcloud CLI not found	Install gcloud or set up OAuth manually in Cloud Console
redirect_uri_mismatch	Re-create OAuth client as Desktop app type
accessNotConfigured	See detailed fix below
Stale credentials	Run gws auth login to re-authenticate

API not enabled — accessNotConfigured

If a required Google API is not enabled for your GCP project, you will see a 403 error:

{
  "error": {
    "code": 403,
    "message": "Gmail API has not been used in project 549352339482 ...",
    "reason": "accessNotConfigured",
    "enable_url": "https://console.developers.google.com/apis/api/gmail.googleapis.com/overview?project=549352339482"
  }
}

gws also prints an actionable hint to stderr:

💡 API not enabled for your GCP project.
   Enable it at: https://console.developers.google.com/apis/api/gmail.googleapis.com/overview?project=549352339482
   After enabling, wait a few seconds and retry your command.

Steps to fix:

1. Click the enable_url link (or copy it from the JSON enable_url field).
2. In the GCP Console, click Enable.
3. Wait ~10 seconds, then retry your gws command.

Tip: You can also run gws auth setup which walks you through enabling all required APIs for your project automatically.

Architecture

gws uses a two-phase parsing strategy:

1. Read argv[1] to identify the service (e.g. drive)
2. Fetch the service's Discovery Document (cached 24 hours)
3. Build a clap::Command tree from the document's resources and methods
4. Re-parse the remaining arguments
5. Authenticate, build the HTTP request, execute

All output — success, errors, download metadata — is structured JSON. This means every response is directly parseable by agents without any text extraction.

Resources

• GitHub Repo: https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli
• npm Package: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@googleworkspace/cli
• Skills Index (100+ skills): https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/blob/main/docs/skills.md
• Google Discovery API: https://developers.google.com/discovery
• Google Workspace APIs: https://developers.google.com/workspace
• Releases & Binaries: https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/releases

License

Apache-2.0