google-cloud-onboarding

# Onboarding to Google Cloud This skill provides a streamlined "happy path" for a singleton developer to get started with [Google Cloud](https://cloud.google.com/). It covers everything from initial account setup to deploying your first cloud resource. ## Overview For an individual developer, onboarding to Google Cloud involves establishing a personal identity, setting up a billing method, and creating a workspace ([Project](https://docs.cloud.google.com/resource-manager/docs/cloud-platform-resource-hierarchy#projects)) where resources can be managed. Google Cloud offers a Free Tier and Free Trial for multiple products. [Learn more here](https://docs.cloud.google.com/free/docs/free-cloud-features). ## Clarifying Questions Before proceeding, the agent should clarify the user's current status: 1. Do you already have a [Google Account](https://accounts.google.com/) (Gmail or [Google Workspace](https://workspace.google.com/))? 2. Are you looking to set up a personal account for learning/experimentation, or are you part of an organization with existing infrastructure? 3. Are you an IT admin within a larger enterprise, setting up Google Cloud for your organization? 4. What is the first type of resource or application you are interested in building (e.g., a website, a data pipeline, a virtual machine)? 5. Do you prefer to use the command line (CLI), an IDE (e.g. VSCode, Antigravity), or do you prefer using the web-based [Google Cloud console](https://console.cloud.google.com/)? ## Prerequisites - A [Google Account](https://accounts.google.com/) (e.g., @gmail.com). - A valid payment method (credit card or bank account) for billing verification (even for the free trial). ## Steps ### 1. Sign Up and Activate Free Credit 1. Go to the [Google Cloud Console](https://console.cloud.google.com/). 2. Sign in with your Google Account. This will "Activate" [your $300 free credit](https://docs.cloud.google.com/free/docs/free-cloud-features#free-trial). ### 2. Create Your First Google Cloud Project Google Cloud resources are organized into **[Projects](https://docs.cloud.google.com/resource-manager/docs/cloud-platform-resource-hierarchy#projects)**. 1. In the Google Cloud console, click the project picker dropdown at the top of the page. 2. Click **New Project**. 3. Enter a **Project Name** (e.g., `my-first-gcp-project`). 4. Note the generated **Project ID**; you will use this for CLI and API interactions. 5. Click **Create**. ### 3. Set Up Billing Ensure your project is linked to your Free Trial [Cloud Billing](https://docs.cloud.google.com/billing/docs/how-to/manage-billing-account) account. 1. Go to the **Billing** section in the console. 2. Confirm that your new project is listed under "Projects linked to this billing account." ### 4. Install and Initialize the Google Cloud CLI The **[Google Cloud CLI](https://docs.cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install-sdk)** (`gcloud` CLI) is the primary tool for interacting with Google Cloud from your local machine. 1. [Download and install the Google Cloud CLI](https://cloud.google.com/sdk/docs/install). 2. Open your terminal and run: `gcloud init` 3. Follow the prompts to log in and select your project. ### 5. Enable Necessary APIs Most services require their specific [API](https://docs.cloud.google.com/apis/docs/overview) to be enabled before use. For example, to use [Cloud Run](https://docs.cloud.google.com/run/docs/overview/what-is-cloud-run), run: `gcloud services enable run.googleapis.com` Note that [some Google Cloud APIs, including Cloud Logging, are enabled by default](https://docs.cloud.google.com/service-usage/docs/enabled-service#default). ### 6. Deploy Your First Resource Choose a simple entry point based on your needs: - **[Cloud Run](https://docs.cloud.google.com/run/docs) (Recommended for Apps):** Deploy a containerized "Hello World" app. - **[Compute Engine](https://docs.cloud.google.com/compute/docs):** Create a small Linux VM (e.g., `e2-micro` which is part of the Always Free tier in certain regions). - **[Cloud Storage](https://docs.cloud.google.com/storage/docs):** Create a bucket to store files. Example (Cloud Run): ```bash gcloud run deploy hello-world \ --image=gcr.io/cloudrun/hello \ --platform=managed \ --region=us-central1 \ --allow-unauthenticated --quiet ``` This command will output a public URL, that you can reach in a web browser. Congrats - you just deployed your first Google Cloud resource! ### 7. Next Steps - Explore the [Google Cloud Free Program](https://cloud.google.com/free) to see what else you can do with your free credit. - Read the [Google Cloud Overview](https://cloud.google.com/docs/overview) - See the [full list of 150+ Google Cloud products](https://cloud.google.com/products) - Explore the [Enterprise Setup Guide](https://docs.cloud.google.com/docs/enterprise/cloud-setup) for information on setting up Google Cloud for a team or organization. - Compare [AWS and Azure products to Google Cloud](https://docs.cloud.google.com/docs/get-started/aws-azure-gcp-service-comparison) ## Reference Directory - [Google Cloud Setup Guide](reference/google-cloud-setup.md): Detailed setup instructions and reference for Google Cloud onboarding. ## Validation Logic Use this logic to determine if the user has successfully completed the Google Cloud onboarding process: - **Project Created:** Does the user have a Project ID? - **Billing Linked:** Is the project associated with a billing account (check via `gcloud beta billing projects describe PROJECT_ID`)? - **CLI Authenticated:** Does `gcloud config list` show the correct account and project? - **Resource Verified:** Can the user access the URL or IP of the deployed resource?