The Google Cloud SDK, which includes the gcloud CLI, is an essential tool for managing resources and services on Google Cloud Platform (GCP). While gcloud CLI is typically associated with Unix-based systems, it is fully compatible with Windows environments. This article will guide you through the process of installing and using gcloud CLI on a Windows system, enabling you to manage your GCP resources efficiently from the command line.

Examples:

1. Installing Google Cloud SDK on Windows:

   • First, download the Google Cloud SDK installer for Windows from the Google Cloud SDK download page.
   • Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions. Ensure that you select the option to install the gcloud CLI and other necessary components.
   • After installation, open a new Command Prompt or PowerShell window and run the following command to initialize the SDK:

     gcloud init

   • Follow the prompts to authenticate with your Google account and set up your initial configuration.

2. Authenticating with gcloud CLI:

   • To authenticate with your Google account, use the following command:

     gcloud auth login

   • This will open a web browser where you can log in to your Google account. Once authenticated, the gcloud CLI will be ready to use.

3. Listing GCP Projects:

   • To list all the projects associated with your Google account, use the following command:

     gcloud projects list

4. Creating a New GCP Project:

   • To create a new project, use the following command:

     gcloud projects create [PROJECT_ID] --name="[PROJECT_NAME]"

   • Replace [PROJECT_ID] with a unique identifier for your project and [PROJECT_NAME] with a descriptive name.

5. Setting the Default Project:

   • To set a default project for your gcloud CLI session, use the following command:

     gcloud config set project [PROJECT_ID]

   • Replace [PROJECT_ID] with the ID of the project you want to set as default.

6. Deploying an Application to Google App Engine:

   • Navigate to the directory containing your application code.
   • Use the following command to deploy your application:

     gcloud app deploy

   • Follow the prompts to complete the deployment process.

7. Listing Compute Engine Instances:

   • To list all Compute Engine instances in your project, use the following command:

     gcloud compute instances list

8. Connecting to a Compute Engine Instance via SSH:

   • To connect to a specific instance via SSH, use the following command:

     gcloud compute ssh [INSTANCE_NAME] --zone=[ZONE]

   • Replace [INSTANCE_NAME] with the name of your instance and [ZONE] with the zone where the instance is located.