Python quickstart
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Quickstarts explain how to set up and run an app that calls a
Google Workspace API. This quickstart uses a
simplified authentication approach that is appropriate for a testing
environment. For a production environment, we recommend learning about
authentication and authorization
before
choosing the access credentials
that are appropriate for your app.
Create a Python command-line application that makes requests to the
Drive Labels API.
Objectives
- Set up your environment.
- Install the client library.
- Set up the sample.
- Run the sample.
Prerequisites
Set up your environment
To complete this quickstart, set up your environment.
Enable the API
Before using Google APIs, you need to turn them on in a Google Cloud project.
You can turn on one or more APIs in a single Google Cloud project.
Authorize credentials for a desktop application
To authenticate end users and access user data in your app, you need to
create one or more OAuth 2.0 Client IDs. A client ID is used to identify a
single app to Google's OAuth servers. If your app runs on multiple platforms,
you must create a separate client ID for each platform.
-
In the Google Cloud console, go to Menu menu
> Google Auth platform
> Clients.
Go to Clients
- Click Create Client.
- Click Application type > Desktop app.
- In the Name field, type a name for the credential. This name is only shown in the Google Cloud console.
- Click Create.
The newly created credential appears under "OAuth 2.0 Client IDs."
- Save the downloaded JSON file as
credentials.json
, and move the
file to your working directory.
Install the Google client library
For alternate installation options, refer to the Python library's
Installation section.
- In your working directory, create a file named
quickstart.py
.
Include the following code in quickstart.py
:
import os.path
from google.auth.transport.requests import Request
from google.oauth2.credentials import Credentials
from google_auth_oauthlib.flow import InstalledAppFlow
from googleapiclient.discovery import build
from googleapiclient.errors import HttpError
# If modifying these scopes, delete the file token.json.
SCOPES = ['https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.labels.readonly']
def main():
"""Shows basic usage of the Drive Labels API.
Prints the first page of the customer's Labels.
"""
creds = None
# The file token.json stores the user's access and refresh tokens, and is
# created automatically when the authorization flow completes for the first
# time.
if os.path.exists('token.json'):
creds = Credentials.from_authorized_user_file('token.json', SCOPES)
# If there are no (valid) credentials available, let the user log in.
if not creds or not creds.valid:
if creds and creds.expired and creds.refresh_token:
creds.refresh(Request())
else:
flow = InstalledAppFlow.from_client_secrets_file('credentials.json',
SCOPES)
creds = flow.run_local_server(port=0)
# Save the credentials for the next run
with open('token.json', 'w') as token:
token.write(creds.to_json())
try:
service = build('drivelabels', 'v2', credentials=creds)
response = service.labels().list(
view='LABEL_VIEW_FULL').execute()
labels = response['labels']
if not labels:
print('No Labels')
else:
for label in labels:
name = label['name']
title = label['properties']['title']
print(u'{0}:\t{1}'.format(name, title))
except HttpError as error:
# TODO (developer) - Handle errors from Labels API.
print(f'An error occurred: {error}')
if __name__ == '__main__':
main()
Run the sample
In your working directory, build and run the sample:
python quickstart.py
The first time you run the sample, it prompts you to authorize access:
- If you're not already signed in to your Google Account, you're
prompted to sign in. If you're signed in to multiple accounts,
select one account to use for authorization.
- Click Accept.
Authorization information is stored in the file system, so the next time you
run the sample code, you aren't prompted for authorization.
You have successfully created your first Python application that makes requests to
the Drive Labels API.
Next steps
Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License. For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC.
[null,null,["Last updated 2025-08-28 UTC."],[],[],null,["Quickstarts explain how to set up and run an app that calls a\nGoogle Workspace API. This quickstart uses a\nsimplified authentication approach that is appropriate for a testing\nenvironment. For a production environment, we recommend learning about\n[authentication and authorization](/workspace/guides/auth-overview)\nbefore\n[choosing the access credentials](/workspace/guides/create-credentials#choose_the_access_credential_that_is_right_for_you)\nthat are appropriate for your app.\n\nCreate a Python command-line application that makes requests to the\nDrive Labels API.\n\nObjectives\n\n- Set up your environment.\n- Install the client library.\n- Set up the sample.\n- Run the sample.\n\nPrerequisites\n\n- Python 2.6 or greater\n- The [pip](https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pip) package management tool\n- [A Google Cloud project](/workspace/guides/create-project).\n\n\u003c!-- --\u003e\n\n- A Google Account.\n\nSet up your environment\n\nTo complete this quickstart, set up your environment.\n\nEnable the API Before using Google APIs, you need to turn them on in a Google Cloud project. You can turn on one or more APIs in a single Google Cloud project.\n\n- In the Google Cloud console, enable the Drive Labels API.\n\n [Enable the API](https://console.cloud.google.com/flows/enableapi?apiid=drivelabels.googleapis.com)\n\nAuthorize credentials for a desktop application To authenticate end users and access user data in your app, you need to create one or more OAuth 2.0 Client IDs. A client ID is used to identify a single app to Google's OAuth servers. If your app runs on multiple platforms, you must create a separate client ID for each platform.\n\n1. In the Google Cloud console, go to Menu menu \\\u003e **Google Auth platform** \\\u003e **Clients** .\n\n [Go to Clients](https://console.cloud.google.com/auth/clients)\n2. Click **Create Client**.\n3. Click **Application type** \\\u003e **Desktop app**.\n4. In the **Name** field, type a name for the credential. This name is only shown in the Google Cloud console.\n5. Click **Create** .\n\n\n The newly created credential appears under \"OAuth 2.0 Client IDs.\"\n6. Save the downloaded JSON file as `credentials.json`, and move the file to your working directory.\n\nInstall the Google client library\n\n- Install the Google client library for Python:\n\n pip install --upgrade google-api-python-client google-auth-httplib2 google-auth-oauthlib\n\nFor alternate installation options, refer to the Python library's\n[Installation section](/api-client-library/python/start/installation#installation).\n\nConfigure the sample\n\n1. In your working directory, create a file named `quickstart.py`.\n2. Include the following code in `quickstart.py`:\n\n import os.path\n\n from google.auth.transport.requests import Request\n from google.oauth2.credentials import Credentials\n from google_auth_oauthlib.flow import InstalledAppFlow\n from googleapiclient.discovery import build\n from googleapiclient.errors import HttpError\n\n # If modifying these scopes, delete the file token.json.\n SCOPES = ['https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.labels.readonly']\n\n def main():\n \"\"\"Shows basic usage of the Drive Labels API.\n\n Prints the first page of the customer's Labels.\n \"\"\"\n creds = None\n # The file token.json stores the user's access and refresh tokens, and is\n # created automatically when the authorization flow completes for the first\n # time.\n if os.path.exists('token.json'):\n creds = Credentials.from_authorized_user_file('token.json', SCOPES)\n # If there are no (valid) credentials available, let the user log in.\n if not creds or not creds.valid:\n if creds and creds.expired and creds.refresh_token:\n creds.refresh(Request())\n else:\n flow = InstalledAppFlow.from_client_secrets_file('credentials.json',\n SCOPES)\n creds = flow.run_local_server(port=0)\n # Save the credentials for the next run\n with open('token.json', 'w') as token:\n token.write(creds.to_json())\n try:\n service = build('drivelabels', 'v2', credentials=creds)\n response = service.labels().list(\n view='LABEL_VIEW_FULL').execute()\n labels = response['labels']\n\n if not labels:\n print('No Labels')\n else:\n for label in labels:\n name = label['name']\n title = label['properties']['title']\n print(u'{0}:\\t{1}'.format(name, title))\n except HttpError as error:\n # TODO (developer) - Handle errors from Labels API.\n print(f'An error occurred: {error}')\n\n if __name__ == '__main__':\n main()\n\nRun the sample\n\n1. In your working directory, build and run the sample:\n\n python quickstart.py\n\n2. The first time you run the sample, it prompts you to authorize access:\n\n 1. If you're not already signed in to your Google Account, you're prompted to sign in. If you're signed in to multiple accounts, select one account to use for authorization.\n 2. Click **Accept**.\n\n Authorization information is stored in the file system, so the next time you\n run the sample code, you aren't prompted for authorization.\n\nYou have successfully created your first Python application that makes requests to\nthe Drive Labels API.\n\nNext steps\n\n- [Troubleshoot authentication and authorization issues](/workspace/drive/labels/troubleshoot-authentication-authorization)\n- [Google APIs Client for Python documentation](/api-client-library/python)"]]