Google API Consent Screen Setup – For Developer Services​

In the past, Google hasn’t bothered developers with the Google API consent screen setup (making it optional in most cases) until now.

As a developer, without any doubt, Google is one of the most valuable platforms that offer services to make your life easier. Although, this is nothing new and as a matter of fact, I don’t doubt you aren’t already using Google for your developing purposes.

Outside of the developer’s universe, Google is widely known among ordinary daily users of gadgets. From mobile phones to Tv sets to wearables and on and on the list goes. Not just at a hardware level but also at the software level, Google once again is no doubt among to first go-to in these markets.

Google For The Developer

Just a few days ago, after giving my client a project I just finished for him – which uses google API for its major functionality, I showed him just how to configure his Google account to enable the API on his end (of course, using screenshot and text guide.)
Just when I thought my work had been completed, it turns out that it’s still on-going!
To cut the story short, it turns out that Google has made changes to their interface and unlike before, you need to do one thing before you can get started. Keep reading to find out what you need to do.

Using your Account

Their are two main ways to access google services (most services) programmatically.

• API Keys
• OAuth 2.0 Client IDs

For all my work using Google API – for as long as I can remember, I have been loyal to the OAuth client ID. Not once have I used API Keys for any of my credentials. I can talk about the pros and cons of both nevertheless, I prefer theOAuth.

Take this Google link for example, for me, it’s the quickest way to get started with Google API. I use the link because I am a fan of Python and I use the link whenever I am starting a new Google API project. If you happen to prefer other programming languages over Python for your dev work, you can check out this link for other languages.

Here’s what you need to do, click on the big blue button
to get you started.
The popup and whatever comes next are self-explanatory and easy to follow.

It’s at this point that things went south on my client’s side. After downloading the credentials.json files, he ran the program as he should but nothing happened (the program didn’t communicate with Google server). So I had to return to debugging the situation.
At first, I thought he was doing it wrong and he also thought I wasn’t detailed enough on how he should have proceeded. As the saying goes “customers are always right” that was what made me return to my Google account and do a clean up so I could be sure what was happening.

The Google API Consent Screen

As it turns out, Google has changed the requirements especially for those starting a new project and using the API for the first time.
If you are starting out with a new account or starting a new project, you will be required to fill the OAuth Consent Screen something that wasn’t a must in the past. This was the stumbling block that was holding my client back.

Click the Create button without selecting any of the options. When the next page shows up, the External will be the one to be selected by default for you. This page has a number of fields that at first, would look like you need to fill it all out, but the fact of it is that you only need to fill one of the fields.
Of all the fields, you only need to fill the Application name.

After filling the field, the save button below the form will be enabled for clicking. If you are following the google guide from the link I posted above then you should be set.

To check out more helpful guides, hints and tips, check out the TechLater Developer Hub