Multiple config for GCP Accounts

2 minute read

Check all available configs

gcloud config configurations list
  • To check the GCP properties of the active user use 
      gcloud config list
  • To change from one existing profile to another existing profile 
      gcloud config configurations activate [CONFIG_NAME]

      alias gcpLocal='gcloud config configurations activate local'
  alias gcpNitin='gcloud config configurations activate learn'
  • After Switching. change the account with the corrosponding profile 
      gcloud config set account ACCOUNT
  • If your current project is [abc] and you want to change this setting by running: 
      # View the Currently Active Project
  gcloud config get project
    
  # List All GCP Projects You Have Access To
  gcloud projects list
    
  # Switch to a Different Project within same GCloud account
  gcloud config set project PROJECT_ID
  • Check all the users and the active user will have an asterisk 
      gcloud auth list

Login

# For CLI
gcloud auth login

# For code
gcloud auth application-default login 

# Check Token
gcloud auth application-default print-access-token

Summary of GCP gcloud Authentication Methods

Capability gcloud auth login gcloud auth application-default login
Primary Target The gcloud CLI itself. Code and SDKs running locally.
Ideal Use Case Running gcloud commands from terminal. Testing code locally that will eventually run on a server.
Credential Location ~/.config/gcloud/ ~/.config/gcloud/application_default_credentials.json
SDK Accessibility ❌ No. Yes. Automatically picked up by Application Default Credentials (ADC).

Create a new config

In order to create a new profile, always use gcloud init and follow the prompts.

select the project, by either providing the number given or by providing the exact project ID.

Add new GCP Account

In case a new GCP Account is to be added, use following to create a new configuration and initialize

gcloud config configurations create [CONFIG_NAME]

gcloud init

Select re-initialize the config just created and login as a new user and get redirected into web Browser for GCP Console login

Delete a configuration

gcloud config configurations delete <CONFIG_NAME>>

# If no account is given, it revokes the current account
gcloud auth revoke

See listings

gcloud auth list
gcloud config list
gcloud config configurations list
gcloud spanner instance-configs list

Switching to Learning profile from work profile

# if profile not initiated
gcloud init

# Create new configuration 'learn'
# login with new account
# should get a list of project after logging in
# This will also ensure that the 'learn' config is enabled and ready to be used

project name : tat-twam-asi

# Ensure that the current user is credentiated
gcloud auth application-default login

# Create Spanner Instance
gcloud spanner instances create development-nc --config=regional-us-central1 \
--description="Spanner DB Instance" --nodes=1

# Create Database
gcloud spanner databases create spanner-db --instance=development-nc

After Finishing

gcloud spanner instances delete development-nc
# if current user is to be revoked
# gcloud auth revoke
gcloud auth revoke nitin.gcp.learn@gmail.com

#Go Back to the profile that is to be used, now
gcloud config configurations activate local

#Set profile if needed
#gcloud config set account ACCOUNT

#Clean up the profile to avoid any issues
gcloud config configurations delete learn

#Ensure logging into the current profile
gcloud auth application-default login

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