Compute Engine offers the browser-based Google Cloud Console tool that lets you manage your Compute Engine resources through a graphical interface. Use the Cloud Console to manage your resources if you prefer using a user-interface through the browser.
Alternatively, you can also use the Google Cloud Platform command-line tool,
gcloud, or the RESTful API.
This document briefly describes how to access the console and describes some unique features that the console offers.
Access the console
Console features
The console provides:
- Easy access to all your Google Cloud Platform projects.
- Access to the Google Cloud Shell.
- A customizable project dashboard, with an overview of Google Cloud resources, billing, and a filterable activity listing.
- Easy access to all Google Cloud Platform APIs, with a dashboard specific to each API, and access to manage your resources.
- Links to Google Cloud Platform starting points, news, and documentation.
Generate REST requests
When you create a resource using the Cloud Console, Compute Engine also shows the REST request that is used to create this resource. This is a good way to view a sample REST request or to build your own REST request using a graphical interface. To see an example of this:
- Go to the VM instances page in the Cloud Console.
- Click Create instance.
- Specify your desired parameters for the instance.
- Click REST at the bottom of the page to view the REST details for creating your new instance.
Generate commands for the command-line tool
When you create a resource using the Cloud Console, the console
generates the equivalent command for the gcloud tool that would perform the same
action. You can copy and paste the command into a terminal and use the command to
create the same resource with the gcloud command-line tool instead of the
console.
For example, you can fill out the properties to create a new virtual machine instance on the Create an instance page, and then click command line at the bottom of the page to get the command for creating the instance.
This is an easy way to create complex commands if you want to use
the gcloud tool but aren't sure which command and flags would make the request
you want. This can also be useful if you are unfamiliar with the gcloud
tool and want some example commands to start with.
Additional resources
Some common Compute Engine actions are:
- Managing SSH Keys
- Creating a non-boot persistent disk
- Creating a boot persistent disk
- Using persistent disks snapshots
To get additional help with the console, read the help documentation located at the Google Support page.