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---
layout: "google"
page_title: "Provider: Google Cloud"
sidebar_current: "docs-google-index"
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description: |-
The Google Cloud provider is used to interact with Google Cloud services. The provider needs to be configured with the proper credentials before it can be used.
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---
# Google Cloud Provider
The Google Cloud provider is used to interact with
[Google Cloud services ](https://cloud.google.com/ ). The provider needs
to be configured with the proper credentials before it can be used.
Use the navigation to the left to read about the available resources.
## Example Usage
```
# Configure the Google Cloud provider
provider "google" {
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credentials = "${file("account.json")}"
project = "my-gce-project"
region = "us-central1"
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}
# Create a new instance
resource "google_compute_instance" "default" {
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...
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}
```
## Configuration Reference
The following keys can be used to configure the provider.
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* `credentials` - (Optional) Contents of the JSON file used to describe your
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account credentials, downloaded from Google Cloud Console. More details on
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retrieving this file are below. Credentials may be blank if you are running
Terraform from a GCE instance with a properly-configured [Compute Engine
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Service Account](https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/authentication). This
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can also be specified with the `GOOGLE_CREDENTIALS` shell environment
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variable.
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* `project` - (Required) The ID of the project to apply any resources to. This
can also be specified with the `GOOGLE_PROJECT` shell environment variable.
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* `region` - (Required) The region to operate under. This can also be specified
with the `GOOGLE_REGION` shell environment variable.
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The following keys are supported for backwards compatibility, and may be
removed in a future version:
* `account_file` - __Deprecated: please use `credentials` instead.__
Path to or contents of the JSON file used to describe your
account credentials, downloaded from Google Cloud Console. More details on
retrieving this file are below. The `account file` can be "" if you are running
terraform from a GCE instance with a properly-configured [Compute Engine
Service Account](https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/authentication). This
can also be specified with the `GOOGLE_ACCOUNT_FILE` shell environment
variable.
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## Authentication JSON File
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Authenticating with Google Cloud services requires a JSON
file which we call the _account file_ .
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This file is downloaded directly from the
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[Google Developers Console ](https://console.developers.google.com ). To make
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the process more straightforwarded, it is documented here:
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1. Log into the [Google Developers Console ](https://console.developers.google.com )
and select a project.
2. Under the "APIs & Auth" section, click "Credentials."
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3. Create a new OAuth client ID and select "Service account" as the type
of account. Once created, and after a P12 key is downloaded, a JSON file should be downloaded. This is your _account file_ .