Access Google spreadsheet API without auth token

Question

I have created Google Spreadsheet, and given edit access to all (can edit even without login).

Here is the link. I would like to update this sheet with Google Spreadsheet API. But I am getting error. My requirement is update the sheet thru API even without access credential.

Answer 1

It is possible to write to spreadsheet without OAuth or API Keys. You need to use Service Account Keys.

Here is what I did for my Node.js environment.

1. Get a service account key from https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials (You can here also restrict what this keys is allowed todo)
   1. When creating, make sure you click the Furnish a new private key
   2. Select JSON when it asks you how to download the key.
2. The service account key you have just generated includes a client_email.
   1. Go to you google spreadsheet and allow this client_email to have write access on this document

3. Use the following code to authenticate

   let jwtClient = new google.auth.JWT(client_email, null, private_key, [ "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/spreadsheets", ]); //authenticate request jwtClient.authorize(function(err, tokens) { // at this point the authentication is done you can now use `jwtClient` // to read or write to the spreadsheet });

client_email and private_key are part of the service account key

A more detailed description can be found here. http://isd-soft.com/tech_blog/accessing-google-apis-using-service-account-node-js/ Also, all credit goes to this page.