Google People API (howto auth with API Key)

Question

can someone please explain to me how the Google People API works.

I would like to create a CronJob which automatically creates contacts from a given dataset. So far no problem BUT unfortunately I can't manage to authenticate myself via API key.

This message is always displayed when I try to authenticate
Request had invalid authentication credentials. Expected OAuth 2 access token, login cookie or other valid authentication credential. See https://developers.google.com/identity/sign-in/web/devconsole-project.

Here is a description how it should work: https://developers.google.com/people/v1/how-tos/authorizing

Here you can try out the method (unfortunately it never works here either): https://developers.google.com/people/api/rest/v1/people/createContact

Sidenode: i use PHP:)

Answer 1

Issue:

You are trying to add a contact for a person. This is a request for an individual's private data, and accessing it requires authorization:

If the request requires authorization (such as a request for an individual's private data), then the application must provide an OAuth 2.0 token with the request.

API keys can only be used to access public data. In this case, you need to authenticate via OAuth 2.0. There's simply no way around it.

Solution:

Take a look at the following example, which shows how to go through the OAuth process: PHP Quickstart .

Avoiding user interaction:

Since, in this case, you would like to avoid user interaction, your only option would be to use a service account that has been granted domain-wide authority . This can be used to act on behalf of any user in a domain, without this user providing explicit authorization.

Because of this, you need to be a G Suite domain administrator in order to use that, and all users for whom this application should execute should be part of this domain.

If that's not the case (if you don't have domain, or not all users belong to this domain), user interaction is required in order to access individual data using People API. That's because users have to authorize the application to access data on their behalf.

Reference:

• People API: Authorize Requests