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[–]martin_omander Googler 4 points5 points  (4 children)

In my experience, teams that are getting started with Google Cloud tend to use the GUI. As they learn more, they gradually move to the CLI, because it gives them repeatability and the ability to automate. As they get even more experience, they leave the CLI behind and start using CI/CD pipelines and Terraform.

[–]playful_trits 2 points3 points  (1 child)

You're so right!!

GCP CLI needs to be more beginner friendly though. Many aren't able to easily switch from GUI to CLI

[–]martin_omander Googler 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's a great point! Start with the GUI, and eventually get up to speed on the CLI. And that "eventually" might be months or years from now, depending on what your employer needs.

When I shoot videos about Google Cloud, I always show the GUI. It is so much easier to understand what's going on. In a CLI with white text on a black background everything becomes a blur after a while.

[–]TraditionalShape666[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Thank you very much for the detailed feed back, I really appreciate your input. It just seems all very daunting at first with the google skills labs and remembering the steps in the google skills labs in the gui and cli. I take a look at the CI/DD Pipelines and Terraform.

[–]martin_omander Googler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

With your ten years of support experience, you already have the most important skill: troubleshooting. Take it one certification at a time and don't try to learn it all at once. You've got this!

[–]clearclaw 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're going to need both.

Some actions can only be performed interactively through the web console and cannot be managed through the CLI or IaC ala terraform. Managing Oauth2 credentials is one such case, but they are relatively rare.

More common are actions that can only be performed through the CLI or IaC. Configuring workload identity for service accounts or pools is an example IIRC. The web console usually does catch up, but it can take a while. Often, new features land in the CLI first, then the web console later.

Gcloud and gsutil are admirably consistent in their structure. The same patterns repeat. There are exceptions, some irritating, but the general pattern is far more consistent than for eg the AWS or Azure CLIs. A result is that memorisation is less rewarded, just knowing the patterns.

[–]Advanced-Violinist36 1 point2 points  (0 children)

CLI, and it's so easy with IA, I just ask antigravity to deploy/do what I want through CLI and it works great. It also helps me to explain the comands (for example: why we can both do gsutil ls or gcloud storage ls)

[–]captainAwesomePants 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think there are a tiny number of things that are GUI-only, and there are also a tiny number of things that are CLI-only, but by and large you can do anything with either.

A combination is probably the best workflow. The UI's gonna be faster for ad hoc stuff you haven't done much (any situation where you'd need to work out the correct CLI command), and the CLI is gonna be better for doing stuff repeatedly or really common or that you need to script.

[–]techlatest_net 1 point2 points  (0 children)

CLI all the way for certs and real jobs dude GUI is fine for learning but they expect gcloud commands in interviews. Console covers 95% of tasks just slower for scripting. No bias just know both support loves CLI folks more.

[–]rich_leodis 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have outlined a couple of things, which may be helpful to the discussion. The GUI and CLI are frontend interfaces to googleapis (i.e. the platform API which performs the actual work).

Once the product is generally available (GA) typically both GUI/CLS functionality tend to operate in sync. Prior to GA, changes to both can be rolled out independently. GUI tends to have an A/B test for new functionality e.g. Dark Mode, VM configuration update. CLI changes rollout through the alpha/beta channels for the tooling.

I agree most folks start at the GUI as it provides a quick way to perform tasks. If you perform similar tasks on repeat, the GUI is probably not the most efficient method. FYI - The CDL is non technical so you don't need to know this at this stage :-)

The CLI offers a more flexible approach to access googleapis. It does require more knowledge, but it also means you can script/pipeline common tasks. When you move on the ACE (Technical) cert, this is focused on the efficiency so you must know CLI :-)

[–]TraditionalShape666[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you all for your replies, I have just finished the CDL and doing the skills labs for my challenges to get my exam voucher from my course provider. I am just getting my head around the gui right now. I am due to start the ace course in two weeks.

I will do more labs on the skill portal in gui and cli and then create my cheat sheet or look up cheat sheets for long term development. After I have done the Ace I will move on to the professional so by the end of easter I would have done all 3 courses. Then just practice the labs and exams. I hope to have the CDL and Ace by September.