Google Drive is a widely-used cloud storage service that allows users to store, share, and collaborate on files online. While Google Drive is a product of Google and not Apple, it is still highly relevant for macOS users due to its cross-platform compatibility and robust feature set. This article will guide you through the process of setting up and using Google Drive on your macOS system. We will cover the installation of the Google Drive application, how to sync files, and how to use Google Drive via the command line.

Installation and Setup

1. Download Google Drive for Desktop:

   • Visit the Google Drive download page in your web browser.
   • Click on "Download Drive for desktop."

2. Install Google Drive for Desktop:

   • Open the downloaded .dmg file.
   • Drag the Google Drive icon to the Applications folder.
   • Open the Google Drive app from the Applications folder.
   • Sign in with your Google account credentials.

3. Configure Sync Settings:

   • After signing in, you will be prompted to choose which folders to sync between your Google Drive and your macOS system.
   • You can choose to sync either the entire Google Drive or specific folders.

Using Google Drive via Command Line

While the Google Drive GUI application is straightforward, advanced users might prefer to interact with Google Drive via the command line for automation purposes. This can be accomplished using the gdrive command-line tool.

1. Install gdrive:

   • Open the Terminal application.
   • Install gdrive using Homebrew (if you don't have Homebrew installed, visit brew.sh to install it first):

     brew install gdrive

2. Authenticate gdrive:

   • Run the following command to authenticate:

     gdrive about

   • Follow the on-screen instructions to authenticate with your Google account.

3. Basic gdrive Commands:

   • List Files:

     gdrive list

   • Upload a File:

     gdrive upload <file-path>

   • Download a File:

     gdrive download <file-id>

   • Delete a File:

     gdrive delete <file-id>

Examples:

• Uploading a File:

  gdrive upload /Users/yourusername/Documents/example.txt

• Downloading a File:

  gdrive download 1A2B3C4D5E6F7G8H9I0J

• Listing Files:

  gdrive list

• Deleting a File:

  gdrive delete 1A2B3C4D5E6F7G8H9I0J