I’m trying to add Google Drive functionality to my Android app but running into some issues. When I worked with Dropbox before, their SDK was really straightforward and had tons of clear examples that made integration super easy.
With Google Drive though, I’m finding it much more challenging. The Gdata SDK they provide feels really bloated and adds way too much to my app size because of all the extra dependencies it brings along. Plus the documentation seems pretty technical and low-level, which makes it hard for me to understand how to actually implement basic features.
Does anyone know where I can find some working sample projects that show Google Drive integration? Or if someone could share a basic code example showing how to upload and download files, that would really help me get started on the right track.
I encountered similar frustrations with Google Drive integration when I began. The documentation indeed lacks clarity compared to other platforms. I recommend bypassing the SDK and using the REST API directly for a more streamlined experience. The Google Drive REST API v3 simplifies many tasks once you grasp the authentication process. Begin with OAuth2, then execute standard HTTP requests for operations like uploading, which requires multipart requests, and downloading, which uses GET requests with the file ID. Pay close attention to the scopes during authentication to ensure everything runs smoothly. Engaging directly with REST endpoints provided insights that helped me tailor the application to my specific requirements without unnecessary complications.
just use the google-api-services-drive library - don’t overcomplicate it. pair GoogleSignInAccount with Drive.Builder and you’re set. i wasted weeks on this because every tutorial makes it way harder than it needs to be. the Drive service does all the work for basic uploads and downloads.
The official Google APIs Client Library for Android works great once you set it up right. I had the same bloat problems you’re dealing with, but you can exclude unnecessary dependencies through Gradle to keep your APK size down. For auth, GoogleAccountCredential is the way to go - it handles OAuth automatically with whatever Google accounts are already on the device. My biggest breakthrough was figuring out that file operations need proper MIME type handling, and you’ll want MediaHttpUploader for chunked uploads on larger files. The Drive API samples on GitHub have working examples, though they’re kind of hidden in the docs. Start with the quickstart guide and just request the drive.file scope at first - it only gives access to files your app creates. This gave me way better control over permissions and made debugging a lot easier.