Create and start a Compute Engine instance
Archived: 2026-04-06 02:58:15 UTC
When you use the Google Cloud console to access Google Cloud services and APIs, you don't need to set up
authentication.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI. After installation, initialize the Google Cloud CLI by running the following
command:
gcloud init
If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
2. Set a default region and zone.
To use the Terraform samples on this page in a local development environment, install and initialize the gcloud
CLI, and then set up Application Default Credentials with your user credentials.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI.
2. If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
3. If you're using a local shell, then create local authentication credentials for your user account:
gcloud auth application-default login
You don't need to do this if you're using Cloud Shell.
If an authentication error is returned, and you are using an external identity provider (IdP), confirm that
you have signed in to the gcloud CLI with your federated identity.
For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.
To use the .NET samples on this page in a local development environment, install and initialize the gcloud CLI,
and then set up Application Default Credentials with your user credentials.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI.
2. If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
3. If you're using a local shell, then create local authentication credentials for your user account:
https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/instances/create-start-instance#api_2
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gcloud auth application-default login
You don't need to do this if you're using Cloud Shell.
If an authentication error is returned, and you are using an external identity provider (IdP), confirm that
you have signed in to the gcloud CLI with your federated identity.
For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.
To use the Go samples on this page in a local development environment, install and initialize the gcloud CLI, and
then set up Application Default Credentials with your user credentials.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI.
2. If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
3. If you're using a local shell, then create local authentication credentials for your user account:
gcloud auth application-default login
You don't need to do this if you're using Cloud Shell.
If an authentication error is returned, and you are using an external identity provider (IdP), confirm that
you have signed in to the gcloud CLI with your federated identity.
For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.
To use the Java samples on this page in a local development environment, install and initialize the gcloud CLI,
and then set up Application Default Credentials with your user credentials.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI.
2. If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
3. If you're using a local shell, then create local authentication credentials for your user account:
gcloud auth application-default login
You don't need to do this if you're using Cloud Shell.
If an authentication error is returned, and you are using an external identity provider (IdP), confirm that
you have signed in to the gcloud CLI with your federated identity.
For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.
https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/instances/create-start-instance#api_2
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To use the Node.js samples on this page in a local development environment, install and initialize the gcloud CLI,
and then set up Application Default Credentials with your user credentials.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI.
2. If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
3. If you're using a local shell, then create local authentication credentials for your user account:
gcloud auth application-default login
You don't need to do this if you're using Cloud Shell.
If an authentication error is returned, and you are using an external identity provider (IdP), confirm that
you have signed in to the gcloud CLI with your federated identity.
For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.
To use the PHP samples on this page in a local development environment, install and initialize the gcloud CLI,
and then set up Application Default Credentials with your user credentials.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI.
2. If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
3. If you're using a local shell, then create local authentication credentials for your user account:
gcloud auth application-default login
You don't need to do this if you're using Cloud Shell.
If an authentication error is returned, and you are using an external identity provider (IdP), confirm that
you have signed in to the gcloud CLI with your federated identity.
For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.
To use the Python samples on this page in a local development environment, install and initialize the gcloud CLI,
and then set up Application Default Credentials with your user credentials.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI.
2. If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
3. If you're using a local shell, then create local authentication credentials for your user account:
https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/instances/create-start-instance#api_2
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gcloud auth application-default login
You don't need to do this if you're using Cloud Shell.
If an authentication error is returned, and you are using an external identity provider (IdP), confirm that
you have signed in to the gcloud CLI with your federated identity.
For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.
To use the Ruby samples on this page in a local development environment, install and initialize the gcloud CLI,
and then set up Application Default Credentials with your user credentials.
1. Install the Google Cloud CLI.
2. If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
3. If you're using a local shell, then create local authentication credentials for your user account:
gcloud auth application-default login
You don't need to do this if you're using Cloud Shell.
If an authentication error is returned, and you are using an external identity provider (IdP), confirm that
you have signed in to the gcloud CLI with your federated identity.
For more information, see Set up authentication for a local development environment.
To use the REST API samples on this page in a local development environment, you use the credentials you
provide to the gcloud CLI.
Install the Google Cloud CLI.
If you're using an external identity provider (IdP), you must first sign in to the gcloud CLI with your
federated identity.
For more information, see Authenticate for using REST in the Google Cloud authentication documentation.
Source: https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/instances/create-start-instance#api_2
https://cloud.google.com/compute/docs/instances/create-start-instance#api_2
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