Google Search Console CLI

Use this skill when working with this repository's `gsc` CLI, including Google Cloud OAuth client setup, CLI authentication, troubleshooting auth/config issu...

Google Search Console CLI Skill

Use this skill to operate and troubleshoot the gsc CLI in this repository.

When To Use

Use this skill when the task involves any of:

• setting up OAuth credentials for Google Search Console
• authenticating this CLI
• listing properties, managing sitemaps, URL inspection, or Search Analytics queries
• diagnosing auth/config/API connectivity issues

Prerequisites

• Python environment with this project installed (gsc command available)
• A Google account with access to at least one Search Console property
• Search Console API enabled for the Google Cloud project used by OAuth

Install This CLI

Recommended (pipx, global gsc command):

python3 -m pip install --user pipx
python3 -m pipx ensurepath
pipx install google-search-console-cli
gsc --version

From source (development):

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -e ".[dev]"
gsc --help

From source (pipx, editable):

pipx install -e /absolute/path/to/google-search-console-cli
gsc --help

OAuth Client Setup In Google Cloud (Desktop App)

As of February 26, 2026, create OAuth client credentials in Google Cloud Console using these steps:

1. Open Google Cloud Console and select/create a project.
2. Enable the Search Console API for that project.
3. Configure OAuth consent screen:
   • choose External for personal/testing usage (or Internal for Workspace org-only)
   • fill required app fields (app name, support email, developer contact)
   • add your Google account as a test user if app is in testing mode
4. Go to APIs & Services -> Credentials.
5. Click Create credentials -> OAuth client ID.
6. Choose application type Desktop app.
7. Create and download the OAuth client JSON (client_secret_*.json).

Notes:

• UI labels can shift, but you must end with a Desktop OAuth client JSON file.
• Keep the downloaded JSON private.

Authenticate This CLI

Preferred login flow:

gsc auth login --client-secret /absolute/path/to/client_secret.json

Useful auth options:

• --readonly: request readonly scope only (webmasters.readonly)
• --no-launch-browser: print the auth URL without auto-opening a browser

Verify credentials:

gsc auth whoami
gsc doctor

Default storage paths:

• credentials: ~/.config/gsc-cli/credentials.json
• app config: ~/.config/gsc-cli/config.json

Env overrides:

• GSC_CREDENTIALS_FILE
• GSC_APP_CONFIG_FILE
• GSC_CONFIG_DIR

Optional: Set Default Property

gsc config set default-site sc-domain:example.com
gsc config get default-site

When set, commands that accept --site can omit it.

Command Reference

Top-level:

• gsc --version
• gsc --help
• gsc doctor

auth

• gsc auth login --client-secret FILE [--readonly] [--no-launch-browser]
• gsc auth whoami [--output table|json]

config

• gsc config set default-site SITE_URL
• gsc config get default-site

site

• gsc site list [--output table|json|csv] [--csv-path FILE]
• gsc site get [--site SITE] [--output table|json|csv] [--csv-path FILE]
• gsc site add [--site SITE]

SITE example: sc-domain:example.com.

sitemap

• gsc sitemap list [--site SITE] [--sitemap-index TEXT] [--output table|json|csv] [--csv-path FILE]
• gsc sitemap get [--site SITE] --feedpath TEXT [--output table|json|csv] [--csv-path FILE]
• gsc sitemap submit [--site SITE] --feedpath TEXT
• gsc sitemap delete [--site SITE] --feedpath TEXT

--feedpath alias: --path.

url

• gsc url inspect [--site SITE] --url URL [--language-code CODE] [--output table|json|csv] [--csv-path FILE]

Defaults:

• --language-code en-US

analytics

• gsc analytics query --start-date YYYY-MM-DD --end-date YYYY-MM-DD [options]

Options:

• --site SITE
• --dimension country|date|device|hour|page|query|searchAppearance (repeatable)
• --type discover|googleNews|image|news|video|web
• --aggregation-type auto|byNewsShowcasePanel|byPage|byProperty
• --row-limit 1..25000
• --start-row >=0
• --data-state all|final|hourly_all
• --filter dimension:operator:expression (repeatable)
• --output table|json|csv
• --csv-path FILE

Supported filter dimensions:

• country, device, page, query, searchAppearance

Supported filter operators:

• contains, equals, notContains, notEquals, includingRegex, excludingRegex

Constraint:

• --aggregation-type byProperty cannot be combined with page dimension or page filter.

Quick Examples

# List properties
gsc site list

# Get one property
gsc site get --site sc-domain:example.com

# List sitemaps
gsc sitemap list --site sc-domain:example.com

# Inspect one URL
gsc url inspect --site sc-domain:example.com --url https://example.com/page --output json

# Analytics query
gsc analytics query \
  --site sc-domain:example.com \
  --start-date 2026-01-01 \
  --end-date 2026-01-31 \
  --dimension date \
  --dimension query \
  --filter query:contains:brand

Troubleshooting

• Auth error: Stored credentials do not include required scope ...

  • Re-run login with needed scope. For write commands, run login without --readonly.

• No local OAuth credentials found...

  • Run: gsc auth login --client-secret <path>

• No site specified. Pass --site or set one...

  • pass --site or set default via gsc config set default-site ...

• API failures / uncertain setup state

  • run gsc doctor first, then address failing checks.