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Women-Coding-Community / wcc-backend

Backend for Women Coding Community Platform Project
MIT License
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Spike Google Drive for Resources #124

Open dricazenck opened 1 week ago

dricazenck commented 1 week ago
dricazenck commented 1 week ago

it’s possible to use Google Drive as an assets provider, but it is not as straightforward or as robust as using Amazon S3 or other dedicated object storage services. Here are some important considerations and steps if you want to try using

Google Drive for storing assets:

1. API Limitations and Performance

Google Drive is designed primarily as a file storage solution rather than an object storage service for high-performance content delivery. Google Drive API has rate limits, so for a large number of requests or high throughput, this approach might not be optimal. Google Drive does not have the same CDN capabilities as S3, so you may face performance issues when delivering assets to a global audience.

2. File Access and Permissions

Files in Google Drive are private by default. You would need to set each file to "Anyone with the link" or "Anyone on the internet can view" to make them accessible publicly. For a more programmatic approach, you can use a service account to handle the permissions and share access with users as needed.

3. Direct Links for Public Access

Google Drive doesn’t provide direct URLs to files as S3 does, but you can generate “shareable links” that users can access. You can use the file ID from Google Drive links to programmatically create URLs for public access. For example: https://drive.google.com/uc?id=FILE_ID&export=download Use uc?id=FILE_ID&export=download instead of the standard sharing link to bypass the Google Drive file viewer and download the file directly.

4. Integration with Google Drive API

You can use the Google Drive API to upload, download, and manage files programmatically. With the API, you can upload files to Google Drive, retrieve file IDs, and generate shareable links. You will need to set up OAuth 2.0 for user authorization or a service account for server-to-server communication.

5. Caching and CDN

Since Google Drive is not a CDN, you may experience latency or throttling issues. To mitigate this, you could use a CDN service (like Cloudflare) in front of your Google Drive links for better caching and improved performance. Note that some CDNs may not work as well with Google Drive due to the lack of direct access and headers needed for cache control.

6. Programmatic Approach to Asset Management

To simulate object storage, you can write scripts to manage assets within Google Drive, including: Uploading and storing asset file IDs in your database for easy retrieval. Generating and caching direct download URLs. However, remember that Google Drive folders and files are more rigid than S3 buckets, so achieving similar structure and management capabilities may require workarounds. Example Workflow Using Google Drive as an Asset Store Set Up Google Cloud Project and Enable Drive API:

Create a Google Cloud project and enable the Google Drive API. Set up OAuth 2.0 or use a service account if you need backend access. Upload Files via Google Drive API:

Use the Drive API to upload files to a designated Google Drive folder. Store the file ID returned by the API for later use. Generate Direct Access Links:

Use the file ID to generate a direct download link: https://drive.google.com/uc?id=FILE_ID&export=download

Implement Caching with a CDN (Optional):

Place a CDN like Cloudflare in front of your generated links to improve load times and manage cache headers.

When to Consider S3 Instead

If you need frequent, large, or highly scalable content delivery, S3 (or similar storage solutions) is a more suitable option than Google Drive due to: Better performance with high request rates and large datasets. Built-in CDN support (via AWS CloudFront). Granular permissions, versioning, and easier access to direct URLs.

Summary

While Google Drive can be used as a basic assets provider for limited scenarios, it’s best suited for smaller projects or limited use cases where performance and scalability are not critical. If your project requires high availability, security, or scalability, a dedicated object storage solution like S3 would be more appropriate.