Setting Up Your GCP Project: Console, Billing & IAM Basics

Google Cloud Platform (GCP) offers a robust suite of cloud services for building, deploying, and scaling applications. In this guide, we'll walk through the essential steps to set up your GCP project, including navigating the console, configuring billing, and managing IAM roles.

1. Accessing the GCP Console

Start by navigating to the GCP Console. If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll need to create one.

Once logged in, the dashboard provides access to all GCP services. Use the project dropdown in the top navigation bar to create or select a project.

2. Understanding GCP Project Structure

Every resource you create in GCP lives inside a project. Projects are isolated workspaces with their own resources, settings, billing, and IAM policies.

• Project ID: A unique identifier across GCP (cannot be changed).
• Project Name: Human-readable (can be changed).
• Project Number: A numeric ID used for APIs and billing.

3. Setting Up a Billing Account

Before using most GCP services, you must link a billing account. Head to Billing in the console and follow these steps:

1. Click “Manage Billing Accounts”.
2. Create a new billing account or use an existing one.
3. Link it to your GCP project via the “My Projects” tab.

You can also set budgets and alerts to monitor usage and avoid unexpected charges.

4. Introduction to IAM (Identity and Access Management)

IAM lets you control who (users) has what access (roles) to which resources. It uses the principle of least privilege.

• Members: Users, service accounts, groups, or domains.
• Roles: A collection of permissions (e.g., Viewer, Editor, Owner).
• Policies: Bindings between members and roles at a project, folder, or resource level.

Common IAM Roles

• roles/viewer: Read-only access to view resources.
• roles/editor: Read-write access to most resources.
• roles/owner: Full control, including billing and permissions.

5. Granting IAM Roles

To add a user or service account:

1. Go to IAM & Admin → IAM in the console.
2. Click “Grant Access”.
3. Enter the member’s email, assign a role, and save.

Conclusion

Setting up your GCP project correctly from the start ensures better organization, cost control, and security. Make sure you’re familiar with the console, connect billing early, and apply IAM roles carefully based on responsibility.