Once you've built a powerful Apps Script, the next crucial step is making it accessible to others or deploying it for unattended execution. This section dives into best practices for deploying and sharing your Apps Script projects to ensure smooth operation, clear understanding, and robust security.
- Understand Your Deployment Options: Apps Script offers several ways to deploy your project, each suited for different scenarios. Choosing the right one is key to success.
graph TD; A[Apps Script Project] --> B{Deployment Options}; B --> C[Web App]; B --> D[Add-on]; B --> E[API Executable]; B --> F[Standalone Script];
- Web Apps: Ideal for creating custom user interfaces that can be accessed via a URL, often embedded within other Google Workspace applications or used as standalone web applications. They can respond to HTTP requests and render HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- Add-ons: These extend the functionality of Google Workspace applications like Sheets, Docs, or Calendar. They undergo a review process by Google and are discoverable in the Google Workspace Marketplace.
- API Executables: These allow other applications (including other Apps Scripts) to call your script's functions programmatically via the Apps Script API. This is powerful for building integrations.
- Standalone Scripts: The simplest form, typically triggered by time-driven events, manual execution, or integrations with other services. They don't usually have a direct user interface.
- Version Control Your Deployments: Treat your deployments like software releases. Create distinct versions of your script, especially when making significant changes. This allows you to roll back to a previous stable version if a new deployment introduces bugs.
function deployNewVersion() {
// Your script logic here...
// After testing, go to 'Deploy' > 'New deployment'
// and select 'Save New Version'
}