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Google Contacts Data API

How do I start?

If you're new to the Contacts Data API, here's how we recommend you get started:

  1. Get familiar with the Google Data APIs.
  2. Read the Contacts Data API Developer's Guide.
  3. Refer to the Reference Guide as needed.
  4. Promote your finished application in the Solutions Marketplace.

If you're new to the Portable Contacts API, read the Portable Contacts API Developer's Guide.

What are the Google Contacts APIs?

The Google Contacts APIs allow client applications and other data consumers to request Google Contacts content.

If read-only access is sufficient for your needs, then consider using the Portable Contacts API. If you need write access to Google Contacts, then use the Data API. The two APIs supply the same information in different formats.

Google Contacts Data API

The Google Contacts Data API allows client applications to view and update Contacts content in the form of Google Data API feeds. Your client application can request a list of a user's contacts, edit or delete content in an existing contact, and query the content in an existing contact.

Here are some of the things you can do with the Contacts Data API:

  • Synchronize Google contacts with contacts on a mobile device
  • Maintain relationships between people in social applications
  • Give users the ability to communicate directly with their friends from external applications using phone, email, and IM

Portable Contacts API (Experimental)

The Portable Contacts standard allows a client application to retrieve a user's lists of contacts from a variety of web services.

Google's implementation of Portable Contacts lets your web application request data from Google Contacts, in standard Portable Contacts format.