Google Apps Script is a JavaScript cloud scripting language that lets you extend Google Apps and build web applications. Scripts are developed in Google Apps Script’s browser-based script editor, and they are stored in and run from Google’s servers.

Google Apps Script is very versatile. Here are some examples of things you can do with Google Apps Script:

• Build custom functions in a Google Spreadsheet
• Extend certain Google Apps products by creating custom menus linked to scripts
• Create and publish web applications, which can run on their own or embedded within a Google Site
• Schedule tasks like report creation and distribution and run them on a custom schedule
• Automate workflows such as document or expense approvals, order fulfillment, time-tracking, and more

Development Environment

You can do all your Google Apps Script development in a browser. The Google Apps Script development environment centers around the script editor, which lets you manage files and projects, include other scripts as libraries, and debug your scripts.

With Google Apps Script, there are no client libraries to install and no servers to maintain. The script editor can be accessed directly at http://script.google.com, or by launching it from one of the Google products which support built-in access to the script editor, such as Google Spreadsheets and Google Sites. Throughout the documentation, we will refer to these products with built-in access to the script editor as containers. For more details, see the Managing Projects section of the documentation.

Prerequisites

All you need to get started is a Google Account or a Google Apps Account (see this FAQ to understand the difference), a supported browser, and a basic understanding of JavaScript. If you're new to JavaScript, MDN's JavaScript wiki has a lot of information, including a Reference and a Guide. Note that these materials were neither developed by nor associated with Google.