Google Drive is a cloud storage service that allows users to store and synchronize files across various devices and platforms. It's a popular choice for many people who want to store and share files online. In this article, we'll show you how to install Google Drive on Ubuntu with code examples.
Before we begin, it's important to note that Google Drive doesn't have a native app for Linux. However, there are some third-party tools and services that allow Linux users to access and use Google Drive. In this tutorial, we'll use two tools: google-drive-ocamlfuse and Grive2.
google-drive-ocamlfuse
google-drive-ocamlfuse is a FUSE-based file system that allows you to mount your Google Drive account as a local drive on any Linux system. It supports most of the features of Google Drive, such as file sharing, renaming, and folder creation. Here's how to install it on Ubuntu:
Step 1: Install dependencies
You need to install some dependencies before installing the google-drive-ocamlfuse package. Open your terminal and type the following commands:
sudo apt-get install libfuse-dev libcurl4-openssl-dev libxml2-dev pkg-config
Step 2: Add PPA
Now, you need to add the google-drive-ocamlfuse PPA to your system. Type the following command in your terminal:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:alessandro-strada/ppa
Step 3: Update your system
After adding the PPA, you need to update your system by running the following command:
sudo apt-get update
Step 4: Install google-drive-ocamlfuse
Finally, you can install google-drive-ocamlfuse by running the following command:
sudo apt-get install google-drive-ocamlfuse
Note: You may be prompted to set up OAuth2 credentials for google-drive-ocamlfuse. Follow the on-screen instructions to create and authorize the app.
Step 5: Mount your Google Drive
Once you've installed google-drive-ocamlfuse, you can mount your Google Drive by running the following command:
google-drive-ocamlfuse mountpoint
Replace 'mountpoint' with the path where you want to mount your Google Drive. For example, you can mount Google Drive in your home directory:
google-drive-ocamlfuse ~/GoogleDrive
To unmount your Google Drive, run the following command:
fusermount -u mountpoint
Replace 'mountpoint' with the mount path of your Google Drive. For example:
fusermount -u ~/GoogleDrive
Grive2
Grive2 is another popular command-line tool that allows you to sync files between your Linux system and Google Drive. It's a fork of the original Grive tool, which was discontinued in 2013. Grive2 is actively maintained and supports most of the features of Google Drive.
Here's how to install Grive2 on Ubuntu:
Step 1: Install dependencies
You need to install some dependencies before installing Grive2. Open your terminal and type the following commands:
sudo apt-get install git cmake build-essential libgcrypt11-dev libyajl-dev libboost-all-dev libcurl4-openssl-dev libexpat1-dev libcppunit-dev binutils-dev zlib1g-dev dpkg-dev
Step 2: Download and Install Grive2
Now, you can download and install Grive2 by running the following commands:
git clone https://github.com/vitalif/grive2.git
cd grive2
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make -j4
sudo make install
Note: The 'make -j4' command above is used to speed up the compilation process by using multiple CPU cores. If you have a slower CPU, you can omit the '-j4' parameter.
Step 3: Configure Grive2
After installing Grive2, you need to configure it by running the following command:
grive -a
This will launch a web browser and prompt you to authorize the Grive2 app to access your Google Drive account.
Step 4: Sync your Google Drive
Once you've authorized Grive2, you can sync your Google Drive by running the following command:
grive
This will download all your Google Drive files to your local directory. You can then use commands like 'mv', 'cp', and 'rm' to manage your Google Drive files locally. To upload changes back to Google Drive, simply run the 'grive' command again.
Conclusion
In this article, we've shown you how to install Google Drive on Ubuntu using two different tools: google-drive-ocamlfuse and Grive2. Each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages, so choose the one that works best for you. With Google Drive installed on Ubuntu, you can easily store and sync your files in the cloud and access them from anywhere.
here are some additional information and tips about installing Google Drive on Ubuntu using google-drive-ocamlfuse and Grive2:
google-drive-ocamlfuse
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Mounting Google Drive using google-drive-ocamlfuse gives you access to your files as if they were in a local directory, which makes it easy to manage your files using familiar Linux commands.
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You can customize your mount options using command line parameters. For example, you can use the '-allow_other' parameter to allow other users on your system to access your mounted Google Drive or '-uid=1000,gid=1000' to mount your Google Drive with specific user and group ID (replace 1000 with your own user and group ID).
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You can also use google-drive-ocamlfuse without root privileges by adding your user to the 'fuse' group using the following command: 'sudo usermod -a -G fuse yourusername'. Then, you can mount your Google Drive without 'sudo' using the command 'google-drive-ocamlfuse mountpoint'.
Grive2
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Unlike google-drive-ocamlfuse, Grive2 doesn't mount Google Drive as a local directory but rather syncs your files between your Google Drive account and a local directory. This allows you to manage your files using a file manager or any other tool you prefer.
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Grive2 supports syncing both ways, which means you can upload changes made to your local files to Google Drive and download changes made to your Google Drive files to your local directory.
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By default, Grive2 syncs all files in your Google Drive to your local directory, which can take up a lot of storage space. You can customize the sync behavior using the 'grive -p path' command, where 'path' is the path to the directory you want to sync. For example, if you only want to sync files in a specific folder in your Google Drive, you can use the command 'grive -p "Google Drive/MyFolder"'.
Overall, both tools are easy to install and use and provide different ways to access and manage your Google Drive files on Ubuntu. Choose the one that fits your needs and preferences.
Popular questions
- What is google-drive-ocamlfuse, and how do I install it on Ubuntu?
google-drive-ocamlfuse is a FUSE-based file system that allows you to mount your Google Drive account as a local drive on any Linux system. To install it on Ubuntu, you need to add the PPA and dependencies, and then use the following command: sudo apt-get install google-drive-ocamlfuse.
- How do I customize the mount options when using google-drive-ocamlfuse?
You can customize the mount options using command line parameters. For example, you can use the '-allow_other' parameter to allow other users on your system to access your mounted Google Drive, or '-uid=1000,gid=1000' to mount your Google Drive with specific user and group ID.
- What is Grive2, and how is it different from google-drive-ocamlfuse?
Grive2 is a command-line tool that allows you to sync files between your Linux system and Google Drive. Unlike google-drive-ocamlfuse, Grive2 syncs your files between your Google Drive account and a local directory, which makes it easy to manage your files using a file manager or any other tool you prefer.
- How do I sync specific files/folders using Grive2?
By default, Grive2 syncs all files in your Google Drive to your local directory. To sync specific files or folders, you can use the 'grive -p path' command, where 'path' is the path to the directory you want to sync. For example, if you only want to sync files in a specific folder in your Google Drive, you can use the command 'grive -p "Google Drive/MyFolder"'.
- Can I use google-drive-ocamlfuse without root privileges?
Yes, you can use google-drive-ocamlfuse without root privileges by adding your user to the 'fuse' group using the following command: 'sudo usermod -a -G fuse yourusername'. Then, you can mount your Google Drive without 'sudo' using the command 'google-drive-ocamlfuse mountpoint'.
Tag
"UBUNTU-GDRIVE"
