Google Ads API Quickstart
Takes developers from first credentials to a working Google Ads campaign-retrieval request.
The document requires standard OAuth scopes, test-account restrictions, and forbids exposing passwords, bypassing token validation, or using cracked wrappers. However, examples handle refresh tokens, client secrets, and service-account private keys without sufficient secret-storage, logging-isolation, user-confirmation, data-flow, revocation, or rollback guidance, so points are deducted.
The main flow, configuration lookup order, and common-error guidance are fairly detailed, but the dynamic-version requirement conflicts with hardcoded offline fallbacks, Java still states JDK 1.8, several references depend on unavailable runtime version resolution, and no committed tests or CI cover key paths. Static calibration limits this score to 10 or below.
The audience, six client-library languages, REST path, and common-error triggers are reasonably clear, with network dependency and MCP non-fit guidance. Non-fit boundaries, tool availability, Chinese-language support, and mainland-China reachability are under-specified; the core workflow depends on Google services that may be unreachable, so points are deducted.
The documentation is layered and includes installation steps, configuration methods, examples, limitations, Apache-2.0 licensing, version metadata, and official provenance. It lacks a named maintenance owner, changelog, and explicit update path, while version placeholders and some language-specific configuration guidance are inconsistent, so points are deducted.
The skill covers credential setup, environment configuration, campaign retrieval, and troubleshooting, and its illustrative outputs are directly useful. However, placeholders require dynamic replacement, implementations are unexecuted, and the REST service-account route is complex; unavailable tools or network access would require substantial manual completion, limiting the score.
Official release notes, client-library documentation, repository sources, and a test-account guide are cited, providing some traceability. The supplied material contains no skill-specific test suite, CI execution evidence, or third-party reproduction, and the sample outputs are illustrative only, so evidence coverage remains limited.
- Do not commit example credentials, refresh tokens, or service-account private keys to repositories, logs, or chats; confirm the target account and request scope first.
- Dynamic version resolution conflicts with offline fallback values and language-specific references; manually verify current API, library, and runtime compatibility before generating code.
- The core workflow depends on Google Ads API, Google Cloud, and browser-based OAuth; restricted networks, including mainland-China networks, may prevent completion.
- This assessment is based solely on static file review; installation, authentication, compilation, requests, and tests were not executed.
What does this skill do, and when should you use it?
This skill is for developers making their first Google Ads API request. It walks through developer tokens, OAuth 2.0 credentials, customer IDs, Manager Account routing, and environment setup. It supports the Python, Java, .NET, PHP, Ruby, and Perl client libraries, plus direct REST requests. It also diagnoses USER_PERMISSION_DENIED and DEVELOPER_TOKEN_NOT_APPROVED and requires dynamic version resolution before producing code or configuration.
Explains how to obtain a developer token from a Google Ads Manager Account; enable the API and create desktop OAuth credentials in Google Cloud Console; use the gcloud CLI to obtain a refresh token; identify client and login customer IDs; choose a client-library or REST track; load the relevant language or REST reference; produce configuration or request examples for retrieving campaigns; and diagnose Manager Account permission routing and pending-token restrictions.
- A developer starting the Google Ads API needs an end-to-end credential and first-request walkthrough.
- A developer accessing a child account through a Manager Account receives USER_PERMISSION_DENIED.
- A developer with a pending developer token needs to work with Google Ads test accounts.
- A developer wants a campaign-retrieval example using an official client library or raw REST.
- A developer working in a restricted runtime needs to choose REST instead of a client library.
What are this skill's strengths and limitations?
- Covers the workflow from credential acquisition to a first campaign-retrieval request.
- Offers six official client-library tracks as well as direct HTTP REST.
- Clearly addresses Manager Account hierarchies, test accounts, and pending developer-token restrictions.
- Includes dynamic version-resolution rules and targeted diagnostics for common setup failures.
- Requires outbound HTTPS access to the Google Ads API and documentation, with cached versions as the stated fallback.
- The supplied source does not include the language reference files, so their example completeness cannot be assessed.
- The source shows no test suite, execution results, or broader runtime-support matrix.
- It does not configure an AI-assistant Google Ads MCP Server; it directs that use case to a separate skill.
How do you install this skill?
In an Agent Skills-compatible environment, run npx skills add google/skills and select skills/ads/google-ads-api-quickstart. The README does not document more specific platform or language installation steps.
How do you use this skill?
Use a request such as “Walk me through the Google Ads API quickstart in Python and retrieve campaigns.” Prepare a developer token, OAuth client credentials, refresh token, client customer ID, and—when accessing a child account through a Manager Account—the login customer ID. Then select one of the six client-library tracks or REST. If network access is restricted, the skill specifies a fallback to the latest stable versions cached in its resources.
How does this skill compare with similar options?
The skill presents official client libraries and direct HTTP REST as its two integration paths. Client libraries are recommended; REST is positioned for lightweight, custom, or restricted runtimes without suitable library support.