Classroom API overview

Schools and technology companies can use the Classroom API to build tools that interact with Classroom and Google Workspace for Education, and make Classroom work better for their needs. The Classroom API is a Google developer API. This means that non-Google services can benefit from Google’s tools and infrastructure.

To use the Classroom API, developers have to agree to the Classroom API Terms of Service. Other apps can’t use Classroom data for advertising purposes.

Who can use the Classroom API?

Third-party developers and administrators can use the Classroom API. Teachers and students can authorise third-party applications.

What can you do with the Classroom API?

Using the Classroom API, you can do programmatically many of the things that teachers and students can do through the Classroom UI. For example, you can synchronise with student information systems, view all the classes being taught in a domain and manage coursework.

Non-Google services can use the Classroom API to integrate features with Classroom. For example, an app might let a teacher copy and reuse a Classroom class, instead of re-creating the class and re-adding each student. Applications can also programmatically view, create and modify Classroom work, add materials to work, hand in work for students and send marks back to Classroom.

How does an application access Classroom data?

Before an app or service can access Classroom data, the app must request authorisation from the Classroom user. The app asks for the specific permissions it needs (such as a username, email address or profile photo), and the user can approve or reject the service’s request. To authorise permission, the Classroom API uses a common Internet standard called OAuth.

For Google Workspace for Education administrators

As a Google Workspace for Education administrator, you control how data in a domain is shared. In the Google Admin console, you can specify whether teachers and students in your domain can authorise services to access their Classroom data. You can configure access by organisational unit. Learn how to set Classroom data access.

In the Admin console, you can also view the services that have been granted access to a user's account in your domain, and you can revoke authorisations if needed.

What does the Classroom API do for users?

The specific tasks that the Classroom API can perform depends on what role a user has in a class. Just like in the Classroom UI, a user can be a student, teacher or administrator. Teachers and students can approve third-party applications and report abuse.

If the user is a…	The API can…
Student	View the course details and teachers for that course
Teacher	Create, view or delete their classes View, add or remove students and additional teachers from their classes View and return work, create assignments and topics, and set marks  in their classes
Administrator	Create, view or delete any class in their Google Workspace for Education domain Add or remove students and teachers in all classes in their domain View work and topics in all classes in their domain

 

 

For details on the Classroom API, see developers.google.com/classroom.