Learn coding using Google Sheets and Apps Script

I am going to teach you to code using Google Sheets and Apps Script. I’m not going to teach you every single coding concept but I'll teach you enough to build simple applications. Along the way, I will also teach you “the other things” that are important for building successful products.

I'm a product manager, teacher and a self-taught programmer. I started learning Apps Script a few years ago because I wanted to automate a few reports tasks that I was putting together manually at that time. Since then, I've built a fairly large number of "micro apps" using Apps Script and other G Suite products. These apps have helped me become more productive at work by automating manual tasks. Apps Script is my superpower and it can become yours too!

Why use Google Sheets to learn coding?

I consider spreadsheets to be the world’s most popular programming environment. I've used Microsoft Excel and more recently Google Sheets to solve a number of business problems. Millions of people have similarly solved their own problems using various spreadsheet software.

I picked Google Sheets specifically because lots of businesses and schools use it and anyone that has a Gmail account can begin using it for free. Google Sheets also comes with a coding platform called Apps Script that makes it super easy to build useful applications.

Prerequisites

You’re familiar with the basic G Suite apps

I’m going to assume that you’re familiar with Google Sheets and Google Forms. If not, there are a number of tutorials on YouTube and on the web about these products.

You must have a G Suite account or a Gmail account

I’m using a G Suite account but everything should work fine even if you’re using a Gmail account. If you don’t have one of these accounts, you can create a Gmail account for FREE at https://www.google.com/gmail/.