{"id":7196,"date":"2026-09-20T19:31:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T19:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prwatech.in\/blog\/?p=7196"},"modified":"2026-09-21T15:20:53","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T15:20:53","slug":"adding-and-removing-files-in-bucket-using-cloud-sdk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prwatech.in\/blog\/google-cloud-platform\/cloud-storage\/adding-and-removing-files-in-bucket-using-cloud-sdk\/","title":{"rendered":"Adding and removing files in bucket using cloud SDK."},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Adding and Removing Files in a Bucket With gsutil<\/h1>\r\n

gsutil<\/b><\/strong>\u00a0is the command line tool for Cloud Storage, included with the Google Cloud SDK. It covers the same everyday operations as the console, uploading, downloading, and copying files, but as a command you can run repeatedly, put in a script, or run from a machine that never opens a browser at all.<\/p>\r\n

This walks through copying a file from your local machine into a bucket, pulling one back down, copying directly between two buckets, and then the part this guide is actually named for, removing a file for good.<\/p>\r\n

Step by Step Process of Adding and Removing Files<\/h2>\r\n

Step One: Copy a File From Your Local Machine to a Bucket<\/h3>\r\n

gsutil cp LOCAL_FILE_PATH gs:\/\/BUCKET_NAME\/<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Step Two: Copy a File From a Bucket to Your Local Machine<\/h3>\r\n

gsutil cp gs:\/\/BUCKET_NAME\/FILE_NAME LOCAL_DESTINATION_PATH<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Using cloud Shell<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Step Three: Copy a File From One Bucket to Another<\/h3>\r\n

gsutil cp gs:\/\/SOURCE_BUCKET_NAME\/FILE_NAME gs:\/\/DESTINATION_BUCKET_NAME\/FILE_NAME<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\"\"<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Using cloud shell<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Removing a File From a Bucket<\/h2>\r\n

To delete a single object from a bucket:<\/p>\r\n

gsutil rm gs:\/\/BUCKET_NAME\/FILE_NAME<\/p>\r\n

This deletes the object outright. gsutil itself gives no confirmation prompt before removing it, so double check the path before running this, especially with a wildcard.<\/p>\r\n

Removing Many Files at Once<\/h2>\r\n

To remove everything inside a folder like path without deleting the bucket itself:<\/p>\r\n

gsutil rm gs:\/\/BUCKET_NAME\/FOLDER_NAME\/**<\/p>\r\n

For a large number of objects, add the multi threading flag to speed the operation up:<\/p>\r\n

gsutil -m rm gs:\/\/BUCKET_NAME\/FOLDER_NAME\/**<\/p>\r\n

Adding -r instead recursively removes a folder like path and everything under it, and on a versioning enabled bucket, -r also removes every stored version of each object, not just the current one.<\/p>\r\n

Can a Deleted File Be Recovered<\/h2>\r\n

By default, Cloud Storage now keeps a deleted object in a recoverable, soft deleted state for a set number of days before it is gone for good, which can be restored with gcloud storage restore if you catch the mistake in time. This is a genuine safety net that did not always exist, but it is not unlimited, and it can be disabled on a bucket. If your bucket has soft delete turned off, gsutil rm is immediate and final, so treat it that way regardless.<\/p>\r\n

Common Mistakes to Avoid<\/h2>\r\n