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I am a bit confused about the Google Drive Realtime API. I'm trying to build a whiteboard like app where users can collaborate in real-time. I figured Google's Realtime API would be perfect for this.

While the Realtime API can accomplish what I want to accomplish, do my users have to authenticate with their Google account to create a real-time document with my app? Do these documents created from my app have to be saved in their Google drive?

I was on a website called Realtimeboard.com. Their interface looks exactly like Google Drive. However, I did not have to login to my Google account to create a real-time collaborative document. Also when I create a real-time collaborative document using this app, the document is not stored in my Google Drive (obviously because I am not authenticated). Does that mean that they are not using the Google Drive Realtime API?

Sameer Anand
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  • I was wondering the same thing, hoping to perhaps be able to open a document on behalf of the application rather than the user. Have you been able to get any further? – Wouter van Vliet Aug 13 '15 at 15:47
  • As far as I know, you must authenticate with Google (using a Google account) to use this API. On 'realtimeboard.com' are you sure they don't have a link to Google at any point of the registration process? – scgough Aug 20 '15 at 12:00
  • Update - just had a look and signed up manually (without Google). When using the app at any time I try to access Google (inserting files, saving files etc) it sends me off to authenticate. – scgough Aug 20 '15 at 12:04

2 Answers2

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To enable collaboration documents are saved in Google Drive, so all users must have Google accounts. See this page for details on the Drive integration: https://developers.google.com/drive/realtime/drive

Cheryl Simon
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Note: The Realtime API does not support anonymous access, even if the document is shared publicly. All users must be logged in with a Google account.

Source

Alternatives could be

but you have to check if they got a mobile API.

Ni Nö
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