Signed URLs

Signed URLs allow controlled access to private data in Google Cloud Storage. A signed URL is a URL with an access signature attached, which you can issue for authenticated users to download or upload objects. Signed URLs expire after a specified period of time. You can use signed URLs to share objects with users who don't have access to your Google Cloud Storage bucket. To use signed URLs, you must first enable the Cloud Storage service. Once you've enabled the service, you can create a signed URL by using the generateSignedUrlV4() method in the Google Cloud Storage client library.

When to use Signed URLs

Signed URLs are useful in the following scenarios:

• To share objects with users who don't have access to your Cloud Storage bucket. For example, you could create a signed URL to share a file with a friend or colleague who doesn't have access to your bucket. The user can then use the signed URL to download the file without having to sign in to Google Cloud Storage.
  
• To allow users to upload objects to your Cloud Storage bucket without giving them access to the bucket. For example, you could create a signed URL to allow users to upload files to a specific folder in your bucket. The users can then use the signed URL to upload files without having to sign in to Google Cloud Storage.
  

How to create a Signed URL