How to develop custom applications for Google Apps?

A year ago Google opened Google Solutions Marketplace - online store for third-party applications that can be added to Google Apps account. (Something similar to Salesforce AppExchange). But unlike Salesforce, Google doesn't promote this marketplace. Even, there is no link to applications catalog in the Google Apps control panel. Nevertheless, already about two hundreds different applications have been submitted to the marketplace. They share the Google Apps login and integrate with native apps (like Docs or Calendar) by means of APIs. For example, you can create a project management system and link its internal tasks to documents in Google Docs or contacts in Google Contacts.



Besides recently Google officially introduced Google Apps Script, that is available now in the Enterprise version. Google Apps Script - is a macros language, that is used to automate different functions in Google Apps: i.e. calculating cell values in Google Spreadsheets, creating Google Calendar appointments or sending e-mail. Unlike Microsoft's Visual Basic, Google Script is based on JavaScript, that is familiar to most web-developers. But in contrast to JavaScript, Google script is executed on server (not on local machine). On the one hand this assures high security level, but on the other hand - you can connect the script with your in-house applications. The script editor is available in Google Spreadsheets -> Tools menu.

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