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Connecting to Cloud Bigtable with cbt

Sometimes data is relatively straight-forward — there's just an overwhelming amount of it. That's exactly what Cloud Bigtable is meant for. Cloud Bigtable is a fully managed NoSQL database service designed to handle massive amounts of information. In this hands-on lab, you’ll configure database instances and clusters for Cloud Bigtable in the console and then use command line `cbt` commands to create a schema and populate the table with data.

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Path Info

Level
Clock icon Beginner
Duration
Clock icon 30m
Last updated
Clock icon Aug 25, 2025

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Table of Contents

  1. Challenge

    Enable API

    1. From the main navigation, choose APIs & Services > Library.
    2. In the search field, enter Bigtable.
    3. Select the Cloud Bigtable Admin API card.
    4. Click Enable.

  2. Challenge

    Create Bigtable Instance

    1. From the main navigation, choose Bigtable in the Storage section.
    2. Choose Create instance.
    3. Set the following fields:
      • Instance Name: la-data-cbt
      • Storage type: HDD
      • Cluster Region: us-east1
      • Cluster Zone: us-east1-b
    4. Click Done and then Create.

  3. Challenge

    Install and Configure `cbt`

    1. Activate the Cloud Shell by clicking its icon in the top row.

    2. Configure cbt with the following commands: echo "project = ${DEVSHELL_PROJECT_ID}" > ~/.cbt echo instance = la-data-cbt >> ~/.cbtrc

    Note: If you do not have the cbt sdk installed then do the following:

    1. In the Cloud Shell, enter the following: gcloud components update gcloud components install cbt

  4. Challenge

    Create Data Table

    1. In the Cloud Shell, enter the following:

       cbt createtable la-table
 cbt ls

  5. Challenge

    Define Table Structure and Add Data

    1. In the Cloud Shell, enter the following: cbt createfamily la-table offerings cbt set la-table r1 offerings:c1=labs cbt read la-table

    2. Review results.

    3. Enter the following: cbt set la-table r1 offerings:c2=courses cbt read la-table

  6. Challenge

    Delete Bigtable Instance

    1. From the console, select the Bigtable instance.
    2. Choose Delete instance.
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Pluralsight Skills

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

What's a lab?

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

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We will provide the credentials and environment necessary for you to practice right within your browser.

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Follow along with the author’s guided walkthrough and build something new in your provided environment!

Did you know?

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you get time for practice.
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