Working with BigQuery in Google Cloud Shell

Libraries: If you want this lab, consider one of these libraries.
Cloud
Data

Working with BigQuery in Google Cloud Shell

Cloud BigQuery boasts extremely fast processing—terabytes of information in seconds, petabytes in minutes—while remaining straightforward to query via standard SQL. Best of all, BigQuery is accessible through a number of methods, including web console and API. In this hands-on lab, you’ll use another pathway (Google Cloud Shell) to perform a series of BigQuery operations, including creating a dataset, defining a table and its schema, importing data into that table and, finally, running a series of SQL queries on the BigQuery platform.

Get started Contact sales

Lab Info

Level

Beginner

Last updated

Sep 23, 2025

Duration

30m

Challenge

Activate Cloud Shell
1. Click the Activate Cloud Shell icon at the top of the console page.
Challenge

Retrieve the Data Files
1. In the Cloud Shell, run the following command: gsutil cp gs://acg-gcp-labs-resources/essentials/MetObjects_BQ_Lab.csv .
Challenge

Create a BigQuery Dataset
1. Create a BigQuery dataset with the following command: bq mk metobjects
2. List the current datasets with the following command: bq ls
Challenge

Load the Data
1. Import the data into the dataset with the following command: bq load --source_format=CSV --skip_leading_rows=1 metobjects.linkedObjects MetObjects_BQ_Lab.csv title:STRING,artist:STRING,year:INTEGER,link:STRING
2. View the dataset with the following commands: bq ls metobjects bq show metobjects.linkedObjects

Challenge

Query the Dataset

Execute a SQL query with the following command:

bq query "SELECT year,title,artist FROM metobjects.linkedObjects WHERE year > 2000 ORDER BY year DESC LIMIT 15"

Execute a second SQL query:

bq query "SELECT title,link FROM metobjects.linkedObjects WHERE year > 2000 ORDER BY year DESC LIMIT 15"

Test the available links.

About the author

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.

Real skill practice before real-world application

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.

Learn by doing

Engage hands-on with the tools and technologies you’re learning. You pick the skill, we provide the credentials and environment.

Follow your guide

All labs have detailed instructions and objectives, guiding you through the learning process and ensuring you understand every step.

Turn time into mastery

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you take time to practice. Hands-on labs set you up for success to make those skills stick.