Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) — Compute Engine Cheat Sheet 2026

Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) Compute Engine Cheat Sheet is the complete quick-reference of Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) Compute Engine commands grouped by function. Copy any command with one click and find what you need with Ctrl+F in under 3 seconds.

Compute Engine

Action	Command	Useful flags
SSH into a virtual machine instance	`gcloud compute ssh <user>@<instance>`
Display all Google Compute Engine instances in a project (by default instances f	`gcloud compute instances list`
Create a VM instance	`gcloud compute instances create <instance-name> --zone=<zone> --machine-type=<machine-type> --image-family=<image-family> --image-project=<image-project>`	`--zone --machine-type --image-family --image-project`
Stop a VM instance	`gcloud compute instances stop <instance-name> --zone=<zone>`	`--zone`
Start a VM instance	`gcloud compute instances start <instance-name> --zone=<zone>`	`--zone`
Delete a VM instance	`gcloud compute instances delete <instance-name> --zone=<zone>`	`--zone`
Describe a VM instance	`gcloud compute instances describe <instance-name> --zone=<zone>`	`--zone`
Attach a disk to a VM instance	`gcloud compute instances attach-disk <instance-name> --disk=<disk-name> --zone=<zone>`	`--disk --zone`
List zones	`gcloud compute zones list`

⚠️ Dangerous / Destructive Commands

These commands are irreversible. Verify your environment (dev/staging vs prod) before running them.

Action	Command	Warning
⚠️ Compute instances	`gcloud compute instances delete <instance-name> --zone=<zone>`	Irreversible — verify the target before running

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Compute Engine and the other groups?

Each group in this Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) cheat sheet covers a distinct area. Compute Engine focuses on its specific scope, while the other groups and the remaining groups cover networking, storage, security and diagnostics respectively.

How do I check the installed Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) version?

Run the version command (usually gcloud version or gcloud --version). The output shows the client and, when applicable, the server version.

Why does Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) return ‘permission denied’?

A ‘permission denied’ error in Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) usually means the current user lacks sufficient privileges or credentials are not configured. Check: (1) assigned IAM/RBAC roles, (2) an active authentication context via the corresponding login command.

How do I filter Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) output by status or name?

Use flags such as --filter, --selector or --query depending on the tool. You can also pipe into grep or jq to process JSON:

gcloud list | grep RUNNING

What is the fastest way to debug a Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) error?

Add the verbose flag (--verbose, -v or --debug) to the failing command. This reveals the underlying HTTP/API calls and the full error response body.

Official sources & references

Commands cross-checked against vendor documentation and high-authority repositories: