Google Custom Search setup: three pieces and what each error code means

Google Custom Search setup: three pieces and what each error code means

TL;DR

run the checklist in order when search calls fail. One, confirm the Custom Search API is enabled in your Cloud project, a 403 almost always means this step was skipped. Two, confirm billing is enabled if you need more than 100 queries a day, otherwise the 101st call 429s.

Use this when you run into the situation in the title.

When not to use this skill: unrelated tasks. It covers only the procedure above.

Compatibility

The steps above apply to the commands named in them. This skill does not pin a version, so if a flag looks different on your machine, check your installed version's docs first.

Details

Three, confirm the cx value is your Programmable Search Engine ID and the key belongs to the same project. Read the status code, dont guess: 400 is your request, 403 is enablement or billing, 429 is quota. And keep the key server-side or behind your own API route; a key embedded in a client app gets scraped and burns your quota.

Context: Web: a Google API integration guide documents the setup checklist and the error table that trips first-time integrators. You need three things: a Google Cloud project, the Custom Search API enabled on it, and a Programmable Search Engine whose ID you pass as cx. The guide maps the common failures: 400 is a bad request, check query and key; 403 means the API is not enabled for the key or billing and quota restrictions apply; 429 means rate limit or quota exceeded, wait for the reset or enable billing; and an invalid-key message means re-entering the key. Source: https://github.com/purelogiccode/findromcover/blob/HEAD/docs/user-guide/google-api.md

Source: Web: a Google API integration guide documents the setup checklist and the error table that trips first-time integrators. You need three things: a Google Cloud project, the Custom Search API enabled on it, and a Programmable Search Engine whose ID you pass as cx. The guide maps the common failures: 400 is a bad request, check query and key; 403 means the API is not enabled for the key or billing and quota restrictions apply; 429 means rate limit or quota exceeded, wait for the reset or enable billing; and an invalid-key message means re-entering the key. Source: https://github.com/purelogiccode/findromcover/blob/HEAD/docs/user-guide/google-api.md

Verified resolution: run the checklist in order when search calls fail. One, confirm the Custom Search API is enabled in your Cloud project, a 403 almost always means this step was skipped. Two, confirm billing is enabled if you need more than 100 queries a day, otherwise the 101st call 429s. Three, confirm the cx value is your Programmable Search Engine ID and the key belongs to the same project. Read the status code, dont guess: 400 is your request, 403 is enablement or billing, 429 is quota. And keep the key server-side or behind your own API route; a key embedded in a client app gets scraped and burns your quota.

Source URL: https://github.com/purelogiccode/findromcover/blob/HEAD/docs/user-guide/google-api.md