gws-docs-write Skill for Claude: Append Text to a Google Doc

Lets Claude add plain text to the end of a Google Doc, using the gws command-line tool.

Installs: 50.8K; on skills.sh
Stars: 32K; on GitHub
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

The skill teaches the agent one command, gws docs +write, with two required flags: the document ID and the text to append. SKILL.md says text is inserted at the end of the document body, and that rich formatting needs the raw batchUpdate API instead.

This is a write command, and SKILL.md says to confirm with you before running it. It needs the gws CLI signed in to your Google account, and SKILL.md tells the agent to read gws-shared first.

Good for

Anyone who wants Claude to log notes or summaries into a Google Doc
Developers scripting Google Docs updates with the gws CLI

Install gws-docs-write

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the gws-docs-write skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npm install -g @googleworkspace/cli
gws auth setup
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/gws-shared
npx skills add https://github.com/googleworkspace/cli/tree/main/skills/gws-docs-write

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js 18+, Google Cloud project, Google account.

This skill only works with the gws command-line tool on your PATH, and its SKILL.md tells the agent to read the gws-shared skill first, so install both. gws auth setup needs the gcloud CLI; without it, use the manual OAuth steps in the README. If Google limits the sign-in screen, pick only the service you need, for example gws auth login -s drive,gmail,sheets.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Google Docs: Append text to a document.

Sections in SKILL.md

Usage
Flags
Examples
Tips
See Also

Key facts

Author: googleworkspace
Repository: googleworkspace/cli
License: Apache-2.0
Installs on skills.sh: 50,782 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars: 32,038 (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit: Oct 30, 2026
What installs: 1 file including SKILL.md (the folder holds SKILL.md only)
Needs: The gws CLI on your PATH, a Google sign-in, and the gws-shared skill (read first, per SKILL.md)
Official status: The README says gws is not an officially supported Google product

What it includes

Appends plain text to the end of a document
Needs --document with the document ID and --text with the text. SKILL.md marks it as a write command to confirm first.
Try: “Add these meeting notes to the end of my project doc”
Runs code · gws docs +write
The ID of the Google Doc to change
Required.
Write · --document
The plain text to append
Required. Plain text only; SKILL.md points to the raw batchUpdate API for rich formatting.
Write · --text
The SKILL.md tells the agent to read gws-shared for sign-in, flags and security rules
Files · Read gws-shared first

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

It writes to a real Google Doc, and the text goes to the end of the document body. Make sure the agent has the right document ID before you approve.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It edits a real Google Doc
SKILL.md marks it as a write command to confirm first. Check the document ID and the exact text before you approve.
Needs a Google sign-in on this machine
Choose only the Docs service when Google asks for access.

Technical details

Talks to	Google Workspace APIs, called by the gws CLI
Sign-in and keys	The gws CLI encrypts saved Google credentials (AES-256-GCM) with a key in your OS keyring, or in ~/.config/gws/.encryption_key when the file backend is set.
Scopes	Only the Google service this command touches, chosen when you run gws auth login

Questions

What does gws-docs-write do?

It appends plain text to the end of a Google Doc you name. SKILL.md says rich formatting needs the raw batchUpdate API instead.

How do I install gws-docs-write?

Use the install box above, which has tabs for Claude Code, Codex and the skills CLI. Each sets up the gws CLI, signs you in to Google, and installs this skill together with gws-shared, because SKILL.md tells the agent to read gws-shared first for sign-in, global flags and security rules. There is no Claude app upload tab: the skill runs a gws command, and the README documents installing gws as a binary, npm, cargo, Nix or Homebrew install on your own machine.

Does gws-docs-write need an API key?

SKILL.md names no API key. The gws CLI signs in with your Google account through OAuth, and the README says it needs a Google Cloud project for the OAuth credentials. A service account is the documented alternative for servers.

Is gws-docs-write safe to use?

SKILL.md marks it as a write command and says to confirm with you before it runs. It appends text to the document you name, so check the document ID and the text first.

Is this an official Google skill?

It lives in the googleworkspace GitHub organization, but the README says gws is not an officially supported Google product and that the project is under active development with breaking changes expected before v1.0.

gws-docs-write vs gws-docs?

gws-docs-write is the one helper for appending text. The gws-docs skill is the full command set: its SKILL.md lists this helper plus the documents resource with batchUpdate, create and get.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: googleworkspace/cli
Folder: skills/gws-docs-write

googleworkspace/cli skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 7

googleworkspace/cli README · github.com
gws-shared SKILL.md · github.com
Codex skills docs · learn.chatgpt.com
skills CLI commands · github.com
gws-docs-write SKILL.md · github.com
gws-docs-write on skills.sh · skills.sh
gws-docs SKILL.md · github.com