Google Drive and Docs API

Question

I am curious to know with the release of Google Drive, will Docs API be obsolete?

My understanding is the only way to see your documents is by using Docs API, as Drive API only gives access to the files created by a Google Drive app (and only viewed by the creator app). Say App A created a file, App B can not see app A's files. Unless if you "open with" app A's file with app B. (in Drive UI).

I guess this registers the mime type or something.

So if Docs API becomes obsolete, how are we going to list all our docs?

http://support.google.com/a/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2490030

Also in "Add Google APIs" tab in eclipse,we can not see the Documents API (google drive is there)

Thanks.

Answer 1

At this date Google Drive API does not deprecate the Google Document List API because, as you mention, the use-case and capabilities of the 2 APIs are different.

The Google Drive API is more restricted as it has a per-file security model and only allow to manipulate files. You need to use this scope though in order to integrate your app in the Drive web UI (the open-with and create integration points).

The Google Document List API allows you to list files in directories, control the ACL of the files... However the users have to give full access to the application.