Looker Studio Community Connectors enable direct connections from Looker Studio to any internet accessible data source.
You can develop and use Community Connectors to create reports and dashboards with data from sources such as:
- Platforms for social media, CRM, search, finance, HR, advertising, etc.
- Public and other open data sets.
- Private company data.
- ...and any data source or service that can be accessed over the internet using Apps Script.
How Community Connectors work
You can use Google Apps Script and follow the Looker Studio Connector specification to develop a Community Connector. Any user can use your Community Connector in Looker Studio to create reports and dashboards.
The typical development lifecycle of a Community Connector is as follows:
- Build a connector.
- Use and test the connector.
- Deploy the connector.
- Distribute the connector (Share or publish).
- Community connectors can be shared directly with any user and/or can be submitted for inclusion in both the in-product gallery and the public Looker Studio Connector Gallery for any user to find and use.
Why build a connector
Community Connectors are powerful and easy to build
You can quickly build and deploy connectors using Google Apps Script and take advantage of services and APIs such as caching, storage, translation, JDBC services, etc.
You can promote and monetize your connector
If you build a Community Connector you can publish and promote it in the Looker Studio Connector Gallery. All users can explore the gallery from within Looker Studio. There is also a public Connector Gallery viewable by anyone.
Open data for everyone
Help bring Looker Studio users free and easy access to public and open data sets around the world.
Leverage Looker Studio as a reporting platform for your customers
Provide significant value to your customers by building a Looker Studio Community Connector. With a minimal development investment you can rely on Looker Studio as a free and powerful reporting and analysis solution for your customers.
Looker Studio is free and Community Connectors are free to develop
You can build, deploy and distribute connectors for free. You and your users can use the connectors for free in Looker Studio.
Next steps
Build your first Community Connector, read Getting Started with Community Connectors.