The Directory API is part of the RESTful Admin SDK API that you can use to
programmatically create and manage admin-controlled resources owned by a
Google Workspace account. Some use cases include:

- Creating and managing users and adding administrators.
- Creating and managing groups and group memberships.
- Monitoring devices connected to your domain and taking action on lost devices.
- Managing your org chart and organization structures.
- Auditing applications your users have granted access to and revoking unauthorized apps.

Following is a list of common terms used in the Directory API:

*Customer*
:   The entity that owns the Google Workspace account, represented by the
    [Customer](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/reference/rest/v1/customers) resource.

*Domain*
:   If applicable, the DNS domain associated with a Google Workspace
    account, represented by the
    [Domain](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/reference/rest/v1/domains) resource. Not
    all accounts have an associated domain.

*Organizational unit (OU)*
:   A sub-unit of a Google Workspace account's organizational tree, used
    to group and sort users for the purpose of applying policies and granting
    authorizations. An OU is represented by the
    [OrgUnit](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/reference/rest/v1/orgunits) resource.

*Privilege*
:   The ability of a user to perform an action on a Google Workspace
    resource. Applies primarily to admins. A privilege is represented by the
    [Privilege](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/reference/rest/v1/privileges/list#Privilege)
    resource.

*Role*
:   A defined collection of privileges that can be assigned to a user or set of
    users, represented by the
    [Role](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/reference/rest/v1/roles) resource.

*Role assignment*
:   A record indicating which user is granted what roles, and over what scope.
    A role assignment is represented by the
    [RoleAssignment](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/reference/rest/v1/roleAssignments)
    resource.

*Schema*
:   A JSON object that defines custom user attributes for your organization,
    represented by the
    [Schema](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/reference/rest/v1/schemas) resource.

*User*
:   An individual user account with access to Google Workspace apps and
    resources, represented by the
    [User](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/reference/rest/v1/users) resource.

## Next steps

- To learn about developing with Google Workspace APIs, including handling
  authentication and authorization, refer to
  [Get started as a Workspace developer](https://developers.google.com/workspace/guides/getstarted-overview).

- To learn how to configure and run a Directory API app, try
  the [JavaScript quickstart](https://developers.google.com/workspace/admin/directory/v1/quickstart/js).