Google Cloud NEXT '26 Writing Challenge: Dive In For Up To $1K!

Source: Dev.to

What Is the Google Cloud NEXT ‘26 Writing Challenge?

Google Cloud invites the developer community to publish original, technical articles on Dev.to using the #googlecloud tag during the challenge period (typically March–April 2026).

Rewards

• Top 10 writers – $1,000 each
• 100 featured writers – swag, recognition, and exposure
• All valid entries are entered into a raffle for additional prizes

Eligibility:

• Original, technical content
• Published on Dev.to
• Tagged with #googlecloud
• Focused on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) tools, services, or use cases

Step 1: Pick a Beginner‑Friendly GCP Topic

Choose a topic that solves a real problem and teaches something actionable. A winning formula is:

“How to [do X] on GCP using [service] in [N] steps”

Hot Topic Ideas

• Deploy a Flask app on Cloud Run
• Automate backups with Cloud Functions + Cloud Storage
• Set up a serverless API with Cloud Endpoints
• Monitor apps using Cloud Logging and Error Reporting
• Build a CI/CD pipeline with Cloud Build

Example chosen for this guide:
“How to Deploy a Python Flask App on Google Cloud Run in 5 Minutes”

Step 2: Set Up Your GCP Environment

1. Create a GCP Project

Go to the GCP Console and:

1. Create a new project (e.g., flask-on-cloudrun-2026)
2. Enable billing (required for Cloud Run)

2. Enable Required APIs

gcloud services enable run.googleapis.com \
                  containerregistry.googleapis.com

Step 3: Build a Simple Flask App

Create a new directory and add the following files.

main.py

from flask import Flask

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/')
def hello():
    return 'Hello from Google Cloud Run!'

@app.route('/health')
def health():
    return {'status': 'ok'}, 200

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=8080)

requirements.txt

Flask==2.3.3

Dockerfile

# Use Python 3.11 slim image
FROM python:3.11-slim

# Install dependencies
WORKDIR /app
COPY requirements.txt .
RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt

# Copy app code
COPY . .

# Run the app
CMD ["python", "main.py"]

Step 4: Deploy to Cloud Run

1. Authenticate with GCP

gcloud auth login
gcloud config set project YOUR_PROJECT_ID

Replace YOUR_PROJECT_ID with your actual project ID.

2. Build and Push the Container

gcloud builds submit --tag gcr.io/YOUR_PROJECT_ID/flask-hello .

3. Deploy to Cloud Run

gcloud run deploy flask-hello \
  --image gcr.io/YOUR_PROJECT_ID/flask-hello \
  --platform managed \
  --region us-central1 \
  --allow-unauthenticated

You’ll receive a public URL such as https://flask-hello-xyz.a.run.app.

Step 5: Write Your Dev.to Article

Title

How to Deploy a Flask App on Google Cloud Run in 5 Minutes

Intro

Explain why this matters, e.g.:

“Serverless platforms like Cloud Run let you deploy apps without managing servers. In this guide, I’ll show you how to deploy a Flask app in minutes — perfect for APIs, microservices, or prototypes.”

Prerequisites

• Google Cloud account
• gcloud CLI installed
• Basic Python knowledge

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

Use the numbered steps and code blocks from the sections above:

1. Set up a GCP project
2. Write the Flask app (main.py)
3. Create requirements.txt and Dockerfile
4. Build and push the container image
5. Deploy with gcloud run deploy

Screenshots (optional)

• Cloud Run dashboard view
• Terminal output of the deploy command
• Browser view of the running app

Conclusion

“You’ve just deployed a scalable web app without touching a server. From here, you can add databases, connect to Cloud SQL, or secure your endpoint.”

Tags

Add these to your Dev.to post:

#googlecloud
#cloudrun
#flask
#devops
#serverless