Google Contacts

Google Contacts is the cloud-based storage of users' contact data and the various tools, web interfaces, APIs, and apps used to access it. It is used in various Google services, and synced to Android-based mobile devices.

The cloud data can be accessed by apps using an API; previously it was the now-deprecated Contacts API, but the new API is the People API.

It appears the local storage of contacts on mobile devices is in vCard format, or at least it's that way when it's copied somewhere where you can directly access it, though this could be happening via export from some undocumented internal format it's actually stored in.

Another import/export format supported is "Google CSV", a CSV variety using these columns:


 * Name
 * Given Name
 * Additional Name
 * Family Name
 * Yomi Name
 * Given Name Yomi
 * Additional Name Yomi
 * Family Name Yomi
 * Name Prefix
 * Name Suffix
 * Initials
 * Nickname
 * Short Name
 * Maiden Name
 * Birthday
 * Gender
 * Location
 * Billing Information
 * Directory Server
 * Mileage
 * Occupation
 * Hobby
 * Sensitivity
 * Priority
 * Subject
 * Notes
 * Language
 * Photo
 * Group Membership
 * E-mail 1 - Type
 * E-mail 1 - Value
 * E-mail 2 - Type
 * E-mail 2 - Value
 * IM 1 - Type
 * IM 1 - Service
 * IM 1 - Value
 * Phone 1 - Type
 * Phone 1 - Value
 * Phone 2 - Type
 * Phone 2 - Value
 * Phone 3 - Type
 * Phone 3 - Value
 * Phone 4 - Type
 * Phone 4 - Value
 * Phone 5 - Type
 * Phone 5 - Value
 * Address 1 - Type
 * Address 1 - Formatted
 * Address 1 - Street
 * Address 1 - City
 * Address 1 - PO Box
 * Address 1 - Region
 * Address 1 - Postal Code
 * Address 1 - Country
 * Address 1 - Extended Address
 * Address 2 - Type
 * Address 2 - Formatted
 * Address 2 - Street
 * Address 2 - City
 * Address 2 - PO Box
 * Address 2 - Region
 * Address 2 - Postal Code
 * Address 2 - Country
 * Address 2 - Extended Address
 * Organization 1 - Type
 * Organization 1 - Name
 * Organization 1 - Yomi Name
 * Organization 1 - Title
 * Organization 1 - Department
 * Organization 1 - Symbol
 * Organization 1 - Location
 * Organization 1 - Job Description
 * Website 1 - Type
 * Website 1 - Value
 * Website 2 - Type
 * Website 2 - Value

API documentation

 * Contacts API 3.0 (deprecated)
 * People API

Links

 * Official site
 * Wikipedia article
 * How to convert a text file in to Google contacts CSV or VCF file?
 * Add, move, or import contacts