Google Colab is a Google cloud service for running and testing Python code in interactive Jupyter Notebook environments directly in your browser.
What it’s used for
- Data analysis and visualization in notebooks
- Training and experimenting with machine learning models
- Sharing notebooks and collaborating with others
Key features
- Browser-based Python execution with no local setup
- Preinstalled libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, and TensorFlow
- Data visualization with Matplotlib and Seaborn
- Access to Google compute resources, including GPU and TPU
- Integration with Google Drive for saving, loading, and sharing files
Access and limits
You can get started by signing in with a Google account and creating a new notebook at https://colab.google.com, or by creating a notebook from Google Drive (New → More → Google Colaboratory).
The free tier typically limits continuous sessions to up to 12 hours and may disconnect after 20–90 minutes of inactivity. Paid plans (Colab Pro/Pro+) extend session limits (up to 24 hours) and can provide more RAM (up to 32 GB) and priority access to more powerful GPUs. Session local storage is limited (around 100 GB), while Google Drive storage follows your account limits.
