How to Sync google Calendar and contacts with thunderbird ?

I am using google apps with my website(domain) for my email and (gcal) calendar solution most of my calendar events and reminders are on Google calendar (gcal) as a part of my website see below pic...
Recently while searching for an alternative to outlook sync i came across three addons which helps sync my calendar, contacts and run TB always in background so that my web and desktop(TB) will always be in sync replacing outlook for thunderbird as my PIM now no more copying and pasting the email address between web and PIM all happens in just click of a button below are setps on how to set all the three in TB.

Events in Google calendar

Same Events in Thunderbird


set up google calendar with Thunderbird
1. First of all download and install Lightning(calendar module) to your thunderbird if you havent installed yet.

2. Now download and install a google calendar sync plugin for TB and lightening called Provider for Google Calendar

3. Install both and restart the thunderbird.

4. Now go to google calendar and select option "settings"

5. Now select "calendars" tab and click on your calendar as shown in below pic

6. Now copy the xml url address of your calendar as shown in below pic click on the xml and the result will be the message box with your URL.

7. Go to thunderbird File->New->calendar as shown in below Pic you can see the window with options icalendar(ics), calDav and Google Calendar now select "Google Calendar" radio button and put the xml calendar path in "Location" textbox



Now you are ready with your google calendar sync for TB now calendar automatically get synced whenever you open the TB or if your run TB in task bar application constantly keep on syncing

set up google contacts with Thunderbird
1. Download the addon called Google Contacts from Mozilla addon repository

2. Restart the firefox, now if your email id and password is correct it should automatically download contacts from the web to your thunderbird PIM Addressbook.

read this post to automatically run the TB in taskbar/background such that it automatically downloads mail, sync contacts and calendar frequently.