Google Unveils Gemini CLI—An Open Source AI Agent for Terminals
Google has launched Gemini CLI, an open-source command-line tool that brings the power of its Gemini AI models directly into developers’ terminals.
What It Does
Natural‑language coding & debugging: Execute prompts like “explain this function”, “add a login feature”, or “debug this error” within your terminal. Powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro with an impressive 1 million‑token context window.
Versatile utility beyond code: Ideal for tasks like content writing, deep research, task management, image/video generation via Veo/Imagen, and integrating web search—all directly from your CLI.
Extensible & scriptable: Includes support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), non‑interactive script mode, Google Search grounding for live context, and custom system prompts.
Open‑Source & Free to Use
- Licensed under Apache 2.0—developers can inspect, modify, and contribute .
- Preview available now—login with a personal Google account to receive a free Gemini Code Assist license.
- Generous usage tier: up to 60 requests/minute, 1,000 requests/day, described by Google as the “largest allowance in the industry”.
- For heavier users or multi-agent workflows, billing options include Google AI Studio, Vertex AI, or Code Assist Standard/Enterprise licenses.
Why It Matters
Seamless developer experience: CLI remains a fundamental tool for developers—Gemini CLI integrates AI assistance without disrupting workflows.
Competitive edge: Positions Google strongly against rivals such as OpenAI (Codex CLI), Anthropic (Claude Code), and GitHub Copilot by offering powerful capabilities at no cost.
Market disruption: With unprecedented free usage limits and multimodal support, Gemini CLI raises the bar for AI coding agents.
What’s Next
Looking ahead, the open-source release of Gemini CLI on GitHub is expected soon, though it had not yet gone live at the time of writing.
The repository is likely to appear under a dedicated Google Gemini namespace, such as github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli.
Beyond the open-source launch, Google is also planning deeper enterprise integration.
Future updates could include deeper ties with Gemini Code Assist, Google Cloud Code, Vertex AI, and IDE tools for a unified workflow.
News Gist
Google has launched Gemini CLI, an open-source AI tool for terminals, offering advanced coding, content, and research features.
With a generous free tier and future integrations planned, it’s set to rival AI developer tools like GitHub Copilot and Codex.
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