Google has expanded its Gemini AI ecosystem with the release of Gemini CLI, a new open-source tool designed for developers who prefer working within terminal environments.
Highlights
- AI Coding in the Terminal: Google launches Gemini CLI, an open-source AI coding assistant built for developers working inside terminal environments.
- Powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro: The tool leverages Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro model, offering a 1 million token context window for large-scale codebase analysis and natural language queries.
- Broad Use Cases Beyond Coding: Gemini CLI enables developers to generate videos, summarize research papers, pull live Google Search data, and run external database queries—all from the command line.
- Open Source Under Apache 2.0: Fully open-source with modular configuration (via GEMINI.md files) and MCP (Model Context Protocol) compatibility for extensibility and community-driven improvements.
- Built-in Security Controls: Includes user confirmation for command execution, Docker/Podman/macOS sandboxing, and enterprise-friendly security measures to mitigate risk.
- Generous Free Usage Limits: Early adopters get up to 60 model requests per minute and 1,000 requests per day—almost double the private beta’s usage capacity.
- AI as a Developer Support Tool: Google acknowledges AI coding risks like bugs and insecure code, positioning Gemini CLI as an assistant rather than a full replacement for human code review.
The tool connects Gemini AI models directly to local codebases, allowing developers to use natural language prompts to perform a range of tasks—from explaining code and generating new features to debugging and even running shell commands—all without leaving the command line.
Deepening AI Integration in Developer Workflows
The introduction of Gemini CLI highlights Google’s ongoing effort to embed AI more deeply into developer tools and workflows. While Google already offers AI coding solutions like Gemini Code Assist and Jules, Gemini CLI represents its most command-line-focused approach to date.
This move places Google in direct competition with other CLI-based AI coding tools, including OpenAI’s Codex CLI and Anthropic’s Claude Code.
Powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro
Gemini CLI is built on Gemini 2.5 Pro, a large language model introduced in April 2025. This model features a 1 million token context window, enabling it to process and reason over entire large-scale codebases and documentation sets—an advantage over many existing AI development tools.
According to Google, developer interest in Gemini products has grown, spurred by the success of third-party AI coding tools like GitHub Copilot and Cursor. With Gemini CLI, Google aims to provide developers with an in-house alternative that brings similar functionality to the terminal.
Multimodal AI Capabilities from the Terminal
While its primary focus is software development, Gemini CLI extends beyond traditional coding tasks. Developers can also use it to:
- Generate videos via Google’s Veo 3 model
- Summarize long research documents with the Deep Research agent
- Pull live information directly from Google Search
- Connect with MCP servers to interact with external databases or services—all from within the terminal
Open Source Under Apache 2.0
Google has made Gemini CLI fully open-source, releasing it under the Apache 2.0 license.
This permissive framework encourages community contributions and external auditing, allowing developers to review the tool’s functionality, customize features, or integrate it into their own projects.
The tool supports modular configurations via GEMINI.md files and is compatible with the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for extensibility. Google has also included security measures.
- User confirmation for command executions
- Sandboxing support via Docker, Podman, or macOS Seatbelt
Generous Usage Limits During Launch Phase
To encourage early adoption, Google is offering substantial free usage limits.
- Up to 60 model requests per minute
- 1,000 requests per day
These limits are nearly double the request volume seen during the tool’s private testing phase, giving developers plenty of room to experiment.
Addressing AI Coding Risks
Google has also acknowledged the risks associated with AI-generated code. Citing findings from a 2024 Stack Overflow developer survey, the company notes that only 43% of developers currently trust the accuracy of AI coding tools.
Issues such as code quality, bugs, and security vulnerabilities remain concerns across the industry. Google emphasizes that Gemini CLI is designed as a support tool—intended to assist developers—not replace human code review and testing processes.
