Google is expanding its AI-powered development ecosystem with the introduction of Gemini CLI, a terminal-based agentic AI tool built to run locally and connect directly to a developer’s codebase. Announced on Wednesday, the Gemini CLI allows users to interact with Google’s Gemini AI models from the command line, enabling natural language prompts to streamline coding workflows.
The new CLI assistant allows developers to perform a wide range of tasks, including code explanation, feature generation, debugging, and even command execution—all via conversational prompts. By embedding Gemini AI directly into the terminal, Google aims to make its models more accessible to developers working in real-time environments.
Gemini CLI joins a growing suite of AI developer tools offered by Google, including Gemini Code Assist and Jules, the company’s asynchronous AI pair programmer. However, Gemini CLI positions itself as a direct competitor to other command-line AI tools like OpenAI’s Codex CLI and Anthropic’s Claude Code, which are already gaining traction for their seamless integration and speed.
Since the release of Gemini 2.5 Pro in April 2025, Google’s AI models have gained favor among the developer community, often powering popular third-party tools such as GitHub Copilot and Cursor. With Gemini CLI, Google is seeking to establish a more direct relationship with developers by providing a first-party, flexible, and open solution.
Although its primary use case is for software development, Gemini CLI supports a wider range of capabilities. Developers can use it to generate video content using Veo 3, build research reports through Deep Research, or access live data via Google Search. Additionally, Gemini CLI can connect to MCP servers, enabling secure access to external databases and systems.
To accelerate community involvement and drive widespread adoption, Google is releasing Gemini CLI under the Apache 2.0 open-source license, one of the most developer-friendly licensing frameworks. The company expects a strong contribution pipeline through GitHub, where developers can collaborate and iterate on the project.
In terms of accessibility, Google is offering generous usage limits. Free-tier users will be able to make up to 60 model requests per minute and 1,000 requests per day—a volume the company claims is nearly double the average usage observed during early testing phases.
Despite the growing popularity of AI tools in programming, trust remains a critical issue. According to Stack Overflow’s 2024 Developer Survey, only 43% of developers expressed full confidence in the reliability of AI-generated code. Moreover, academic research has shown that these tools can occasionally introduce bugs or overlook important security flaws.
Still, with Gemini CLI, Google is making a strategic bet: that open-source accessibility, powerful agentic capabilities, and native developer tooling will encourage more programmers to integrate Gemini AI into their daily workflows—one command at a time.
