Google has launched Gemini CLI, an open-source command line interface that brings its Gemini AI directly into developers’ terminals, offering free and nearly unlimited access to individual users.
The release integrates the power of gen-AI into developers’ native workflows without the need for a graphical IDE for a fast, lightweight, and highly extensible experience. Through a simple personal Google account, users receive a free Gemini Code Assist license that includes generous usage limits: up to 60 model calls per minute and 1,000 per day directly to the Gemini 2.5 Pro model.
Despite GUIs being the mainstream thing, CLIs are still here for a reason, as it is the primary interface for building, testing, and deploying code. Thus, Gemini CLI leverages that environment by turning the command line into a versatile AI agent capable of handling far more than just code completion. In addition to traditional development tasks like writing or debugging code, the tool supports content generation, technical research, task management, and even command execution.
It also comes with native tools that allow prompts to be grounded in real-time Google Search results, supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for enhanced extensibility, and offers flexible prompt customization. Developers can also run it non-interactively within scripts, opening up automation workflows previously limited to more complex development environments.
Additionally, Gemini CLI also shares the core technology with Gemini Code Assist, enabling users to access “Agent Mode” within the IDE for some coding help, and seamlessly switch between coding in an IDE and scripting in a CLI.
Released under the Apache 2.0 license, Gemini CLI is fully open source, enabling developers to inspect its inner workings, report bugs, and contribute new features via GitHub. It also supports team-based configuration and emerging standards like GEMINI.md, reinforcing its adaptability for both personal and collaborative environments.
By making its most capable AI model accessible from the command line, Google is positioning Gemini CLI as a fundamental upgrade to the developer toolkit—one that meets coders where they already work and scales with their needs.
