Google Launches Gemini CLI, an Open Source AI Tool for Terminals
The new command-line tool lets developers tap Google’s AI without leaving their terminal.
Google wants its AI models to feel right at home in your terminal and with the launch of Gemini CLI, the tech giant is finally doing that.
Gemini CLI is a command-line AI assistant that hooks into your local codebase and lets you talk to it like a teammate. You can ask it things like “What does this function do?” or “Refactor this block to use async.” It doesn’t need you to paste code into a browser window. It reads what’s already on your device and answers right in your terminal, no context switching required.
Gemini CLI is part of Google’s broader push to get its AI tools used more widely by developers. Until now, the company’s options like Gemini Code Assist or Jules didn’t have a direct command-line presence. Meanwhile, competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic have already rolled out terminal-first tools like Codex CLI and Claude Code, which have seen early adoption thanks to their speed and ease of integration.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
But it’s not just for code. Google says Gemini CLI can also generate videos using its Veo 3 model, write research summaries, and even connect to external databases or MCP servers, all from your terminal. In theory, that makes it more of a multi-tool than a code-only assistant, though real-world usefulness may depend on how well these features hold up in day-to-day workflows.
You won’t need a paid account to try it. Google has open-sourced the project on GitHub under the Apache 2.0 license and offers up to 60 requests per minute and 1,000 daily requests, twice the average usage it says most developers hit.
That said, there are still risks. A recent Stack Overflow survey found that just 43% of developers trust the accuracy of AI-generated code. Even the best models can miss context, introduce bugs, or overlook security issues. So while Gemini CLI might save you time, it doesn’t replace code review.
As more companies try to fold AI into every corner of software development, Gemini CLI reflects Google’s attempt to meet developers on more familiar ground. Whether that wins over the crowd depends not on what Gemini CLI promises, but what it gets right.
