Google has announced the launch of Gemini CLI, a new agentic artificial intelligence (AI) tool designed to run locally from the terminal. Gemini CLI connects Google’s Gemini AI models directly to local codebases, allowing developers to use natural language commands to explain complex code, write new features, debug, and execute commands more efficiently.
This tool competes with other command-line AI coding assistants like OpenAI’s Codex CLI and Anthropic’s Claude Code, offering faster and easier integration into developers’ workflows. Since the release of Gemini 2.5 Pro in April 2025, Google’s AI models have grown popular among developers, increasing the use of third-party AI coding tools such as Cursor and GitHub Copilot. Gemini CLI aims to establish a more direct relationship between Google and developers by providing an in-house solution.
Beyond coding, Gemini CLI can also assist with creating videos using Google’s Veo 3 model, generating research reports through the Deep Research agent, and accessing real-time information via Google Search. It also supports connection to MCP servers, enabling access to external databases.
Google is releasing Gemini CLI as open-source software under the permissive Apache 2.0 license, encouraging community contributions on GitHub. To promote adoption, free users are allowed up to 60 model requests per minute and 1,000 requests per day, roughly double the average usage seen so far.
However, the rise of AI coding tools comes with challenges. According to a 2024 Stack Overflow survey, only 43% of developers fully trust the accuracy of AI-generated code. Studies have shown that AI-generated code can sometimes contain errors or security vulnerabilities.
Google’s Gemini CLI seeks to make AI-powered coding more accessible and efficient, pushing forward innovation in how developers interact with AI tools in their everyday workflows.
