What it is
Gemini CLI is Google's open-source command-line agent that puts a Gemini model in a developer's terminal. It's installed with npx @google/gemini-cli (no install) or npm install -g @google/gemini-cli, with Homebrew and MacPorts builds also listed in the repository. Signing in with a personal Google account gives access to Gemini 3 models with a 1 million token context window; a Gemini API key or Vertex AI key can be used instead for usage-based billing.
Interface and dependencies
It runs as a Node.js CLI (Node.js 20.0.0+ required) and supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP), so it can call custom tools and external servers, plus built-in Google Search grounding for up-to-date answers. Google also ships a GitHub Action for automated PR review and issue triage, and a VS Code companion extension. A developer might use it to read and edit a local repository, run shell commands agentically, or wire it into a CI pipeline via MCP tools.
Limits
The repository's own README still documents a free tier (60 requests/minute, 1,000 requests/day via OAuth login), but Google's developer blog, announced 19 May 2026, states that Gemini CLI is being folded into a new tool, Antigravity CLI, and that free and individual-tier access (Google AI Pro/Ultra and Gemini Code Assist for individuals) stopped being served from 18 June 2026 — only paid Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise licences retain access. The GitHub repository itself remains active, with releases as recent as 23 September 2026, so the practical state of free access should be checked directly before relying on it.
Licence
The repository's LICENSE file is the Apache License, Version 2.0.
