Google Introduces Gemini CLI: A New AI Tool for Developers, Right in the Terminal

In a move that feels like a big step forward for coders everywhere, Google just launched a new AI tool called Gemini CLI — and it’s built to meet developers exactly where they already are: the command line.

Announced on Wednesday, Gemini CLI is an “agentic” AI tool (meaning it can take action on its own) that runs locally from your terminal. Think of it as a smart coding sidekick that can help you figure out tricky parts of your code, suggest new features, track down bugs, or even run shell commands — all through natural, conversational language.

For developers who spend most of their day in the terminal, this could feel like a breath of fresh air. Instead of constantly switching between tabs, windows, or docs, you can stay in flow and just ask Gemini CLI what you need.

This new tool is part of Google’s growing push to make its Gemini AI models more useful and accessible for developers. It joins a broader family of tools like Gemini Code Assist and Jules, an AI assistant designed to help with coding tasks in the background. But unlike those, Gemini CLI is squaring up with other powerful terminal-based AI tools — like OpenAI’s Codex CLI and Anthropic’s Claude Code. These kinds of tools are getting a lot of attention lately, largely because they’re fast, efficient, and easier to integrate into real-world developer workflows.

Since Google released Gemini 2.5 Pro back in April, developers have really started paying attention. Many of them turned to third-party tools like Cursor and GitHub Copilot — and those tools have exploded in popularity. Now, it seems Google wants to build something in-house that makes devs feel seen, supported, and maybe even a little excited again.

And Gemini CLI isn’t just for writing code. Google says the tool can handle all kinds of tasks. Want to create a video using the Veo 3 model? Done. Need help summarizing research with the Deep Research agent? No problem. It can even pull live information using Google Search or tap into external databases through MCP servers. It’s like having a whole Swiss army knife of AI tools — all tucked into your terminal.

In a move that’ll make open-source fans happy, Google is releasing Gemini CLI under the Apache 2.0 license — which is one of the most flexible and developer-friendly licenses out there. That means anyone can contribute, build on top of it, or use it freely in their own projects. Google says it’s hoping to create a thriving developer community around the tool, especially on GitHub.

To sweeten the deal, Google is also offering pretty generous usage limits. Free users can make up to 60 model requests per minute and 1,000 per day — about double what most developers were using during internal tests. That’s a nice touch, especially for indie devs or students trying things out on a budget.

But of course, like all AI tools, Gemini CLI isn’t perfect. A 2024 Stack Overflow survey revealed that only 43% of developers fully trust the accuracy of AI-generated code. It’s a fair concern. AI can be brilliant one moment and clumsy the next — introducing bugs or missing important security flaws. So while tools like Gemini CLI can save time and help with brainstorming, they’re not a replacement for a thoughtful, experienced human coder just yet.

Still, for many developers, having a responsive, local AI right in the terminal feels like a big deal. It’s not just about productivity — it’s about making the process of writing and working with code feel less frustrating, a bit more fun, and maybe even a little more human.