Gemini CLI is a free, open-source coding upgrade for Google’s AI

For many developers and power users, the command line interface – or terminal – isn’t just another app; it’s home base. It’s the place where efficiency, portability, and raw computing power intersect. So, it’s no surprise that as AI tools become more integrated into our workflows, the demand to have them available right in the terminal has grown. Now, Google is answering that call in a big way.

Meet Gemini CLI, a new, open-source AI agent that brings the power of the Gemini model family directly into your command line. While it’s excellent at coding, Google built it to be a versatile local utility for a huge range of tasks, from content creation and problem-solving to deep research.

The most generous free AI access yet

Perhaps the biggest headline here is how accessible Google is making this powerful tool. Gemini CLI is free and open source (Apache 2.0 licensed) , and the usage limits for individuals are pretty staggering.

To use it, you simply log in with a personal Google account, which grants you a free Gemini Code Assist license. That free license gives you access to the powerful Gemini 2.5 Pro model and its massive 1 million token context window. To ensure you almost never hit a wall, Google is offering what it calls the “industry’s largest allowance”: 60 model requests per minute and 1,000 requests per day, all at no charge.

More than just a chatbot in your terminal

Gemini CLI isn’t just a simple prompt-and-response tool; it’s designed to be a capable AI agent. Its power comes from several built-in tools that allow you to:

• Ground prompts with Google Search to fetch real-time information from web pages and give the model external context.
• Extend its capabilities through built-in support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP) or other extensions.
• Customize prompts and instructions to tailor Gemini for your specific needs and workflows.
• Automate tasks by calling on Gemini CLI non-interactively within your own scripts.

Open source and integrated with Code Assist

By making Gemini CLI fully open source, Google is allowing developers to inspect the code for themselves, verify its security, and even contribute to the project with bug reports, feature suggestions, and code improvements. This transparency is a huge win for building community trust.

Furthermore, Gemini CLI shares the same underlying technology with Gemini Code Assist, Google’s AI coding assistant. This means developers get a consistent, powerful, prompt-driven AI agent experience whether they are working in their terminal or inside a code editor like VS Code.

This is a massive release for anyone who spends their day working in the command line. The combination of a powerful AI agent, industry-leading free usage limits, and an open, extensible platform makes Gemini CLI an incredibly compelling new tool. Google is making it easy to get started, so if you’re ready to upgrade your terminal experience, this is one you’ll definitely want to check out.