What is Gemini CLI used for?

Gemini CLI is an open-source command-line AI agent that brings Google's Gemini models into the terminal, with built-in tools and Model Context Protocol support. It is a good fit for AI-assisted coding in the terminal, automating shell and file tasks, and connecting custom tools through MCP.

Is Gemini CLI open source?

Yes. Gemini CLI is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at google-gemini/gemini-cli and is written mainly in TypeScript.

Yes. Gemini CLI is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

What is Gemini CLI an alternative to?

Gemini CLI is an open-source alternative to Claude Code, Amazon Q Developer, Augment Code and Google Antigravity. Other open-source alternatives to Claude Code include Kilo Code, OpenCode and OpenHands.

Is Gemini CLI actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to Gemini CLI was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is v0.62.0, published on 29 September 2026. The project has 107k stars on GitHub.

Gemini CLI: open-source alternative to Claude Code

About Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI is Google's open-source terminal agent for working with Gemini models from the command line. It offers a lightweight path from a prompt on the command line to the model, and it is designed for developers who spend their day in a shell. The project is written in TypeScript and licensed under Apache-2.0.

Built-in tools cover Google Search grounding, file operations, shell commands and web fetching, and further integrations can be added through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The project highlights access to Gemini models with a large context window, and a free tier when you sign in with a personal Google account.

You can run it instantly with npx or install it globally with npm, Homebrew, MacPorts or Anaconda. It has preview, stable and nightly release channels published on a regular schedule. It suits developers who want an AI assistant for code and shell tasks without leaving the terminal.

Key features

Terminal-first AI agent powered by Gemini
Google Search grounding for current information
Built-in file, shell and web-fetch tools
MCP support for custom integrations
Install via npx, npm, Homebrew or MacPorts
Preview, stable and nightly release channels

Good fit for

→AI-assisted coding in the terminal
→Automating shell and file tasks
→Connecting custom tools through MCP

Built with: TypeScript
Tags: gemini; ai-agent; cli; terminal; mcp; google; typescript; ai-coding

Gemini CLI: questions and answers

What is Gemini CLI used for?: Gemini CLI is an open-source command-line AI agent that brings Google's Gemini models into the terminal, with built-in tools and Model Context Protocol support. It is a good fit for AI-assisted coding in the terminal, automating shell and file tasks, and connecting custom tools through MCP.
Is Gemini CLI open source?: Yes. Gemini CLI is open source under the Apache-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at google-gemini/gemini-cli and is written mainly in TypeScript.
Is Gemini CLI free?: Yes. Gemini CLI is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
What is Gemini CLI an alternative to?: Gemini CLI is an open-source alternative to Claude Code, Amazon Q Developer, Augment Code and Google Antigravity. Other open-source alternatives to Claude Code include Kilo Code, OpenCode and OpenHands.
Is Gemini CLI actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to Gemini CLI was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is v0.62.0, published on 29 September 2026. The project has 107k stars on GitHub.