Gemini CLI
Google's free, open-source AI agent for your terminal.
Visit Gemini CLI Free with a Google account (rate limits); API key for higher limits
What is Gemini CLI?
Gemini CLI brings Gemini into the terminal as an open-source agent that can read and edit code, run commands, search the web, and use MCP tools, with a free tier generous enough for everyday use with a personal Google account.
Key features
- Agentic coding in the terminal with file and shell tools
- Built-in Google Search grounding
- MCP support for custom tools
- Large context for whole-repo reasoning
- Open source under Apache 2.0
Pros
- The most generous free tier of any terminal coding agent
- Open source — inspect it, extend it, self-host it
- Search grounding is useful for library and API questions
Cons
- Behind Claude Code on the hardest multi-file refactors
- Free-tier rate limits can interrupt long sessions
- Terminal-only — no editor integration of its own
Best for
Developers who want a free Claude Code alternativeGoogle Cloud and Gemini API usersScripting and automation from the command line
Alternatives to Gemini CLI
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OpenAI Codex
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