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Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI is Google’s open-source command-line AI assistant. It works directly with your files and terminal for coding, file operations, and automation, and supports the same building blocks as Claude Code and Codex CLI — skills, MCP, and project memory (GEMINI.md).

Requires Node.js 18+ and a Google account.

Terminal window
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli

Verify:

Terminal window
gemini --version

Full walk-through: Getting Started with Gemini → Install Gemini CLI.

Gemini CLI authenticates directly through your Google account — no separate Vertex AI setup needed for most users. On first run, gemini will open a browser to sign you in.

Place skill folders in .gemini/skills/ (or .agents/skills/) at your project root. Gemini CLI discovers them automatically.

See Skills on Google Gemini for the full pattern, or download ready-made skills from handsonai-plugins.