Google Launches Gemini CLI: The Ultimate Open-Source AI Terminal Tool Challenging Claude Code

On June 25, 2025, Google officially launched the Gemini CLI, a revolutionary open-source command-line interface (CLI) AI tool designed to bring the powerful capabilities of Gemini 2.5 Pro directly to developers’ terminals. This release marks a strategic breakthrough for Google in the field of AI-assisted software development, challenging competitors like OpenAI’s Codex CLI and Anthropic’s Claude Code, and providing developers with a more efficient and flexible working experience.

Key Highlights of Gemini CLI

Gemini CLI is a lightweight yet powerful AI agent designed for developers, supporting a variety of complex workflows including code writing, debugging, documentation generation, file operations, and real-time web-based research. Its main features include:

• Massive Context Window: Built on Gemini 2.5 Pro, Gemini CLI supports up to 1 million tokens in its context window, enabling it to handle large codebases or complex documents and easily manage multi-step analysis and transformation tasks.

• Generous Free Quota: By logging in with a personal Google account, developers receive a free Gemini Code Assist license, supporting 60 model requests per minute and 1,000 requests per day—what Google calls the “highest in the industry.”

• Open Source & Extensibility: Licensed under Apache 2.0 and hosted on GitHub, Gemini CLI allows developers to freely inspect, modify, and extend the code, build custom AI agents, or integrate into CI/CD pipelines.

• Multimodal Capabilities: Supports code understanding, image recognition, script automation, and integrates with Google Search via the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for real-time reasoning and external context support.

• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Available for Mac, Linux (including ChromeOS), and Windows (natively, no WSL required). Developers can customize context and parameters via a simple config file (gemini.md).

Google states that the design philosophy of Gemini CLI is to embed AI into the developer’s core work environment—the terminal—streamlining the interaction from prompt to model and providing “the most direct AI experience.” Beyond coding, it can handle content generation, task management, and in-depth research, becoming an all-in-one assistant for developers.

Download

Gemini CLI is now available in preview on GitHub. Developers can download and install it via the following link:

• Official GitHub Repository: https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli
• Requirements: Node.js 18 or higher. The installation process is simple and can be completed in minutes.
• How to Use: After downloading, log in with your personal Google account to obtain a free Gemini Code Assist license and start using the powerful features of Gemini 2.5 Pro.

Regional Restrictions

Currently, Google has not explicitly announced regional restrictions for Gemini CLI. However, according to user feedback on X (@JiawenMedia), there appear to be no strict IP restrictions, and developers worldwide can access it for free with a Google account. Some features (such as real-time search or specific model access) may vary due to regional regulations or Google service availability. Developers are advised to check the availability of local Google AI services before installation or refer to official Google documentation for the latest regional support information.

Community & Future Outlook

Google emphasizes that the open-source nature of Gemini CLI will encourage the global developer community to contribute code, report issues, and suggest new features. Its integration with Gemini Code Assist and the asynchronous coding assistant Jules further enhances its ecosystem competitiveness. Ryan Salva, Google’s Senior Director of Product, stated: “The free and high-quota design of Gemini CLI is intended to allow the vast majority of developers to integrate into AI-driven workflows without paying fees.”

As AI tools become increasingly important in the developer ecosystem, the release of Gemini CLI not only provides individual developers, students, and freelancers with a low-cost AI solution but also gives Google a head start in the competition with giants like OpenAI and Anthropic. Head over to GitHub now to download Gemini CLI and experience the AI revolution in your terminal!