Gemini CLI is an open-source terminal AI agent from Google exposing Gemini 2.5 Pro/Flash and Gemini 3 models for coding, codebase exploration, shell automation, and MCP tool use. It authenticates via Google account or service account and shares its quota allocation with Gemini Code Assist IDE plugins — the same daily request budget covers both the CLI and the IDE extension.
Three authentication paths carry different compliance postures. Personal Google account access (free, 1,000 requests/user/day) routes prompts through consumer infrastructure; Google may use inputs to improve its products. Workspace-authenticated Code Assist Standard (1,500/day) and Enterprise (2,000/day) tiers route through Google Workspace data governance. Vertex AI path routes through the Google Cloud enterprise API with configurable data residency, zero-retention controls, and pay-as-you-go billing without hard daily caps.
The CLI source is on GitHub under Apache 2.0. CI and pipeline usage typically routes through the Vertex AI path to bypass per-user daily quotas and meet data governance requirements.
