Running Gemini CLI commands is straightforward and offers multiple interaction modes to suit different workflows. The most common way is to simply type gemini in your terminal after installation, which launches the interactive mode where you can have ongoing conversations with the AI. This interactive mode allows you to ask questions, request code generation, debug issues, and perform various development tasks through a persistent session. The tool will present you with a prompt where you can type your requests in natural language, and it will respond with appropriate actions, code, or information.
For quick, one-off queries, you can use the non-interactive mode with the -p or --prompt flag. For example, you can run gemini -p "What is the gcloud command to deploy an application to Google Cloud Run" to get an immediate response without entering the interactive session. This approach is particularly useful for getting quick answers, incorporating Gemini CLI into scripts, or when you need to automate certain tasks. The non-interactive mode processes your prompt and returns the result directly to your terminal, making it ideal for automation and integration with other command-line tools.
Gemini CLI also supports various command-line flags and options to customize its behavior. You can use the -d or --debug flag to enable debug mode for more verbose output, which is helpful when troubleshooting or understanding what the tool is doing behind the scenes. The tool can be configured to work with specific directories, models, or extensions using additional flags. For example, you can specify which directory to work in, enable or disable certain extensions, or configure specific model parameters. These options provide flexibility for different use cases, from simple queries to complex development workflows that require specific configurations or debugging information.