feat(extensions): add programmatic search command

GEMINI.md

@@ -92,3 +92,13 @@ powerful tool for developers.
 - Documentation is located in the `docs/` directory.
 - Suggest documentation updates when code changes render existing documentation
   obsolete or incomplete.
+
+## Extension Management
+
+- Gemini CLI supports programmatic extension management.
+- Use `/extensions search <query>` to find available extensions in the gallery.
+- Use `/extensions list` to see installed extensions.
+- Use `/extensions install <url>` to install an extension (e.g., from a GitHub
+  URL found via search).
+- If a user asks for a capability that isn't built-in, proactively search for
+  extensions that might provide it.

packages/cli/src/acp/commands/extensions.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+/**
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2026 Google LLC
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+ */
+
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest';
+import { SearchExtensionsCommand } from './extensions.js';
+import {
+  ExtensionRegistryClient,
+  type RegistryExtension,
+} from '../../config/extensionRegistryClient.js';
+import type { CommandContext } from './types.js';
+
+vi.mock('../../config/extensionRegistryClient.js');
+
+describe('SearchExtensionsCommand', () => {
+  let command: SearchExtensionsCommand;
+  let mockContext: CommandContext;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    command = new SearchExtensionsCommand();
+    mockContext = {
+      config: {
+        getExtensionRegistryURI: vi.fn().mockReturnValue(undefined),
+      },
+    } as unknown as CommandContext;
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it('should list top extensions when no args provided', async () => {
+    const mockExtensions: Array<Partial<RegistryExtension>> = [
+      {
+        extensionName: 'Ext 1',
+        fullName: 'user/ext1',
+        extensionDescription: 'Desc 1',
+        rank: 1,
+        url: 'https://github.com/user/ext1',
+        hasMCP: true,
+      },
+      {
+        extensionName: 'Ext 2',
+        fullName: 'user/ext2',
+        extensionDescription: 'Desc 2',
+        rank: 2,
+        url: 'https://github.com/user/ext2',
+        hasSkills: true,
+      },
+    ];
+
+    vi.mocked(
+      ExtensionRegistryClient.prototype.searchExtensions,
+    ).mockResolvedValue(mockExtensions as RegistryExtension[]);
+
+    const response = await command.execute(mockContext, []);
+
+    expect(response.name).toBe('extensions search');
+    expect(response.data).toContain('Top 2 available extensions:');
+    expect(response.data).toContain('* Ext 1 (user/ext1)');
+    expect(response.data).toContain('[MCP]');
+    expect(response.data).toContain(
+      '/extensions install https://github.com/user/ext1',
+    );
+    expect(response.data).toContain('* Ext 2 (user/ext2)');
+    expect(response.data).toContain('[Skills]');
+  });
+
+  it('should search extensions when args provided', async () => {
+    const mockExtensions: Array<Partial<RegistryExtension>> = [
+      {
+        extensionName: 'Search Ext',
+        fullName: 'user/search-ext',
+        extensionDescription: 'Matching description',
+        rank: 5,
+        url: 'https://github.com/user/search-ext',
+      },
+    ];
+
+    vi.mocked(
+      ExtensionRegistryClient.prototype.searchExtensions,
+    ).mockResolvedValue(mockExtensions as RegistryExtension[]);
+
+    const response = await command.execute(mockContext, ['search']);
+
+    expect(
+      vi.mocked(ExtensionRegistryClient.prototype.searchExtensions),
+    ).toHaveBeenCalledWith('search');
+    expect(response.data).toContain('Found 1 extensions matching "search":');
+    expect(response.data).toContain('* Search Ext (user/search-ext)');
+  });
+
+  it('should show error message when fetch fails', async () => {
+    vi.mocked(
+      ExtensionRegistryClient.prototype.searchExtensions,
+    ).mockRejectedValue(new Error('Network error'));
+
+    const response = await command.execute(mockContext, []);
+
+    expect(response.data).toContain(
+      'Failed to fetch extensions: Network error',
+    );
+    expect(response.data).toContain('/extensions explore');
+  });
+});

packages/cli/src/acp/commands/extensions.ts

@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ import {
   type Config,
   getErrorMessage,
 } from '@google/gemini-cli-core';
+import open from 'open';
 import { SettingScope } from '../../config/settings.js';
 import {
   ExtensionManager,
   inferInstallMetadata,
 } from '../../config/extension-manager.js';
+import { ExtensionRegistryClient } from '../../config/extensionRegistryClient.js';
 import { McpServerEnablementManager } from '../../config/mcp/mcpServerEnablement.js';
 import { stat } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import type {
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@ export class ExtensionsCommand implements Command {
   readonly subCommands = [
     new ListExtensionsCommand(),
     new ExploreExtensionsCommand(),
+    new SearchExtensionsCommand(),
     new EnableExtensionCommand(),
     new DisableExtensionCommand(),
     new InstallExtensionCommand(),
@@ -62,20 +65,88 @@ export class ListExtensionsCommand implements Command {
 
 export class ExploreExtensionsCommand implements Command {
   readonly name = 'extensions explore';
-  readonly description = 'Explore available extensions.';
+  readonly description = 'Explore available extensions in your browser.';
 
   async execute(
     _context: CommandContext,
     _: string[],
   ): Promise<CommandExecutionResponse> {
     const extensionsUrl = 'https://geminicli.com/extensions/';
+    await open(extensionsUrl);
     return {
       name: this.name,
-      data: `View or install available extensions at ${extensionsUrl}`,
+      data: `Opening ${extensionsUrl} in your browser...`,
     };
   }
 }
 
+export class SearchExtensionsCommand implements Command {
+  readonly name = 'extensions search';
+  readonly description = 'Search for available extensions.';
+
+  async execute(
+    context: CommandContext,
+    args: string[],
+  ): Promise<CommandExecutionResponse> {
+    const registryURI = context.config.getExtensionRegistryURI();
+    const client = new ExtensionRegistryClient(registryURI);
+
+    try {
+      const searchTerm = args.join(' ').trim();
+      let extensions = await client.searchExtensions(searchTerm);
+
+      const isSearch = searchTerm.length > 0;
+      if (!isSearch) {
+        // If no search term, just show top 10 ranked extensions
+        extensions = extensions.sort((a, b) => a.rank - b.rank).slice(0, 10);
+      }
+
+      if (extensions.length === 0) {
+        return {
+          name: this.name,
+          data: `No extensions found matching "${searchTerm}".`,
+        };
+      }
+
+      const output = extensions
+        .map((ext) => {
+          const description =
+            ext.extensionDescription || ext.repoDescription || '';
+          let entry = `* ${ext.extensionName} (${ext.fullName})\n  ${description}`;
+          const capabilities: string[] = [];
+          if (ext.hasMCP) capabilities.push('MCP');
+          if (ext.hasSkills) capabilities.push('Skills');
+          if (ext.hasHooks) capabilities.push('Hooks');
+          if (ext.hasContext) capabilities.push('Context');
+          if (ext.hasCustomCommands) capabilities.push('Commands');
+
+          if (capabilities.length > 0) {
+            entry += ` [${capabilities.join(', ')}]`;
+          }
+          entry += `\n  Install: /extensions install ${ext.url}`;
+          return entry;
+        })
+        .join('\n\n');
+
+      const header = isSearch
+        ? `Found ${extensions.length} extensions matching "${searchTerm}":`
+        : `Top ${extensions.length} available extensions:`;
+
+      const footer = `\n\nRun "/extensions explore" to view the full gallery in your browser.`;
+
+      return {
+        name: this.name,
+        data: `${header}\n\n${output}${footer}`,
+      };
+    } catch (error) {
+      return {
+        name: this.name,
+        data: `Failed to fetch extensions: ${getErrorMessage(error)}\nRun "/extensions explore" to view available extensions in your browser.`,
+      };
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 function getEnableDisableContext(
   config: Config,
   args: string[],

packages/cli/src/config/extensionRegistryClient.ts

@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ export class ExtensionRegistryClient {
 
     const fzf = new AsyncFzf(allExtensions, {
       selector: (ext: RegistryExtension) =>
-        `${ext.extensionName} ${ext.extensionDescription} ${ext.fullName}`,
+        `${ext.extensionName} ${ext.extensionDescription} ${ext.repoDescription} ${ext.fullName}`,
       fuzzy: true,
     });
     // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-assignment

packages/cli/src/ui/commands/extensionsCommand.ts

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import {
   ExtensionManager,
   inferInstallMetadata,
 } from '../../config/extension-manager.js';
+import { ExtensionRegistryClient } from '../../config/extensionRegistryClient.js';
 import { SettingScope } from '../../config/settings.js';
 import { McpServerEnablementManager } from '../../config/mcp/mcpServerEnablement.js';
 import { theme } from '../semantic-colors.js';
@@ -293,7 +294,6 @@ async function exploreAction(
 
   const extensionsUrl = 'https://geminicli.com/extensions/';
 
-  // Only check for NODE_ENV for explicit test mode, not for unit test framework
   if (process.env['NODE_ENV'] === 'test') {
     context.ui.addItem({
       type: MessageType.INFO,
@@ -323,6 +323,69 @@ async function exploreAction(
   }
 }
 
+async function searchAction(
+  context: CommandContext,
+  args: string,
+): Promise<void> {
+  const registryURI = context.services.config?.getExtensionRegistryURI();
+  const client = new ExtensionRegistryClient(registryURI);
+
+  try {
+    const searchTerm = args.trim();
+    let extensions = await client.searchExtensions(searchTerm);
+
+    const isSearch = searchTerm.length > 0;
+    if (!isSearch) {
+      // If no search term, just show top 10 ranked extensions
+      extensions = extensions.sort((a, b) => a.rank - b.rank).slice(0, 10);
+    }
+
+    if (extensions.length === 0) {
+      context.ui.addItem({
+        type: MessageType.INFO,
+        text: `No extensions found matching "${searchTerm}".`,
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const output = extensions
+      .map((ext) => {
+        const description =
+          ext.extensionDescription || ext.repoDescription || '';
+        let entry = `* ${ext.extensionName} (${ext.fullName})\n  ${description}`;
+        const capabilities: string[] = [];
+        if (ext.hasMCP) capabilities.push('MCP');
+        if (ext.hasSkills) capabilities.push('Skills');
+        if (ext.hasHooks) capabilities.push('Hooks');
+        if (ext.hasContext) capabilities.push('Context');
+        if (ext.hasCustomCommands) capabilities.push('Commands');
+
+        if (capabilities.length > 0) {
+          entry += ` [${capabilities.join(', ')}]`;
+        }
+        entry += `\n  Install: /extensions install ${ext.url}`;
+        return entry;
+      })
+      .join('\n\n');
+
+    const header = isSearch
+      ? `Found ${extensions.length} extensions matching "${searchTerm}":`
+      : `Top ${extensions.length} available extensions:`;
+
+    const footer = `\n\nRun "/extensions explore" to view the full gallery in your browser.`;
+
+    context.ui.addItem({
+      type: MessageType.INFO,
+      text: `${header}\n\n${output}${footer}`,
+    });
+  } catch (error) {
+    context.ui.addItem({
+      type: MessageType.ERROR,
+      text: `Failed to fetch extensions: ${getErrorMessage(error)}\nRun "/extensions explore" to view available extensions in your browser.`,
+    });
+  }
+}
+
 function getEnableDisableContext(
   context: CommandContext,
   argumentsString: string,
@@ -832,6 +895,14 @@ const exploreExtensionsCommand: SlashCommand = {
   action: exploreAction,
 };
 
+const searchExtensionsCommand: SlashCommand = {
+  name: 'search',
+  description: 'Search for available extensions from the gallery',
+  kind: CommandKind.BUILT_IN,
+  autoExecute: false,
+  action: searchAction,
+};
+
 const reloadCommand: SlashCommand = {
   name: 'reload',
   altNames: ['restart'],
@@ -872,6 +943,7 @@ export function extensionsCommand(
       listExtensionsCommand,
       updateExtensionsCommand,
       exploreExtensionsCommand,
+      searchExtensionsCommand,
       reloadCommand,
       ...conditionalCommands,
     ],