gemini-cli/docs/get-started/installation.md

import { Tabs, TabItem } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';

# Gemini CLI installation, execution, and releases

This document provides an overview of Gemini CLI's system requirements,
installation methods, and release types.

## Recommended system specifications

- **Operating System:**
  - macOS 15+
  - Windows 11 24H2+
  - Ubuntu 20.04+
- **Hardware:**
  - "Casual" usage: 4GB+ RAM (short sessions, common tasks and edits)
  - "Power" usage: 16GB+ RAM (long sessions, large codebases, deep context)
- **Runtime:** Node.js 20.0.0+
- **Shell:** Bash, Zsh, or PowerShell
- **Location:**
  [Gemini Code Assist supported locations](https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/resources/available-locations#americas)
- **Internet connection required**

## Install Gemini CLI

We recommend most users install Gemini CLI using one of the following
installation methods:

- npm
- Homebrew
- MacPorts
- Anaconda

Note that Gemini CLI comes pre-installed on
[**Cloud Shell**](https://docs.cloud.google.com/shell/docs) and
[**Cloud Workstations**](https://cloud.google.com/workstations).

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="npm">
  Install globally with npm:

```bash
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Homebrew">
  Install globally with Homebrew (macOS/Linux):

```bash
brew install gemini-cli
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="MacPorts">
  Install globally with MacPorts (macOS):

```bash
sudo port install gemini-cli
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Anaconda">
  Install with Anaconda (for restricted environments):

```bash
# Create and activate a new environment
conda create -y -n gemini_env -c conda-forge nodejs
conda activate gemini_env

# Install Gemini CLI globally via npm (inside the environment)
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Run Gemini CLI

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Standard">
  For most users, we recommend running Gemini CLI with the `gemini` command:

```bash
gemini
```

For a list of options and additional commands, see the
[CLI cheatsheet](../cli/cli-reference.md). </TabItem> <TabItem label="npx"> Run
instantly with npx (no permanent installation required).

```bash
npx @google/gemini-cli
```

You can also execute the CLI directly from the main branch on GitHub, which is
helpful for testing features still in development:

```bash
npx https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Sandbox (Docker)">
  For security and isolation, Gemini CLI can be run inside a container. This is
  the default way that the CLI executes tools that might have side effects.

- **Directly from the registry:** You can run the published sandbox image
  directly. This is useful for environments where you only have Docker and want
  to run the CLI.
  ```bash
  # Run the published sandbox image
  docker run --rm -it us-docker.pkg.dev/gemini-code-dev/gemini-cli/sandbox:0.1.1
  ```
- **Using the `--sandbox` flag:** If you have Gemini CLI installed locally
  (using the standard installation described above), you can instruct it to run
  inside the sandbox container.

  ```bash
  gemini --sandbox -y -p "your prompt here"
  ```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="From source">
  Contributors to the project will want to run the CLI directly from the source
  code.

- **Development mode:** This method provides hot-reloading and is useful for
  active development.
  ```bash
  # From the root of the repository
  npm run start
  ```
- **Production mode (React optimizations):** This method runs the CLI with React
  production mode enabled, which is useful for testing performance without
  development overhead.
  ```bash
  # From the root of the repository
  npm run start:prod
  ```
- **Production-like mode (linked package):** This method simulates a global
  installation by linking your local package. It's useful for testing a local
  build in a production workflow.

      ```bash
      # Link the local cli package to your global node_modules
      npm link packages/cli

      # Now you can run your local version using the `gemini` command
      gemini
      ```

    </TabItem>
  </Tabs>

## Releases

Gemini CLI has three release channels: nightly, preview, and stable. For most
users, we recommend the stable release, which is the default installation.

<Tabs>
  <TabItem label="Stable">
  New stable releases are published each week. The stable release is the promotion
  of last week's `preview` release along with any bug fixes. The stable release
  uses `latest` tag, but omitting the tag also installs the latest stable release
  by default:

```bash
# Both commands install the latest stable release.
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli@latest
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Preview">
  New preview releases will be published each week. These releases are not fully
  vetted and may contain regressions or other outstanding issues. Try out the
  preview release by using the `preview` tag:

```bash
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli@preview
```

  </TabItem>
  <TabItem label="Nightly">
  Nightly releases are published every day. The nightly release includes all
  changes from the main branch at time of release. It should be assumed there are
  pending validations and issues. You can help test the latest changes by
  installing with the `nightly` tag:

```bash
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli@nightly
```

  </TabItem>
</Tabs>