Profiles

Profiles allow you to maintain separate configurations for different workflows, tasks, or personas. Each profile can define its own set of allowed extensions, a default model, and a custom system instruction (persona).

Profiles are particularly useful for:

Switching between domain-specific setups (e.g., frontend development vs. system administration).
Defining specialized AI personas for different tasks.
Restricting available tools/extensions for specific projects.

Profile structure

Profiles are Markdown files (.md) that use YAML frontmatter for configuration and the file body for system instructions.

Location: ~/.gemini/profiles/[profile-name].md

Example profile (`coder.md`)

---
name: Web Developer
default_model: gemini-2.0-flash
extensions:
  - github
  - web-search
---

You are a world-class Web Developer. Focus on React, TypeScript, and modern CSS.
Always prefer functional components and explain your reasoning.

Configuration fields

Field	Description
`name`	(Optional) A display name for the profile.
`default_model`	(Optional) The model to use when this profile is active.
`extensions`	(Optional) A list of allowed extension IDs. If specified, only these extensions will be loaded.

The body of the Markdown file is injected into the system prompt, allowing you to define a specific persona or set of instructions that the AI will always follow when the profile is active.

Usage

Single session usage

Use the --profiles flag (or -P) to use a profile for a single session:

gemini --profiles coder

Persistent default

You can set a profile as your default for all sessions:

gemini profiles enable coder

To return to the standard configuration:

gemini profiles disable

Commands

Command	Description
`gemini profiles list`	List all available profiles and see which one is active.
`gemini profiles enable <name>`	Set a profile as the persistent default.
`gemini profiles disable`	Clear the persistent default profile.
`gemini profiles uninstall <name>`	Delete a profile from your local storage.

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