--- title: Gemini CLI | RunAPI description: Configure Gemini CLI with RunAPI's Gemini native API, verify requests, and restore your previous setup. url: https://runapi.ai/docs/resources/tool-integrations/gemini-cli.md canonical: https://runapi.ai/docs/resources/tool-integrations/gemini-cli locale: en --- > HTML version: https://runapi.ai/docs/resources/tool-integrations/gemini-cli > Site index for agents: https://runapi.ai/llms.txt # Gemini CLI ## Overview Gemini CLI is a terminal agent. This guide changes its model provider to RunAPI's Gemini native API; adding RunAPI tools through MCP is a separate step. ## Before you begin Follow the [official installation guide][1]. Create a dedicated standard API key using the [Authentication Guide](https://runapi.ai/docs/guides/authentication.md), then copy a Gemini-native model ID from the [Model Catalog](https://runapi.ai/models). Never commit your key. [1]: https://geminicli.com/docs/get-started/installation/ ```shell npm install -g @google/gemini-cli ``` ## Configure RunAPI Start with these variables in your current shell. The base URL is the HTTPS API root, without `/v1beta`; the SDK adds `POST /v1beta/models/{model}:streamGenerateContent?alt=sse`. HTTP is only allowed for localhost. ```shell export GOOGLE_GEMINI_BASE_URL=https://runapi.ai export GEMINI_API_KEY=YOUR_RUNAPI_API_KEY export GEMINI_MODEL=YOUR_RUNAPI_MODEL_ID ``` For persistent use, put the same three variables in `~/.gemini/.env`, outside your repositories. Restrict access with `chmod 600 ~/.gemini/.env`. Gemini CLI searches for `.env` from the current directory toward its parents, then checks `~/.gemini/.env` and `~/.env`; check for competing files. Merge these two settings into `~/.gemini/settings.json`, preserving unrelated settings. Use `gemini-api-key` for API-key authentication; do not reuse a cached Google login. The key is sent in `x-goog-api-key` by default. ```json { "security": { "auth": {"selectedType": "gemini-api-key"} }, "model": {"name": "YOUR_RUNAPI_MODEL_ID"} } ``` ## Choose a model Use `GEMINI_MODEL`, `--model YOUR_RUNAPI_MODEL_ID`, or `/model` in an interactive session. Avoid `auto`, `pro`, and `flash`: these aliases can resolve to Google model IDs not available in RunAPI. Internal routing, classification, and loop detection can also request flash or flash-lite auxiliary models; check their availability separately. ## Verify Run this in a repository you trust. Check the model with `/about` or `/stats` in an interactive session, then confirm a matching `streamGenerateContent` request in RunAPI usage records. A successful CLI response alone does not prove which endpoint received it. ```shell gemini --version gemini -p "Describe this repository in one sentence." ``` ## Add RunAPI tools MCP adds tools, not a model provider. This command registers the local server; follow [Local MCP](https://runapi.ai/docs/resources/mcp/local.md) for its separate authentication and verification. ```shell gemini mcp add runapi npx -y @runapi.ai/mcp ``` ## Troubleshoot If requests still go to Google, check competing `.env` files, `security.auth.selectedType`, cached login, and Google/Vertex authentication environment settings. If you see `Invalid auth method selected`, select `gemini-api-key` in settings rather than `gateway` and restart. A `401` means you should check the key and any `GEMINI_API_KEY_AUTH_MECHANISM` override; the default uses `x-goog-api-key`. For `404`, remove `/v1beta` from the base URL and copy a supported Gemini-native model ID again. For an unavailable auxiliary model, check the exact requested ID; selecting a main model does not guarantee every CLI feature works. RunAPI does not expose `countTokens` or `embedContent`. Gemini CLI can fall back to local token estimation when `countTokens` fails; estimates may differ from usage records. Use HTTPS except for localhost, and do not disable certificate verification. ## Remove RunAPI Remove the three variables from your shell and saved `.env` files, restore your previous `security.auth.selectedType` and model setting, and revoke the dedicated key in RunAPI. Remove the separately added MCP server only if you no longer need its tools. ```shell unset GOOGLE_GEMINI_BASE_URL GEMINI_API_KEY GEMINI_MODEL ``` ## Next steps Continue with [LLM API Quickstart](https://runapi.ai/docs/guides/llm-api/quickstart.md), [Gemini generateContent](https://runapi.ai/docs/api/gemini/generate-content.md), [streamGenerateContent](https://runapi.ai/docs/api/gemini/stream-generate-content.md), the [Model Catalog](https://runapi.ai/models), or [Local MCP](https://runapi.ai/docs/resources/mcp/local.md). --- ## More from RunAPI - [Home](https://runapi.ai/.md) - [Model Catalog](https://runapi.ai/models.md) - [Pricing](https://runapi.ai/pricing.md) - [Providers](https://runapi.ai/models) - [Documentation](https://runapi.ai/docs/guides) - [SDKs](https://runapi.ai/sdk.md) - [CLI](https://runapi.ai/cli.md) - [MCP Server](https://runapi.ai/mcp.md) - [x402](https://runapi.ai/x402.md) - [Claude Code vs Cursor](https://runapi.ai/claude-code-vs-cursor.md) - [Cursor API Setup](https://runapi.ai/cursor-api-setup.md) - [RunAPI vs OpenRouter](https://runapi.ai/openrouter-alternative.md) - [Enterprise](https://runapi.ai/contact.md) - [Contact](https://runapi.ai/contact.md) - [Terms](https://runapi.ai/terms.md) - [Privacy](https://runapi.ai/privacy.md) - [Site index for agents](https://runapi.ai/llms.txt) Contact: contact@runapi.ai ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "inLanguage": "en", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "RunAPI", "url": "https://runapi.ai/", "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": { "@type": "EntryPoint", "urlTemplate": "https://runapi.ai/models?q={search_term_string}" }, "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "inLanguage": "en", "@type": "Organization", "name": "RunAPI", "url": "https://runapi.ai/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://runapi.ai/icon.svg" }, "sameAs": [ "https://github.com/runapi-ai" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "inLanguage": "en", "@type": "TechArticle", "headline": "Gemini CLI", "description": "Configure Gemini CLI with RunAPI's Gemini native API, verify requests, and restore your previous setup.", "url": "https://runapi.ai/docs/resources/tool-integrations/gemini-cli", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://runapi.ai/docs/resources/tool-integrations/gemini-cli" } ] ```