Beyond the terminal: Gemini CLI comes to Zed

Gemini CLI is now integrated into Zed, bringing AI directly to your code editor

Gemini CLI was built to be extensible by default through emerging standards like MCP, markdown-based instructions, color themes, custom extensions, custom tools, custom configurations, and Open Telemetry. Because we built Gemini CLI as a lightweight orchestrator capable of integrating with any toolchain, the number of community contributions, integrations, and extensions has exploded. In fact, in the eight weeks since Gemini CLI launched, the community has merged 1K pull requests expanding Gemini CLI’s capabilities. Combined with a growing ecosystem of extensions, Gemini CLI is quickly becoming the critical part of many engineering systems – including Google’s own.

We’re always looking to integrate with tools developers love, and Zed is a natural fit. Because Zed’s high-performance, open source code editor is already a popular choice within the Gemini CLI team, we reached out to the creators to explore a deeper collaboration. Starting today, Gemini CLI is integrated with Zed, bringing Gemini’s models directly into Zed’s Rust-based environment. Developers can now tap into an AI experience that’s as fast and responsive as the editor itself.

Gemini CLI ♥️ Zed

The integration marries two essential tools – the terminal and IDE – to help you tackle common tasks with speed and precision. For example, you can:

• Generate and refactor code in-place: Write a comment, hit a hotkey, and get a function generated instantly.

• Get instant answers: Highlight confusing code or an error message to get an immediate explanation.

• Chat naturally in your terminal: Use the gemini command in Zed’s integrated terminal for broader questions, just like you’re used to.

A new kind of collaboration

Of course, this integration is about more than just features; it’s a better way to collaborate with an AI agent. This new workflow keeps you in the driver’s seat. Here’s what makes it special:

• Follow the agent in real time: While Gemini is working, you aren’t flying blind. You can follow along live as it makes changes across multiple files, giving you a clear view of its execution.

• Review code like a pull request: Once the agent completes its work, Zed presents the changes in a robust review interface. You get a clear diff for every proposed edit, allowing you to review, accept, or modify the changes with the same control you’d have in a code review.

• Enjoy a seamless handoff: There’s no awkward copy-pasting. The moment you’re done reviewing, you can jump right back into your code, keeping you in the flow.

• Provide context beyond your filesystem: You can give the agent more than just your local files. Point it to a URL with documentation or an API spec to give it the context it needs to solve tougher problems.

Ready to build?

We’re delighted to announce this collaboration together. Read the mirror announcement on the Zed blog.

It’s easy to get started with Gemini CLI and Zed. We’re excited to see what you build. As always, Gemini CLI is open source. Join us on GitHub where you can ask for help, inspect our source code, raise issues, and contribute code to make the project better for everyone.

Happy coding!