Gemini CLI + VS Code: Native diffing and context-aware workflows

Get ready to experience the future of command-line apps from within VS Code! Our latest Gemini CLI update brings a new level of intelligence directly to your VS Code integrated terminal. This isn’t just any update; it evolves how you interact with your projects, offering a deep IDE integration that understands your context and suggests changes right where you need them.

What’s new: A deeper integration

This update fundamentally changes how Gemini CLI interacts with your editor, making your developer workflows smoother and more efficient.

• Workspace & selection context: When you connect your VS Code IDE to Gemini CLI, Gemini CLI has direct access to your workspace. It becomes aware of the files you have open and can access selected text. This allows the CLI to provide targeted and contextually relevant suggestions, as the tool understands precisely what you’re working on at the moment.

• Native in-editor diffing: Suggestions from Gemini CLI now trigger a full-screen diff view directly inside VS Code. This gives you a comprehensive, side-by-side review of changes. Crucially, you can modify the code right within this diff view before you accept it, giving you full control and flexibility.

Getting started

Ready to try it out? The setup is straightforward.

1: Prerequisites:

• Gemini CLI version 0.1.20 or higher
• Run the CLI from the integrated terminal within VS Code

2: One-time setup: From your integrated terminal, run the /ide install command to install the necessary companion extension

3: Toggle integration: After the one-time setup, you can easily manage the integration:

• To activate it: /ide enable
• To deactivate it: /ide disable

Enable IDE integration today and experience a new way to build with Gemini CLI and VS Code.