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How to ask Gemini to explain a codebase from the terminal with Gemini CLI

Run Gemini CLI in a repo and ask it about architecture, with extra directories included.

Short answer: Try it without installing: npx @google/gemini-cli, or install with npm install -g @google/gemini-cli or brew install gemini-cli; then set your key: export GEMINI_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"; in the repo run gemini, and add sibling folders with gemini --include-directories ../lib,../docs. All steps.

Credentials. Keep the API key in your shell environment, not in the repo.

Who it is forA developer joining an unfamiliar project who needs the big picture fast.

The problemReading a new codebase file by file takes days.

The outcomeA plain-language summary of the architecture and where the key pieces live.

What you need first

  • Node.js (npm), Homebrew, MacPorts or conda
  • A Gemini API key from AI Studio or a Google Cloud project for Vertex AI

Steps

  1. Try it without installing: npx @google/gemini-cli, or install with npm install -g @google/gemini-cli or brew install gemini-cli
  2. Set your key: export GEMINI_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
  3. In the repo run gemini, and add sibling folders with gemini --include-directories ../lib,../docs
  4. Ask it to explain the architecture or summarize recent changes

Prompt for your agent

In this repo, run google-gemini/gemini-cli with my GEMINI_API_KEY from the environment and ask it to explain the architecture, the entry points and the riskiest module. Paste its answer in a file ARCHITECTURE_NOTES.md.

Caveat. Unpaid tier and Google One users were moved to Antigravity CLI on June 18, 2026; this path needs an API key or Vertex AI.

Use this in your AI agent

Ask your agent

Using the Deduped MCP, get the setup steps for google-gemini/gemini-cli and "Ask Gemini to explain a codebase from the terminal"

Add Deduped to Claude Code once

claude mcp add --transport http deduped https://dedupedai.com/mcp

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