This Free Google AI Tool Just Made Developers Drop Their Paid Subscriptions – ██FR█████ █INTELL███████████

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Wanda

If you’ve ever tried to automate your coding workflow, you’ve probably stared at a paywall and thought, “Do I really need another monthly bill just to get my code reviewed by a robot?”

Enter Gemini CLI. Google’s latest open-source AI agent just crash-landed into the dev world, and it’s here to save your wallet (and your sanity). We’re talking:

1000 free requests per day (that’s more than enough to debug your entire microservices zoo)
Gemini 2.5 Pro access (no credit card, no strings attached)
Open source, terminal-native, and ready to roll

In this guide, I’ll show you how to set up Gemini CLI, connect it to your codebase, and — here’s the real magic — unleash its full power with MCP servers. Ready to make your terminal smarter than your last coffee-fueled all-nighter?

Pro Tip: Want to turn Gemini CLI into an API wizard? Supercharge it with Apidog MCP Server — the all-in-one platform that lets AI coding assistants read your API specs, generate code, and automate your workflow. Sign up for free!

Meet Gemini CLI: Your New AI Coding Buddy

Gemini CLI isn’t just another chatbot. It’s like having a senior dev, a code reviewer, and a documentation ninja living in your terminal—minus the snarky comments about your variable names.

Why Should You Care?

Free Usage: 60 requests/minute, 1000/day. That’s more than my last three SaaS trials combined.
Gemini 2.5 Pro: 1 million token context window. (Yes, you can finally ask it to explain your legacy codebase.)
Open Source: Apache 2.0. Fork it, hack it, brag about it.
No Credit Card: Google account only. Your CFO will thank you.

How to Install Gemini CLI (No Debugging Nightmares Required)

Prerequisites

Node.js 18+
Google Account
Terminal access (and a sense of adventure)

Step 1: Install Gemini CLI

# Quick start (recommended)
npx https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli

# Or install globally
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
gemini

Step 2: Authenticate with Google

When prompted, sign in with your Google account. You’ll instantly unlock:

Gemini 2.5 Pro
60 requests/minute
1000 requests/day
1 million token context

Step 3: Make It Yours

Pick a color theme. (Because if you’re going to talk to an AI, it should at least match your terminal vibes.)

Step 4: Test the Waters

gemini
> What can you do for me?

If it answers, you’re in business. If not, check your Node version and try turning it off and on again (hey, it works for me).

MCP Servers: The Secret Sauce for Real Automation

Ever wish your AI could fetch API specs, wrangle databases, or automate your weirdest workflows? That’s where MCP servers come in. Think of them as the universal translators between Gemini CLI and, well, everything else.

MCP Server Explained

What Can MCP Servers Do?

API Integration: Connect to your APIs and services
Database Access: Query and manipulate data directly
File System Operations: Read, write, and organize files
Custom Workflows: Build tools for your wildest dev dreams

Gemini CLI’s MCP integration is built on a discovery and execution system:

Discovery Layer: Finds and connects to MCP servers
Execution Layer: Handles tool calls and responses
Transport: Stdio, SSE, HTTP streaming

How to Set Up MCP Servers in Gemini CLI (Without Losing Your Mind)

MCP servers are configured in your settings.json. Here’s the basic recipe:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "serverName": {
      "command": "path/to/server",
      "args": ["--arg1", "value1"],
      "env": {
        "API_KEY": "$MY_API_TOKEN"
      },
      "cwd": "./server-directory",
      "timeout": 30000,
      "trust": false
    }
  }
}

Example: Python MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pythonTools": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": ["-m", "my_mcp_server", "--port", "8080"],
      "cwd": "./mcp-servers/python",
      "env": {
        "DATABASE_URL": "$DB_CONNECTION_STRING",
        "API_KEY": "${EXTERNAL_API_KEY}"
      },
      "timeout": 15000
    }
  }
}

Example: Node.js MCP Server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "nodeServer": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["dist/server.js", "--verbose"],
      "cwd": "./mcp-servers/node",
      "trust": true
    }
  }
}

Apidog MCP Server: The API Superpower You Didn’t Know You Needed

While Gemini CLI is your AI sidekick, Apidog MCP Server is the secret weapon that lets it read your API docs, generate code, and keep your documentation in sync—no more copy-pasting between tools like it’s 2012.

Why Use Apidog MCP Server?

Direct API Spec Access: AI reads your docs, not your mind
Code Generation: DTOs, controllers, clients—done
Real-time Updates: Always up-to-date
Multi-Project Support: Juggle all your APIs like a pro

How to Set Up Apidog MCP Server (It’s Easier Than Debugging Regex)

Step 1: Prepare OpenAPI File
Have a URL or local path to your Swagger/OpenAPI file (JSON or YAML)

Step 2: Configure MCP in Your IDE

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "API specification": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "apidog-mcp-server@latest",
        "--oas=<oas-url-or-path>"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Step 3: Test the Connection

Please fetch API specification via MCP and tell me how many endpoints exist in the project

Full setup guide for Apidog MCP Server

Advanced Gemini CLI Workflows (a.k.a. How to Feel Like a 10x Dev)

Code Exploration

gemini
> Describe the main pieces of this system's architecture
> What security mechanisms are in place?
> Help me migrate this codebase to the latest version of Java

Workflow Automation

gemini
> Make me a slide deck showing the git history from the last 7 days
> Create a web app to display our most interacted-with GitHub issues
> Convert all images in this directory to PNG with EXIF date naming

API Development with Apidog

gemini
> Use Apidog MCP to fetch the API specification and generate Java records for the 'Product' schema
> Based on the API specification, add the new fields to the 'Product' DTO
> Generate all the MVC code related to the endpoint '/users' according to the API specification

Troubleshooting & Best Practices (Because Something Always Breaks)

Common Issues

Connection Problems: Check Node.js version, network, and permissions
MCP Server Issues: Validate JSON, test commands, check env vars
Performance: Tune timeouts, pool connections, monitor resources

Security Tips

Trust Settings: Only use trust: true for servers you control (unless you like living dangerously)
API Keys: Store tokens as environment variables
Access Control: Limit permissions to what’s needed

Final Thoughts: The Future Is Free (and a Little Bit Fun)

Gemini CLI isn’t just another AI tool—it’s a paradigm shift. By making enterprise-grade AI free, Google is letting every dev on the planet level up. And with Apidog MCP Server, your API workflow finally gets the automation it deserves.

Takeaways:

Gemini CLI: Free, powerful, and ready for your weirdest coding challenges
MCP servers: The bridge to real-world automation
Apidog MCP Server: The API dev superpower

So, are you ready to ditch the paywalls and join the AI-powered future? Fire up Gemini CLI, plug in Apidog, and let your terminal do the heavy lifting—while you take all the credit (and maybe a coffee break).

This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Wanda