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# Authentication Setup
The Gemini CLI requires you to authenticate with Google's AI services. On initial startup you'll need to configure **one** of the following authentication methods:
1. **Login with Google (Gemini Code Assist):**
- Use this option to log in with your Google account.
- During initial startup, Gemini CLI will direct you to a webpage for authentication. Once authenticated, your credentials will be cached locally so the web login can be skipped on subsequent runs.
- Note that the web login must be done in a browser that can communicate with the machine Gemini CLI is being run from. (Specifically, the browser will be redirected to a localhost url that Gemini CLI will be listening on).
- <a id="workspace-gca">Users may have to specify a GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT if:</a>
1. You have a Google Workspace account. Google Workspace is a paid service for businesses and organizations that provides a suite of productivity tools, including a custom email domain (e.g. [email protected]), enhanced security features, and administrative controls. These accounts are often managed by an employer or school.
1. You have received a Gemini Code Assist license through the [Google Developer Program](https://developers.google.com/program/plans-and-pricing) (including qualified Google Developer Experts)
1. You have been assigned a license to a current Gemini Code Assist standard or enterprise subscription.
1. You are using the product outside the [supported regions](https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/resources/available-locations) for free individual usage.
1. You are a Google account holder under the age of 18
- If you fall into one of these categories, you must first configure a Google Cloud Project ID to use, [enable the Gemini for Cloud API](https://cloud.google.com/gemini/docs/discover/set-up-gemini#enable-api) and [configure access permissions](https://cloud.google.com/gemini/docs/discover/set-up-gemini#grant-iam).
You can temporarily set the environment variable in your current shell session using the following command:
```bash
export GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="YOUR_PROJECT_ID"
```
- For repeated use, you can add the environment variable to your [.env file](#persisting-environment-variables-with-env-files) or your shell's configuration file (like `~/.bashrc`, `~/.zshrc`, or `~/.profile`). For example, the following command adds the environment variable to a `~/.bashrc` file:
```bash
echo 'export GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="YOUR_PROJECT_ID"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```
2. **<a id="gemini-api-key"></a>Gemini API key:**
- Obtain your API key from Google AI Studio: [https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey](https://aistudio.google.com/app/apikey)
- Set the `GEMINI_API_KEY` environment variable. In the following methods, replace `YOUR_GEMINI_API_KEY` with the API key you obtained from Google AI Studio:
- You can temporarily set the environment variable in your current shell session using the following command:
```bash
export GEMINI_API_KEY="YOUR_GEMINI_API_KEY"
```
- For repeated use, you can add the environment variable to your [.env file](#persisting-environment-variables-with-env-files).
- Alternatively you can export the API key from your shell's configuration file (like `~/.bashrc`, `~/.zshrc`, or `~/.profile`). For example, the following command adds the environment variable to a `~/.bashrc` file:
```bash
echo 'export GEMINI_API_KEY="YOUR_GEMINI_API_KEY"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```
:warning: Be advised that when you export your API key inside your shell configuration file, any other process executed from the shell can read it.
3. **Vertex AI:**
- **API Key:**
- Obtain your Google Cloud API key: [Get an API Key](https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/start/api-keys?usertype=newuser)
- Set the `GOOGLE_API_KEY` environment variable. In the following methods, replace `YOUR_GOOGLE_API_KEY` with your Vertex AI API key:
- You can temporarily set the environment variable in your current shell session using the following command:
```bash
export GOOGLE_API_KEY="YOUR_GOOGLE_API_KEY"
```
- For repeated use, you can add the environment variable to your [.env file](#persisting-environment-variables-with-env-files) or your shell's configuration file (like `~/.bashrc`, `~/.zshrc`, or `~/.profile`). For example, the following command adds the environment variable to a `~/.bashrc` file:
```bash
echo 'export GOOGLE_API_KEY="YOUR_GOOGLE_API_KEY"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```
:warning: Be advised that when you export your API key inside your shell configuration file, any other process executed from the shell can read it.
> **Note:**
> If you encounter an error like `"API keys are not supported by this API - Expected OAuth2 access token or other authentication credentials that assert a principal"`, it is likely that your organization has restricted the creation of service account API keys. In this case, please try the [service account JSON key](#service-account-json-key) method described below.
- **Application Default Credentials (ADC):**
> **Note:**
> If you have previously set the `GOOGLE_API_KEY` or `GEMINI_API_KEY` environment variables, you must unset them to use Application Default Credentials.
>
> ```bash
> unset GOOGLE_API_KEY GEMINI_API_KEY
> ```
- **Using `gcloud` (for local development):**
- Ensure you have a Google Cloud project and have enabled the Vertex AI API.
- Log in with your user credentials:
```bash
gcloud auth application-default login
```
For more information, see [Set up Application Default Credentials for Google Cloud](https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/provide-credentials-adc).
- **<a id="service-account-json-key"></a>Using a Service Account (for applications or when service account API keys are restricted):**
- If you are unable to create an API key due to [organization policies](https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/start/api-keys?usertype=existinguser#expandable-2), or if you are running in a non-interactive environment, you can authenticate using a service account key.
- [Create a service account and key](https://cloud.google.com/iam/docs/keys-create-delete), and download the JSON key file. The service account will need to be assigned the "Vertex AI User" role.
- Set the `GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS` environment variable to the absolute path of the JSON file.
- You can temporarily set the environment variable in your current shell session:
```bash
export GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS="/path/to/your/keyfile.json"
```
- For repeated use, you can add the command to your shell's configuration file (e.g., `~/.bashrc`).
```bash
echo 'export GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS="/path/to/your/keyfile.json"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```
:warning: Be advised that when you export service account credentials inside your shell configuration file, any other process executed from the shell can read it.
- **Required Environment Variables for ADC:**
- When using ADC (either with `gcloud` or a service account), you must also set the `GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT` and `GOOGLE_CLOUD_LOCATION` environment variables. In the following methods, replace `YOUR_PROJECT_ID` and `YOUR_PROJECT_LOCATION` with the relevant values for your project:
- You can temporarily set these environment variables in your current shell session using the following commands:
```bash
export GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="YOUR_PROJECT_ID"
export GOOGLE_CLOUD_LOCATION="YOUR_PROJECT_LOCATION" # e.g., us-central1
```
- For repeated use, you can add the environment variables to your [.env file](#persisting-environment-variables-with-env-files) or your shell's configuration file (like `~/.bashrc`, `~/.zshrc`, or `~/.profile`). For example, the following commands add the environment variables to a `~/.bashrc` file:
```bash
echo 'export GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="YOUR_PROJECT_ID"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'export GOOGLE_CLOUD_LOCATION="YOUR_PROJECT_LOCATION"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
```
4. **Cloud Shell:**
- This option is only available when running in a Google Cloud Shell environment.
- It automatically uses the credentials of the logged-in user in the Cloud Shell environment.
- This is the default authentication method when running in Cloud Shell and no other method is configured.
:warning: Be advised that when you export your API key inside your shell configuration file, any other process executed from the shell can read it.
### Persisting Environment Variables with `.env` Files
You can create a **`.gemini/.env`** file in your project directory or in your home directory. Creating a plain **`.env`** file also works, but `.gemini/.env` is recommended to keep Gemini variables isolated from other tools.
**Important:** Some environment variables (like `DEBUG` and `DEBUG_MODE`) are automatically excluded from project `.env` files to prevent interference with gemini-cli behavior. Use `.gemini/.env` files for gemini-cli specific variables.
Gemini CLI automatically loads environment variables from the **first** `.env` file it finds, using the following search order:
1. Starting in the **current directory** and moving upward toward `/`, for each directory it checks:
1. `.gemini/.env`
2. `.env`
2. If no file is found, it falls back to your **home directory**:
- `~/.gemini/.env`
- `~/.env`
> **Important:** The search stops at the **first** file encountered—variables are **not merged** across multiple files.
#### Examples
**Project-specific overrides** (take precedence when you are inside the project):
```bash
mkdir -p .gemini
echo 'GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="your-project-id"' >> .gemini/.env
```
**User-wide settings** (available in every directory):
```bash
mkdir -p ~/.gemini
cat >> ~/.gemini/.env <<'EOF'
GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="your-project-id"
GEMINI_API_KEY="your-gemini-api-key"
EOF
```
## Non-Interactive Mode / Headless Environments
When running the Gemini CLI in a non-interactive environment, you cannot use the interactive login flow.
Instead, you must configure authentication using environment variables.
The CLI will automatically detect if it is running in a non-interactive terminal and will use one of the
following authentication methods if available:
1. **Gemini API Key:**
- Set the `GEMINI_API_KEY` environment variable.
- The CLI will use this key to authenticate with the Gemini API.
2. **Vertex AI:**
- Set the `GOOGLE_GENAI_USE_VERTEXAI=true` environment variable.
- **Using an API Key:** Set the `GOOGLE_API_KEY` environment variable.
- **Using Application Default Credentials (ADC):**
- Run `gcloud auth application-default login` in your environment to configure ADC.
- Ensure the `GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT` and `GOOGLE_CLOUD_LOCATION` environment variables are set.
If none of these environment variables are set in a non-interactive session, the CLI will exit with an error.
|
