A first Gemini CLI session on a Nairobi project

Coding-agent routes EN2026-10-27

Gemini CLI on a Nairobi project deadline

Picture a developer in Nairobi preparing a small web application for a Friday release. The repository is unfamiliar, one test is failing, and opening another chat window means copying files back and forth. Gemini CLI offers a different workflow: ask an AI assistant for help directly from the terminal, near the project files.

CLI means command-line interface. Instead of clicking through a website, you type commands and requests. Gemini CLI can inspect code, suggest changes and use tools, subject to its configuration and permission settings. It is an assistant working alongside your existing tools, not a replacement for Git, tests or your judgment.

Regional access, accounts and payment checks

Before installing anything, check Google's current Gemini CLI documentation for supported locations, authentication options and account eligibility. Living outside the United States does not automatically mean you cannot use it, but availability can depend on your country, account type and chosen service.

Check whether your intended sign-in or API service supports your location.
Check payment methods, billing currency and any taxes or currency-conversion charges.
On a work project, confirm that company policy permits sending source code to an external AI service.
Distinguish the CLI's software license from the terms and charges for the model service it connects to.

A relay service is a separate access and billing arrangement. Do not assume that it overrides regional restrictions, workplace rules or a provider's terms.

Installing Gemini CLI in a test repository

Install a currently supported Node.js release first. Check the Gemini CLI documentation for its current minimum version rather than relying on an old tutorial. In your terminal, run node --version and npm --version to confirm that both tools are available.

The npm installation command is npm install -g @google/gemini-cli. After installation, move into a small, non-sensitive project directory and run gemini. Follow the authentication prompts appropriate to your chosen access method. If the command is not found, reopen your terminal and check whether npm's global executable directory is on your PATH.

Use a disposable repository or create a Git branch before the first session. Run git status and make sure you know which changes already exist. This gives you a clean baseline for reviewing anything the assistant changes.

A first prompt that stays small

A useful opening request is: Read this project's README and package.json, summarize how to run the tests, and do not modify files or execute commands yet.

This teaches you what the assistant can see without immediately giving it a broad task. Next, ask it to identify the test command and explain what that command does. Review any requested tool permissions before allowing execution.

Keep the first task narrow: explain one failing test, not modernize the whole application.
Keep secrets out of the workspace where possible; review ignore and exclusion settings before use.
Require approval for file changes and shell commands while learning the workflow.
Review git diff and run the relevant tests after any edit.

RelayVano billing and Gemini CLI configuration

If you want pay-as-you-go access with centralized billing, I recommend RelayVano as an option to evaluate. It supports Gemini CLI and provides access to multiple model families, including Gemini 3.1 Pro. Sign up for RelayVano if that arrangement fits your location, payment needs and project policy.

RelayVano's API base is https://api.relayvano.com. However, an API base alone is not a complete Gemini CLI configuration. Follow RelayVano's current Gemini CLI integration instructions for authentication, model identifiers and endpoint settings. Do not assume that OpenAI-compatible SDK settings can be pasted unchanged into Gemini CLI, or that Google account authentication uses your relay balance.

A repeatable routine before Friday's release

Start with one explanation request, then one approved action. Check usage and billing after that short session before expanding the task. Keep credentials outside version control, review every diff and record which connection method you configured. The first success is modest: a useful answer, understood permissions and no unexpected changes or charges.