GEMINI.md is a context file for Gemini CLI, Google's command-line AI coding assistant. It provides project-specific instructions and context that Gemini references in every conversation.

Where should I place my GEMINI.md file?

Place GEMINI.md in your project root for project-level context, or in ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md for global settings that apply to all projects.

Can I customize the context filename?

Yes. Configure the context.fileName property in your settings.json to use a different name or a list of names instead of the default GEMINI.md.

What are the memory commands?

/memory show displays loaded context, /memory refresh reloads all files, and /memory add appends text to your global ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md file for persistent memories.

Does Gemini CLI support hierarchical context?

Yes. Gemini CLI searches for GEMINI.md in your current directory and all parent directories up to the project root (identified by a .git folder), concatenating all found files.

How does GEMINI.md compare to CLAUDE.md?

Both serve similar purposes for their respective CLI tools. GEMINI.md is for Google's Gemini CLI, CLAUDE.md is for Anthropic's Claude Code. The format and concepts are nearly identical.

Should I modularize my GEMINI.md file?

Yes, for larger projects. Modularizing prevents context bloat and ensures Gemini only receives the precise instructions needed for each task, avoiding confusion from a massive instruction set.

Gemini CLI Configuration

GEMINI.md Guide

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Configure Google's Gemini CLI with context files. Learn about hierarchical loading, memory commands, and best practices for AI-assisted development.

Understanding GEMINI.md

GEMINI.md is a context file for Gemini CLI, Google's open-source AI coding assistant that brings Gemini directly into your terminal. Instead of repeating instructions in every prompt, you define them once in GEMINI.md and Gemini references them automatically.

The format is nearly identical to CLAUDE.md, making it easy to maintain configurations for both tools if you use multiple AI assistants.

File Locations

Gemini CLI loads context files from multiple locations in a hierarchical system:

Global — ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md provides default instructions for all projects
Project-level — CLI searches for GEMINI.md in your current directory and each parent up to the project root (.git folder)
All found files are concatenated and sent to the model with every prompt

GEMINI.md Format

GEMINI.md

# Project Context

This is a Next.js 14 application using App Router, TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS.

## Tech Stack
- Next.js 14 (App Router)
- TypeScript strict mode
- Tailwind CSS + shadcn/ui
- Prisma with PostgreSQL
- NextAuth.js for authentication

## Project Structure
```
src/
├── app/           # Next.js App Router pages
├── components/    # React components
├── lib/           # Utility functions and configs
├── hooks/         # Custom React hooks
└── types/         # TypeScript type definitions
```

## Code Style
- Use functional components with hooks
- Prefer Server Components by default
- Use async/await over Promise chains
- Keep components under 150 lines
- No 'any' types allowed

## Commands
- `npm run dev` - Start development server
- `npm run build` - Build for production
- `npm run test` - Run tests
- `npm run db:push` - Push Prisma schema

Memory Commands

Gemini CLI provides commands to interact with loaded context:

/memory show

Displays the full, concatenated content of the current hierarchical memory

/memory refresh

Forces a re-scan and reload of all GEMINI.md files from all configured locations

/memory add <text>

Appends your text to the global ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md file for persistent memories

AGENTS.md Alternative

Gemini CLI also supports AGENTS.md files. If you have both GEMINI.md and AGENTS.md in the same directory, GEMINI.md takes precedence.

AGENTS.md is useful if you want to share instructions across multiple AI tools (Gemini, Claude Code, etc.) since the format is compatible with several tools.

Best Practices

Modularize for large projects — Prevent context bloat by splitting into focused files
Use hierarchical files — Global settings in ~/.gemini/, project-specific in repo root
Keep it concise — The model receives all context with every prompt
Include commands — Document common shell commands so Gemini can execute them
Use /memory refresh — After editing GEMINI.md during a session

Frequently Asked Questions

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