Gemini CLI in Obsidian: Setup, Plugins and the June 2026 Change
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You can use Gemini CLI with Obsidian in two ways: start it in a terminal in your vault folder, or run it inside Obsidian through a community plugin such as Agent Client. Check your account first, though. Since June 18, 2026, Gemini CLI no longer serves free personal accounts or Google AI Pro and Ultra plans. Google moved those to a new tool, Antigravity CLI (agy). Gemini CLI now works with a Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise organization, or a paid Gemini API or Vertex AI key.
This guide covers who can still use Gemini CLI, how to point it at a vault, the Obsidian plugins that run it, and what to set up first. We make SystemSculpt, an Obsidian plugin that runs Claude Code and Codex. It does not run Gemini CLI, and we say where it fits at the end.
Checked on November 3, 2026, against Gemini CLI 0.66.0 and the Obsidian community plugin list.
Can you still use Gemini CLI?
| Your Google access | Gemini CLI | What to use |
|---|---|---|
| Free Google account | No, since June 18, 2026 | Antigravity CLI |
| Google AI Pro or Ultra (Google One) | No, since June 18, 2026 | Antigravity CLI |
| Gemini Code Assist Standard or Enterprise, or Code Assist for GitHub | Yes | Gemini CLI |
| Paid Gemini API key or Vertex AI | Yes | Gemini CLI |
Google's README for Gemini CLI also says it is "not optimized for Gemini 4+" and points Gemini 4 users to Antigravity CLI. Some Gemini CLI docs pages still describe the old free sign-in and its daily limits; the README and Google's transition post are the current word.
Run Gemini CLI on your vault from a terminal
An Obsidian vault is a plain folder of Markdown files, so Gemini CLI can read and edit it like any project folder.
1. Install it. Gemini CLI needs Node.js 20 or later. Install it with npm install -g @google/gemini-cli, or brew install gemini-cli on a Mac.
2. Start it in the vault. Open a terminal at the vault root, the folder that contains .obsidian, and run:
cd ~/path/to/your-vault
gemini
To find the path, right-click any note in Obsidian and choose Reveal in Finder (Mac) or Show in system explorer (Windows).
3. Sign in with the access you have. Use your organization's Code Assist sign-in, or set a paid Gemini API key or Vertex AI credentials as the authentication guide describes.
4. Ask about your notes. For example: "Read Projects/Garden and list the open tasks with their due dates." By default, Gemini CLI asks before each tool call, including every file edit and shell command.
Give Gemini CLI vault instructions with GEMINI.md
Gemini CLI reads a GEMINI.md file in the folder it works in, plus a global one at ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md, and follows them as standing instructions. Put one at the vault root that describes your folders and conventions:
# This vault
Plain Markdown notes for Obsidian, linked with [[wikilinks]].
- Inbox/: new notes. Safe to tidy.
- Archive/: read only.
- Never rename or move a note without asking.
- Don't edit anything in .obsidian/.
Run /init to have it draft one, and /memory show to see what it loaded. If you also use Codex or another agent that reads AGENTS.md, you can point Gemini CLI at that file instead by setting "context": {"fileName": ["AGENTS.md", "GEMINI.md"]} in .gemini/settings.json.
To keep files out of Gemini CLI's view, add a .geminiignore file at the vault root. It uses .gitignore syntax, and Gemini CLI needs a restart to apply it:
.obsidian/
Private/
GEMINI.md shows up in Obsidian as an ordinary note. The .gemini folder and .geminiignore don't appear in Obsidian's file list.
Choose how much it may do without asking
Start Gemini CLI with --approval-mode to change when it asks:
default: asks before each tool call. The safest start for a vault.auto_edit: edits files without asking, and still asks before other actions such as shell commands.plan: read-only. The docs call it experimental and not yet fully working.yolo: runs every action without asking. Avoid it on a vault you care about.
Two more safety tools help with notes. Checkpointing saves a snapshot before Gemini CLI changes files, and /restore rolls back to one; turn it on with general.checkpointing.enabled in your settings. A sandbox (--sandbox) confines what its commands can touch; it is off by default.
Run Gemini CLI inside Obsidian
These community plugins in Obsidian's directory run Gemini CLI. Each is desktop only:
| Plugin | What it does with Gemini CLI |
|---|---|
| Agent Client | A chat pane for Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI and other agents that speak the Agent Client Protocol |
| Mantle Otto | A chat interface around your installed Gemini CLI |
| Open in Terminal | Opens a terminal at your vault and starts gemini |
| Terminal Agent Tabs | Runs agent CLIs, Gemini CLI included, in terminal tabs |
Each one starts your own Gemini CLI, so the access rules above still apply. Agent Client's own setup notes warn that Gemini CLI is being discontinued for individual users. Before you install one, check which approval mode it starts Gemini CLI in: at least one other plugin, Multi AI Assistant, starts it with --approval-mode yolo, which lets it change files without asking.
What leaves your computer
Gemini CLI sends your prompts and the files it reads to Google's AI service. Which data terms apply depends on your access. On an unpaid Gemini API key, Google's terms say it uses what you submit "to provide, improve, and develop Google products" and that human reviewers may read it. On a paid key, they say Google doesn't use your prompts or responses to improve its products. Your organization's agreement covers Code Assist.
Where SystemSculpt fits
SystemSculpt doesn't run Gemini CLI. If you lost free Gemini CLI access, or you'd rather not set up a terminal, the free SystemSculpt plugin runs your own signed-in Claude Code or Codex in a chat pane in your vault on desktop. It needs no SystemSculpt account or plan, asks before edits in the mode you choose, and shows each requested change in the chat. On mobile, its chat uses SystemSculpt's hosted AI.
Common questions
Is Gemini CLI still free? Not for individuals. Since June 18, 2026, free personal accounts and Google AI Pro and Ultra plans can't use Gemini CLI; Google moved them to Antigravity CLI. Gemini CLI works with Code Assist Standard or Enterprise, or a paid Gemini API or Vertex AI key.
Is there an official Gemini CLI plugin for Obsidian? No. Google doesn't make one. Community plugins such as Agent Client and Mantle Otto run your installed Gemini CLI inside Obsidian.
Does Gemini CLI work on Obsidian mobile? No. It runs on a desktop computer, and the plugins that run it are desktop only.
Where do I put GEMINI.md in a vault? At the vault root, the folder that contains .obsidian, then start Gemini CLI there.
Can Gemini CLI break my Obsidian links? Renaming or moving a note outside Obsidian doesn't update the links to it. Tell it in GEMINI.md not to rename or move notes without asking, and keep the default approval mode for reorganizing.
Does SystemSculpt support Gemini CLI? No. SystemSculpt runs Claude Code and Codex on desktop, plus its own hosted AI.
Sources
- Gemini CLI README and release 0.66.0
- Transitioning Gemini CLI to Antigravity CLI, Google for Developers, May 19, 2026
- GEMINI.md context files, .geminiignore, configuration and checkpointing
- Gemini API terms
- Obsidian community plugin list