How Gemini CLI’s scores are calculated
The full audit trail, recomputed from the verdict data at build time through the same code that produced the leaderboard: verdict × quality × story weight per cell, cells sum to dimension scores, dimensions blend into the PA Score. Every number on the product page is reproducible from this page alone; for why the formula looks like this, see the methodology.
verdict factors: full ×1.0 · partial ×0.6 · disputed ×0.3 · none ×0.0 · n/a excluded from both sides · cell points = weight × quality × factor · cell max = weight × 10
PA Score21/100
Agent-ready 38.3 × 0.30 = 11.49
API quality 0.0 × 0.20 = 0.00
Openness 12.0 × 0.20 = 2.40
Built-in AI 19.7 × 0.15 = 2.95
Automation 29.3 × 0.15 = 4.39
(11.49 + 0.00 + 2.40 + 2.95 + 4.39) ÷ (0.30 + 0.20 + 0.20 + 0.15 + 0.15) = 21.24 ÷ 1.00 = 21.2
Scores are stored to 1 decimal; the product page’s pills round to whole numbers for display. Each dimension below shows the stories, verdicts, and cited evidence behind its number.
Agent-ready38.3/100×0.30 of the PA blend
Outside-in: can YOUR agent reach and drive this product — API, MCP, CLI, headless runs, agent docs.
Point an agent at llms.txt or agent-oriented docsweight 2
2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max
Run the product headlessly / in CI for automationweight 2
2 (weight) × 9 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 18.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use the `--output-format json` flag to get structured output”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use `--output-format stream-json` to get newline-delimited JSON events”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Pull Request Reviews: Automated code review with contextual feedback and suggestions”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Issue Triage: Automated labeling and prioritization of GitHub issues based on content analysis”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“On-demand Assistance: Mention @gemini-cli in issues and pull requests for help with debugging, explanations, or task delegation”
Plug MCP servers into this product so it can use their toolsweight 3
3 (weight) × 8 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 24.0 of 30 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Configure MCP servers in ~/.gemini/settings.json to extend Gemini CLI with custom tools”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Use MCP servers to connect new capabilities, including media generation with Imagen, Veo or Lyria”
- [claimed-docs] https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/docs/gemini-cli“Comandos de Gemini CLI: /memory, /stats, /tools y /mcp”
Connect an agent via an official MCP serverweight 3
n/a — not applicable to this product: excluded from numerator and denominator
no evidence cited — the verdict rests on absence of evidence, re-checked on refresh
Use an official CLIweight 2
2 (weight) × 9 (quality) × 1.0 (full) = 18.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“gemini --include-directories ../lib,../docs”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use the `--output-format json` flag to get structured output”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use `--output-format stream-json` to get newline-delimited JSON events”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Configure MCP servers in ~/.gemini/settings.json to extend Gemini CLI with custom tools”
- [claimed-docs] https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/docs/gemini-cli“The Gemini CLI is available without additional setup in Cloud Shell”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44376919“I have been using this for about a month and it's a beast, mostly thanks to 2.5pro being SOTA and how it leverages that huge 1M context window. I have thrown very large codebases at this and it has been able to navigate and learn them effortlessly.”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/docs/gemini-cli“official CLI documented at https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/docs/gemini-cli”
Drive the product through a documented public APIweight 3
3 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 9.0 of 30 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use the `--output-format json` flag to get structured output”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use `--output-format stream-json` to get newline-delimited JSON events”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Configure MCP servers in ~/.gemini/settings.json to extend Gemini CLI with custom tools”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/llms.txt“PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://developers.google.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developers.google.com/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/swagger.json, https://developers.google.com/api/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”
Issue scoped/least-privilege API credentials for an agentweight 2
2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“No API key management - just sign in with your Google account”
Build against official SDKsweight 2
2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Configure MCP servers in ~/.gemini/settings.json to extend Gemini CLI with custom tools”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use the `--output-format json` flag to get structured output”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use `--output-format stream-json` to get newline-delimited JSON events”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/llms.txt“PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://developers.google.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developers.google.com/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/swagger.json, https://developers.google.com/api/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”
Subscribe to events via webhooksweight 2
2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use the `--output-format json` flag to get structured output”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use `--output-format stream-json` to get newline-delimited JSON events”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Configure MCP servers in ~/.gemini/settings.json to extend Gemini CLI with custom tools”
Agent-ready = 69.0 ÷ 180 × 100 = 38.3
API quality0.0/100×0.20 of the PA blend
The programmable surface once an agent is there — machine-readable spec, interactive docs, sandbox, versioning discipline.
Explore an interactive API reference with runnable examplesweight 2
2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/llms.txt“PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://developers.google.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developers.google.com/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/swagger.json, https://developers.google.com/api/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”
Download a machine-readable API spec (OpenAPI or equivalent)weight 2
2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/llms.txt“PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://developers.google.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developers.google.com/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/swagger.json, https://developers.google.com/api/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”
Test against a sandbox environment without touching production dataweight 1
1 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 10 max
no evidence cited — the verdict rests on absence of evidence, re-checked on refresh
Rely on versioned APIs with a documented deprecation policyweight 2
2 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 20 max
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/llms.txt“PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://developers.google.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developers.google.com/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/swagger.json, https://developers.google.com/api/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48196867“Welcome to the Google graveyard, Gemini CLI. Not that it will be missed much. Using it was the worst experience out of any harness.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48196867“Google really can't help themselves but to have some internal re-org kill off a public thing people are actively using. It's honestly impressive how consistent they are.”
API quality = 0.0 ÷ 70 × 100 = 0.0
Openness12.0/100×0.20 of the PA blend
Can you leave, inspect, or self-host — data export, open source, portability.
Do everything through the API that I can do in the UIweight 2
2 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 6.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use the `--output-format json` flag to get structured output”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use `--output-format stream-json` to get newline-delimited JSON events”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/llms.txt“PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://developers.google.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developers.google.com/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/swagger.json, https://developers.google.com/api/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”
Export all of my data in open formats and leaveweight 3
3 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 30 max
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/llms.txt“PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://developers.google.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/openapi.json“PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://developers.google.com/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/swagger.json, https://developers.google.com/api/openapi.json, https://developers.google.com/.well-known/openapi.json)”
Read the product's source under an open licenseweight 2
2 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 6.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Query and edit large codebases”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Use `/bug` command to report issues directly from the CLI.”
- [probe] https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/docs/gemini-cli“official CLI documented at https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/docs/gemini-cli”
Self-host the core productweight 3
3 (weight) × 0 (quality) × 0.0 (none) = 0.0 of 30 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“No API key management - just sign in with your Google account”
- [claimed-docs] https://developers.google.com/gemini-code-assist/docs/gemini-cli“The Gemini CLI is available without additional setup in Cloud Shell”
Openness = 12.0 ÷ 100 × 100 = 12.0
Built-in AI19.7/100×0.15 of the PA blend
Inside-out: how agentic the product itself is for its users — built-in assistants, autonomous features.
Get AI-generated insights and suggestions from my data inside the productweight 2
2 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.3 (disputed) = 3.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Query and edit large codebases”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Debug issues and troubleshoot with natural language”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Pull Request Reviews: Automated code review with contextual feedback and suggestions”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Issue Triage: Automated labeling and prioritization of GitHub issues based on content analysis”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44822389“We have tried out Gemini code review vs Copilot code review and Gemini is consistently offering better code review tips. It has officially caught multiple potential bugs, even a few that reviewers might have missed.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“A lot of times Gemini models will get stuck in a loop of errors, and a lot of times it fails to edit/read or other simple function calling - it's really really terrible at agentic stuff.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“The problem is that Gemini CLI simply doesn't work. Beside simplest tasks like creating a new release it is useless as a coding assistant. Doesn't have a plan mode, jumps right into coding and gets stuck in spaghetti code.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“I love the model, hate the tool. Anthropic has the killer app with Claude Code. I tried Gemini cli for about 5 seconds and was so frustrated, it's so stupid at navigation in the codebase it takes 10x as long to do anything.”
Set up automations that run autonomously in the backgroundweight 2
2 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Pull Request Reviews: Automated code review with contextual feedback and suggestions”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Issue Triage: Automated labeling and prioritization of GitHub issues based on content analysis”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“On-demand Assistance: Mention @gemini-cli in issues and pull requests for help with debugging, explanations, or task delegation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“On-demand Assistance: Mention `@gemini-cli` in issues and pull requests for help with debugging, explanations, or task delegation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“@github List my open pull requests”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“A lot of times Gemini models will get stuck in a loop of errors, and a lot of times it fails to edit/read or other simple function calling - it's really really terrible at agentic stuff.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“I really tried to get gemini to work properly in Agent mode. Tho it way too often went crazy, started rewriting files empty, and ran into permanent printing loops... for like 1 hour.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“Tip 1, it consistently ignores my GEMINI.md file, both global and local, even though it always says '1 GEMINI.md file is being used.'”
Delegate tasks to a built-in AI assistant inside the productweight 3
3 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.3 (disputed) = 4.5 of 30 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Debug issues and troubleshoot with natural language”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Automate operational tasks like querying pull requests or handling complex rebases”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Pull Request Reviews: Automated code review with contextual feedback and suggestions”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Issue Triage: Automated labeling and prioritization of GitHub issues based on content analysis”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“On-demand Assistance: Mention @gemini-cli in issues and pull requests for help with debugging, explanations, or task delegation”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“A lot of times Gemini models will get stuck in a loop of errors, and a lot of times it fails to edit/read or other simple function calling - it's really really terrible at agentic stuff.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“I really tried to get gemini to work properly in Agent mode. Tho it way too often went crazy, started rewriting files empty, and ran into permanent printing loops... for like 1 hour.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“Tip 1, it consistently ignores my GEMINI.md file, both global and local, even though it always says '1 GEMINI.md file is being used.'”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“The problem is that Gemini CLI simply doesn't work. Beside simplest tasks like creating a new release it is useless as a coding assistant. Doesn't have a plan mode, jumps right into coding and gets stuck in spaghetti code.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44651485“Gemini told the user: 'I have failed you completely and catastrophically... I have lost your data. This is an unacceptable, irreversible failure.' after botched mkdir/move commands deleted the user's files.”
Operate the product with natural-language commandsweight 2
2 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.3 (disputed) = 3.0 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Query and edit large codebases”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Debug issues and troubleshoot with natural language”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Automate operational tasks like querying pull requests or handling complex rebases”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Custom context files (GEMINI.md) to tailor behavior for your projects”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“A lot of times Gemini models will get stuck in a loop of errors, and a lot of times it fails to edit/read or other simple function calling - it's really really terrible at agentic stuff.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“I really tried to get gemini to work properly in Agent mode. Tho it way too often went crazy, started rewriting files empty, and ran into permanent printing loops... for like 1 hour.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“Tip 1, it consistently ignores my GEMINI.md file, both global and local, even though it always says '1 GEMINI.md file is being used.'”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“The problem is that Gemini CLI simply doesn't work. Beside simplest tasks like creating a new release it is useless as a coding assistant. Doesn't have a plan mode, jumps right into coding and gets stuck in spaghetti code.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44651485“Gemini told the user: 'I have failed you completely and catastrophically... I have lost your data. This is an unacceptable, irreversible failure.' after botched mkdir/move commands deleted the user's files.”
Built-in AI = 17.7 ÷ 90 × 100 = 19.7
Automation29.3/100×0.15 of the PA blend
Depth of automation primitives — rules, scheduling, bulk operations, webhooks.
Perform bulk operations across many items at onceweight 2
2 (weight) × 6 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 7.2 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Automate operational tasks like querying pull requests or handling complex rebases”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Issue Triage: Automated labeling and prioritization of GitHub issues based on content analysis”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“gemini --include-directories ../lib,../docs”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use the `--output-format json` flag to get structured output”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use `--output-format stream-json` to get newline-delimited JSON events”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“A lot of times Gemini models will get stuck in a loop of errors, and a lot of times it fails to edit/read or other simple function calling - it's really really terrible at agentic stuff.”
- [community] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46060508“I really tried to get gemini to work properly in Agent mode. Tho it way too often went crazy, started rewriting files empty, and ran into permanent printing loops... for like 1 hour.”
Define rules that trigger actions automatically on eventsweight 3
3 (weight) × 5 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 9.0 of 30 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Pull Request Reviews: Automated code review with contextual feedback and suggestions”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Issue Triage: Automated labeling and prioritization of GitHub issues based on content analysis”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“On-demand Assistance: Mention @gemini-cli in issues and pull requests for help with debugging, explanations, or task delegation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“On-demand Assistance: Mention `@gemini-cli` in issues and pull requests for help with debugging, explanations, or task delegation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
Schedule recurring jobs or workflowsweight 2
2 (weight) × 4 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 4.8 of 20 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Run non-interactively in scripts for workflow automation”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“use the `--output-format json` flag to get structured output”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Pull Request Reviews: Automated code review with contextual feedback and suggestions”
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Issue Triage: Automated labeling and prioritization of GitHub issues based on content analysis”
Version, review, and roll back my automationsweight 1
1 (weight) × 4 (quality) × 0.6 (partial) = 2.4 of 10 max
- [github] https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli“Conversation checkpointing to save and resume complex sessions”
Automation = 23.4 ÷ 80 × 100 = 29.3