@google/gemini-cli-core 0.21.0-nightly.20251219.70696e364 → 0.21.0-nightly.20251221.8feeffb29

package/dist/docs/cli/configuration.md

@@ -0,0 +1,780 @@
+# Gemini CLI configuration
+
+Gemini CLI offers several ways to configure its behavior, including environment
+variables, command-line arguments, and settings files. This document outlines
+the different configuration methods and available settings.
+
+## Configuration layers
+
+Configuration is applied in the following order of precedence (lower numbers are
+overridden by higher numbers):
+
+1.  **Default values:** Hardcoded defaults within the application.
+2.  **User settings file:** Global settings for the current user.
+3.  **Project settings file:** Project-specific settings.
+4.  **System settings file:** System-wide settings.
+5.  **Environment variables:** System-wide or session-specific variables,
+    potentially loaded from `.env` files.
+6.  **Command-line arguments:** Values passed when launching the CLI.
+
+## Settings files
+
+Gemini CLI uses `settings.json` files for persistent configuration. There are
+three locations for these files:
+
+- **User settings file:**
+  - **Location:** `~/.gemini/settings.json` (where `~` is your home directory).
+  - **Scope:** Applies to all Gemini CLI sessions for the current user.
+- **Project settings file:**
+  - **Location:** `.gemini/settings.json` within your project's root directory.
+  - **Scope:** Applies only when running Gemini CLI from that specific project.
+    Project settings override user settings.
+- **System settings file:**
+  - **Location:** `/etc/gemini-cli/settings.json` (Linux),
+    `C:\ProgramData\gemini-cli\settings.json` (Windows) or
+    `/Library/Application Support/GeminiCli/settings.json` (macOS). The path can
+    be overridden using the `GEMINI_CLI_SYSTEM_SETTINGS_PATH` environment
+    variable.
+  - **Scope:** Applies to all Gemini CLI sessions on the system, for all users.
+    System settings override user and project settings. May be useful for system
+    administrators at enterprises to have controls over users' Gemini CLI
+    setups.
+
+**Note on environment variables in settings:** String values within your
+`settings.json` files can reference environment variables using either
+`$VAR_NAME` or `${VAR_NAME}` syntax. These variables will be automatically
+resolved when the settings are loaded. For example, if you have an environment
+variable `MY_API_TOKEN`, you could use it in `settings.json` like this:
+`"apiKey": "$MY_API_TOKEN"`.
+
+### The `.gemini` directory in your project
+
+In addition to a project settings file, a project's `.gemini` directory can
+contain other project-specific files related to Gemini CLI's operation, such as:
+
+- [Custom sandbox profiles](#sandboxing) (e.g.,
+  `.gemini/sandbox-macos-custom.sb`, `.gemini/sandbox.Dockerfile`).
+
+### Available settings in `settings.json`:
+
+- **`contextFileName`** (string or array of strings):
+  - **Description:** Specifies the filename for context files (e.g.,
+    `GEMINI.md`, `AGENTS.md`). Can be a single filename or a list of accepted
+    filenames.
+  - **Default:** `GEMINI.md`
+  - **Example:** `"contextFileName": "AGENTS.md"`
+
+- **`bugCommand`** (object):
+  - **Description:** Overrides the default URL for the `/bug` command.
+  - **Default:**
+    `"urlTemplate": "https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/issues/new?template=bug_report.yml&title={title}&info={info}"`
+  - **Properties:**
+    - **`urlTemplate`** (string): A URL that can contain `{title}` and `{info}`
+      placeholders.
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "bugCommand": {
+      "urlTemplate": "https://bug.example.com/new?title={title}&info={info}"
+    }
+    ```
+
+- **`fileFiltering`** (object):
+  - **Description:** Controls git-aware file filtering behavior for @ commands
+    and file discovery tools.
+  - **Default:** `"respectGitIgnore": true, "enableRecursiveFileSearch": true`
+  - **Properties:**
+    - **`respectGitIgnore`** (boolean): Whether to respect .gitignore patterns
+      when discovering files. When set to `true`, git-ignored files (like
+      `node_modules/`, `dist/`, `.env`) are automatically excluded from @
+      commands and file listing operations.
+    - **`enableRecursiveFileSearch`** (boolean): Whether to enable searching
+      recursively for filenames under the current tree when completing @
+      prefixes in the prompt.
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "fileFiltering": {
+      "respectGitIgnore": true,
+      "enableRecursiveFileSearch": false
+    }
+    ```
+
+- **`coreTools`** (array of strings):
+  - **Description:** Allows you to specify a list of core tool names that should
+    be made available to the model. This can be used to restrict the set of
+    built-in tools. See [Built-in Tools](../core/tools-api.md#built-in-tools)
+    for a list of core tools. You can also specify command-specific restrictions
+    for tools that support it, like the `ShellTool`. For example,
+    `"coreTools": ["ShellTool(ls -l)"]` will only allow the `ls -l` command to
+    be executed.
+  - **Default:** All tools available for use by the Gemini model.
+  - **Example:** `"coreTools": ["ReadFileTool", "GlobTool", "ShellTool(ls)"]`.
+
+- **`excludeTools`** (array of strings):
+  - **Description:** Allows you to specify a list of core tool names that should
+    be excluded from the model. A tool listed in both `excludeTools` and
+    `coreTools` is excluded. You can also specify command-specific restrictions
+    for tools that support it, like the `ShellTool`. For example,
+    `"excludeTools": ["ShellTool(rm -rf)"]` will block the `rm -rf` command.
+  - **Default**: No tools excluded.
+  - **Example:** `"excludeTools": ["run_shell_command", "findFiles"]`.
+  - **Security Note:** Command-specific restrictions in `excludeTools` for
+    `run_shell_command` are based on simple string matching and can be easily
+    bypassed. This feature is **not a security mechanism** and should not be
+    relied upon to safely execute untrusted code. It is recommended to use
+    `coreTools` to explicitly select commands that can be executed.
+
+- **`allowMCPServers`** (array of strings):
+  - **Description:** Allows you to specify a list of MCP server names that
+    should be made available to the model. This can be used to restrict the set
+    of MCP servers to connect to. Note that this will be ignored if
+    `--allowed-mcp-server-names` is set.
+  - **Default:** All MCP servers are available for use by the Gemini model.
+  - **Example:** `"allowMCPServers": ["myPythonServer"]`.
+  - **Security Note:** This uses simple string matching on MCP server names,
+    which can be modified. If you're a system administrator looking to prevent
+    users from bypassing this, consider configuring the `mcpServers` at the
+    system settings level such that the user will not be able to configure any
+    MCP servers of their own. This should not be used as an airtight security
+    mechanism.
+
+- **`excludeMCPServers`** (array of strings):
+  - **Description:** Allows you to specify a list of MCP server names that
+    should be excluded from the model. A server listed in both
+    `excludeMCPServers` and `allowMCPServers` is excluded. Note that this will
+    be ignored if `--allowed-mcp-server-names` is set.
+  - **Default**: No MCP servers excluded.
+  - **Example:** `"excludeMCPServers": ["myNodeServer"]`.
+  - **Security note:** This uses simple string matching on MCP server names,
+    which can be modified. If you're a system administrator looking to prevent
+    users from bypassing this, consider configuring the `mcpServers` at the
+    system settings level such that the user will not be able to configure any
+    MCP servers of their own. This should not be used as an airtight security
+    mechanism.
+
+- **`autoAccept`** (boolean):
+  - **Description:** Controls whether the CLI automatically accepts and executes
+    tool calls that are considered safe (e.g., read-only operations) without
+    explicit user confirmation. If set to `true`, the CLI will bypass the
+    confirmation prompt for tools deemed safe.
+  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Example:** `"autoAccept": true`
+
+- **`theme`** (string):
+  - **Description:** Sets the visual [theme](./themes.md) for Gemini CLI.
+  - **Default:** `"Default"`
+  - **Example:** `"theme": "GitHub"`
+
+- **`vimMode`** (boolean):
+  - **Description:** Enables or disables vim mode for input editing. When
+    enabled, the input area supports vim-style navigation and editing commands
+    with NORMAL and INSERT modes. The vim mode status is displayed in the footer
+    and persists between sessions.
+  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Example:** `"vimMode": true`
+
+- **`sandbox`** (boolean or string):
+  - **Description:** Controls whether and how to use sandboxing for tool
+    execution. If set to `true`, Gemini CLI uses a pre-built
+    `gemini-cli-sandbox` Docker image. For more information, see
+    [Sandboxing](#sandboxing).
+  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Example:** `"sandbox": "docker"`
+
+- **`toolDiscoveryCommand`** (string):
+  - **Description:** Defines a custom shell command for discovering tools from
+    your project. The shell command must return on `stdout` a JSON array of
+    [function declarations](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/function-calling#function-declarations).
+    Tool wrappers are optional.
+  - **Default:** Empty
+  - **Example:** `"toolDiscoveryCommand": "bin/get_tools"`
+
+- **`toolCallCommand`** (string):
+  - **Description:** Defines a custom shell command for calling a specific tool
+    that was discovered using `toolDiscoveryCommand`. The shell command must
+    meet the following criteria:
+    - It must take function `name` (exactly as in
+      [function declaration](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/function-calling#function-declarations))
+      as first command line argument.
+    - It must read function arguments as JSON on `stdin`, analogous to
+      [`functionCall.args`](https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/model-reference/inference#functioncall).
+    - It must return function output as JSON on `stdout`, analogous to
+      [`functionResponse.response.content`](https://cloud.google.com/vertex-ai/generative-ai/docs/model-reference/inference#functionresponse).
+  - **Default:** Empty
+  - **Example:** `"toolCallCommand": "bin/call_tool"`
+
+- **`mcpServers`** (object):
+  - **Description:** Configures connections to one or more Model-Context
+    Protocol (MCP) servers for discovering and using custom tools. Gemini CLI
+    attempts to connect to each configured MCP server to discover available
+    tools. If multiple MCP servers expose a tool with the same name, the tool
+    names will be prefixed with the server alias you defined in the
+    configuration (e.g., `serverAlias__actualToolName`) to avoid conflicts. Note
+    that the system might strip certain schema properties from MCP tool
+    definitions for compatibility.
+  - **Default:** Empty
+  - **Properties:**
+    - **`<SERVER_NAME>`** (object): The server parameters for the named server.
+      - `command` (string, required): The command to execute to start the MCP
+        server.
+      - `args` (array of strings, optional): Arguments to pass to the command.
+      - `env` (object, optional): Environment variables to set for the server
+        process.
+      - `cwd` (string, optional): The working directory in which to start the
+        server.
+      - `timeout` (number, optional): Timeout in milliseconds for requests to
+        this MCP server.
+      - `trust` (boolean, optional): Trust this server and bypass all tool call
+        confirmations.
+      - `includeTools` (array of strings, optional): List of tool names to
+        include from this MCP server. When specified, only the tools listed here
+        will be available from this server (whitelist behavior). If not
+        specified, all tools from the server are enabled by default.
+      - `excludeTools` (array of strings, optional): List of tool names to
+        exclude from this MCP server. Tools listed here will not be available to
+        the model, even if they are exposed by the server. **Note:**
+        `excludeTools` takes precedence over `includeTools` - if a tool is in
+        both lists, it will be excluded.
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "mcpServers": {
+      "myPythonServer": {
+        "command": "python",
+        "args": ["mcp_server.py", "--port", "8080"],
+        "cwd": "./mcp_tools/python",
+        "timeout": 5000,
+        "includeTools": ["safe_tool", "file_reader"],
+      },
+      "myNodeServer": {
+        "command": "node",
+        "args": ["mcp_server.js"],
+        "cwd": "./mcp_tools/node",
+        "excludeTools": ["dangerous_tool", "file_deleter"]
+      },
+      "myDockerServer": {
+        "command": "docker",
+        "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "-e", "API_KEY", "ghcr.io/foo/bar"],
+        "env": {
+          "API_KEY": "$MY_API_TOKEN"
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    ```
+
+- **`checkpointing`** (object):
+  - **Description:** Configures the checkpointing feature, which allows you to
+    save and restore conversation and file states. See the
+    [Checkpointing documentation](./checkpointing.md) for more details.
+  - **Default:** `{"enabled": false}`
+  - **Properties:**
+    - **`enabled`** (boolean): When `true`, the `/restore` command is available.
+
+- **`preferredEditor`** (string):
+  - **Description:** Specifies the preferred editor to use for viewing diffs.
+  - **Default:** `vscode`
+  - **Example:** `"preferredEditor": "vscode"`
+
+- **`telemetry`** (object)
+  - **Description:** Configures logging and metrics collection for Gemini CLI.
+    For more information, see [Telemetry](./telemetry.md).
+  - **Default:**
+    `{"enabled": false, "target": "local", "otlpEndpoint": "http://localhost:4317", "logPrompts": true}`
+  - **Properties:**
+    - **`enabled`** (boolean): Whether or not telemetry is enabled.
+    - **`target`** (string): The destination for collected telemetry. Supported
+      values are `local` and `gcp`.
+    - **`otlpEndpoint`** (string): The endpoint for the OTLP Exporter.
+    - **`logPrompts`** (boolean): Whether or not to include the content of user
+      prompts in the logs.
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "telemetry": {
+      "enabled": true,
+      "target": "local",
+      "otlpEndpoint": "http://localhost:16686",
+      "logPrompts": false
+    }
+    ```
+- **`usageStatisticsEnabled`** (boolean):
+  - **Description:** Enables or disables the collection of usage statistics. See
+    [Usage Statistics](#usage-statistics) for more information.
+  - **Default:** `true`
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "usageStatisticsEnabled": false
+    ```
+
+- **`hideTips`** (boolean):
+  - **Description:** Enables or disables helpful tips in the CLI interface.
+  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Example:**
+
+    ```json
+    "hideTips": true
+    ```
+
+- **`hideBanner`** (boolean):
+  - **Description:** Enables or disables the startup banner (ASCII art logo) in
+    the CLI interface.
+  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Example:**
+
+    ```json
+    "hideBanner": true
+    ```
+
+- **`maxSessionTurns`** (number):
+  - **Description:** Sets the maximum number of turns for a session. If the
+    session exceeds this limit, the CLI will stop processing and start a new
+    chat.
+  - **Default:** `-1` (unlimited)
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "maxSessionTurns": 10
+    ```
+
+- **`summarizeToolOutput`** (object):
+  - **Description:** Enables or disables the summarization of tool output. You
+    can specify the token budget for the summarization using the `tokenBudget`
+    setting.
+  - Note: Currently only the `run_shell_command` tool is supported.
+  - **Default:** `{}` (Disabled by default)
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "summarizeToolOutput": {
+      "run_shell_command": {
+        "tokenBudget": 2000
+      }
+    }
+    ```
+
+- **`excludedProjectEnvVars`** (array of strings):
+  - **Description:** Specifies environment variables that should be excluded
+    from being loaded from project `.env` files. This prevents project-specific
+    environment variables (like `DEBUG=true`) from interfering with gemini-cli
+    behavior. Variables from `.gemini/.env` files are never excluded.
+  - **Default:** `["DEBUG", "DEBUG_MODE"]`
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "excludedProjectEnvVars": ["DEBUG", "DEBUG_MODE", "NODE_ENV"]
+    ```
+
+- **`includeDirectories`** (array of strings):
+  - **Description:** Specifies an array of additional absolute or relative paths
+    to include in the workspace context. This allows you to work with files
+    across multiple directories as if they were one. Paths can use `~` to refer
+    to the user's home directory. This setting can be combined with the
+    `--include-directories` command-line flag.
+  - **Default:** `[]`
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "includeDirectories": [
+      "/path/to/another/project",
+      "../shared-library",
+      "~/common-utils"
+    ]
+    ```
+
+- **`loadMemoryFromIncludeDirectories`** (boolean):
+  - **Description:** Controls the behavior of the `/memory refresh` command. If
+    set to `true`, `GEMINI.md` files should be loaded from all directories that
+    are added. If set to `false`, `GEMINI.md` should only be loaded from the
+    current directory.
+  - **Default:** `false`
+  - **Example:**
+    ```json
+    "loadMemoryFromIncludeDirectories": true
+    ```
+
+### Example `settings.json`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "theme": "GitHub",
+  "sandbox": "docker",
+  "toolDiscoveryCommand": "bin/get_tools",
+  "toolCallCommand": "bin/call_tool",
+  "mcpServers": {
+    "mainServer": {
+      "command": "bin/mcp_server.py"
+    },
+    "anotherServer": {
+      "command": "node",
+      "args": ["mcp_server.js", "--verbose"]
+    }
+  },
+  "telemetry": {
+    "enabled": true,
+    "target": "local",
+    "otlpEndpoint": "http://localhost:4317",
+    "logPrompts": true
+  },
+  "usageStatisticsEnabled": true,
+  "hideTips": false,
+  "hideBanner": false,
+  "maxSessionTurns": 10,
+  "summarizeToolOutput": {
+    "run_shell_command": {
+      "tokenBudget": 100
+    }
+  },
+  "excludedProjectEnvVars": ["DEBUG", "DEBUG_MODE", "NODE_ENV"],
+  "includeDirectories": ["path/to/dir1", "~/path/to/dir2", "../path/to/dir3"],
+  "loadMemoryFromIncludeDirectories": true
+}
+```
+
+## Shell history
+
+The CLI keeps a history of shell commands you run. To avoid conflicts between
+different projects, this history is stored in a project-specific directory
+within your user's home folder.
+
+- **Location:** `~/.gemini/tmp/<project_hash>/shell_history`
+  - `<project_hash>` is a unique identifier generated from your project's root
+    path.
+  - The history is stored in a file named `shell_history`.
+
+## Environment variables and `.env` files
+
+Environment variables are a common way to configure applications, especially for
+sensitive information like API keys or for settings that might change between
+environments.
+
+The CLI automatically loads environment variables from an `.env` file. The
+loading order is:
+
+1.  `.env` file in the current working directory.
+2.  If not found, it searches upwards in parent directories until it finds an
+    `.env` file or reaches the project root (identified by a `.git` folder) or
+    the home directory.
+3.  If still not found, it looks for `~/.env` (in the user's home directory).
+
+**Environment variable exclusion:** Some environment variables (like `DEBUG` and
+`DEBUG_MODE`) are automatically excluded from being loaded from project `.env`
+files to prevent interference with gemini-cli behavior. Variables from
+`.gemini/.env` files are never excluded. You can customize this behavior using
+the `excludedProjectEnvVars` setting in your `settings.json` file.
+
+- **`GEMINI_API_KEY`** (Required):
+  - Your API key for the Gemini API.
+  - **Crucial for operation.** The CLI will not function without it.
+  - Set this in your shell profile (e.g., `~/.bashrc`, `~/.zshrc`) or an `.env`
+    file.
+- **`GEMINI_MODEL`**:
+  - Specifies the default Gemini model to use.
+  - Overrides the hardcoded default
+  - Example: `export GEMINI_MODEL="gemini-2.5-flash"`
+- **`GEMINI_CLI_CUSTOM_HEADERS`**:
+  - Adds extra HTTP headers to Gemini API and Code Assist requests.
+  - Accepts a comma-separated list of `Name: value` pairs.
+  - Example:
+    `export GEMINI_CLI_CUSTOM_HEADERS="X-My-Header: foo, X-Trace-ID: abc123"`.
+- **`GEMINI_API_KEY_AUTH_MECHANISM`**:
+  - Specifies how the API key should be sent for authentication when using
+    `AuthType.USE_GEMINI` or `AuthType.USE_VERTEX_AI`.
+  - Valid values are `x-goog-api-key` (default) or `bearer`.
+  - If set to `bearer`, the API key will be sent in the
+    `Authorization: Bearer <key>` header.
+  - Example: `export GEMINI_API_KEY_AUTH_MECHANISM="bearer"`
+- **`GOOGLE_API_KEY`**:
+  - Your Google Cloud API key.
+  - Required for using Vertex AI in express mode.
+  - Ensure you have the necessary permissions.
+  - Example: `export GOOGLE_API_KEY="YOUR_GOOGLE_API_KEY"`.
+- **`GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT`**:
+  - Your Google Cloud Project ID.
+  - Required for using Code Assist or Vertex AI.
+  - If using Vertex AI, ensure you have the necessary permissions in this
+    project.
+  - **Cloud shell note:** When running in a Cloud Shell environment, this
+    variable defaults to a special project allocated for Cloud Shell users. If
+    you have `GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT` set in your global environment in Cloud
+    Shell, it will be overridden by this default. To use a different project in
+    Cloud Shell, you must define `GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT` in a `.env` file.
+  - Example: `export GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="YOUR_PROJECT_ID"`.
+- **`GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS`** (string):
+  - **Description:** The path to your Google Application Credentials JSON file.
+  - **Example:**
+    `export GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS="/path/to/your/credentials.json"`
+- **`OTLP_GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT`**:
+  - Your Google Cloud Project ID for Telemetry in Google Cloud
+  - Example: `export OTLP_GOOGLE_CLOUD_PROJECT="YOUR_PROJECT_ID"`.
+- **`GOOGLE_CLOUD_LOCATION`**:
+  - Your Google Cloud Project Location (e.g., us-central1).
+  - Required for using Vertex AI in non express mode.
+  - Example: `export GOOGLE_CLOUD_LOCATION="YOUR_PROJECT_LOCATION"`.
+- **`GEMINI_SANDBOX`**:
+  - Alternative to the `sandbox` setting in `settings.json`.
+  - Accepts `true`, `false`, `docker`, `podman`, or a custom command string.
+- **`HTTP_PROXY` / `HTTPS_PROXY`**:
+  - Specifies the proxy server to use for outgoing HTTP/HTTPS requests.
+  - Example: `export HTTPS_PROXY="http://proxy.example.com:8080"`
+- **`SEATBELT_PROFILE`** (macOS specific):
+  - Switches the Seatbelt (`sandbox-exec`) profile on macOS.
+  - `permissive-open`: (Default) Restricts writes to the project folder (and a
+    few other folders, see
+    `packages/cli/src/utils/sandbox-macos-permissive-open.sb`) but allows other
+    operations.
+  - `strict`: Uses a strict profile that declines operations by default.
+  - `<profile_name>`: Uses a custom profile. To define a custom profile, create
+    a file named `sandbox-macos-<profile_name>.sb` in your project's `.gemini/`
+    directory (e.g., `my-project/.gemini/sandbox-macos-custom.sb`).
+- **`DEBUG` or `DEBUG_MODE`** (often used by underlying libraries or the CLI
+  itself):
+  - Set to `true` or `1` to enable verbose debug logging, which can be helpful
+    for troubleshooting.
+  - **Note:** These variables are automatically excluded from project `.env`
+    files by default to prevent interference with gemini-cli behavior. Use
+    `.gemini/.env` files if you need to set these for gemini-cli specifically.
+- **`NO_COLOR`**:
+  - Set to any value to disable all color output in the CLI.
+- **`CLI_TITLE`**:
+  - Set to a string to customize the title of the CLI.
+- **`CODE_ASSIST_ENDPOINT`**:
+  - Specifies the endpoint for the code assist server.
+  - This is useful for development and testing.
+- **`GEMINI_SYSTEM_MD`**:
+  - Overrides the base system prompt with the contents of a Markdown file.
+  - If set to `1` or `true`, it uses the file at `.gemini/system.md`.
+  - If set to a file path, it uses that file. The path can be absolute or
+    relative. `~` is supported for the home directory.
+  - The specified file must exist.
+- **`GEMINI_WRITE_SYSTEM_MD`**:
+  - Writes the default system prompt to a file. This is useful for getting a
+    template to customize.
+  - If set to `1` or `true`, it writes to `.gemini/system.md`.
+  - If set to a file path, it writes to that path. The path can be absolute or
+    relative. `~` is supported for the home directory. **Note: This will
+    overwrite the file if it already exists.**
+
+## Command-line arguments
+
+Arguments passed directly when running the CLI can override other configurations
+for that specific session.
+
+- **`--model <model_name>`** (**`-m <model_name>`**):
+  - Specifies the Gemini model to use for this session.
+  - Example: `npm start -- --model gemini-1.5-pro-latest`
+- **`--prompt <your_prompt>`** (**`-p <your_prompt>`**):
+  - Used to pass a prompt directly to the command. This invokes Gemini CLI in a
+    non-interactive mode.
+- **`--prompt-interactive <your_prompt>`** (**`-i <your_prompt>`**):
+  - Starts an interactive session with the provided prompt as the initial input.
+  - The prompt is processed within the interactive session, not before it.
+  - Cannot be used when piping input from stdin.
+  - Example: `gemini -i "explain this code"`
+- **`--sandbox`** (**`-s`**):
+  - Enables sandbox mode for this session.
+- **`--sandbox-image`**:
+  - Sets the sandbox image URI.
+- **`--debug`** (**`-d`**):
+  - Enables debug mode for this session, providing more verbose output.
+- **`--all-files`** (**`-a`**):
+  - If set, recursively includes all files within the current directory as
+    context for the prompt.
+- **`--help`** (or **`-h`**):
+  - Displays help information about command-line arguments.
+- **`--show-memory-usage`**:
+  - Displays the current memory usage.
+- **`--yolo`**:
+  - Enables YOLO mode, which automatically approves all tool calls.
+- **`--telemetry`**:
+  - Enables [telemetry](./telemetry.md).
+- **`--telemetry-target`**:
+  - Sets the telemetry target. See [telemetry](./telemetry.md) for more
+    information.
+- **`--telemetry-otlp-endpoint`**:
+  - Sets the OTLP endpoint for telemetry. See [telemetry](./telemetry.md) for
+    more information.
+- **`--telemetry-log-prompts`**:
+  - Enables logging of prompts for telemetry. See [telemetry](./telemetry.md)
+    for more information.
+- **`--extensions <extension_name ...>`** (**`-e <extension_name ...>`**):
+  - Specifies a list of extensions to use for the session. If not provided, all
+    available extensions are used.
+  - Use the special term `gemini -e none` to disable all extensions.
+  - Example: `gemini -e my-extension -e my-other-extension`
+- **`--list-extensions`** (**`-l`**):
+  - Lists all available extensions and exits.
+- **`--include-directories <dir1,dir2,...>`**:
+  - Includes additional directories in the workspace for multi-directory
+    support.
+  - Can be specified multiple times or as comma-separated values.
+  - 5 directories can be added at maximum.
+  - Example: `--include-directories /path/to/project1,/path/to/project2` or
+    `--include-directories /path/to/project1 --include-directories /path/to/project2`
+- **`--version`**:
+  - Displays the version of the CLI.
+
+## Context files (hierarchical instructional context)
+
+While not strictly configuration for the CLI's _behavior_, context files
+(defaulting to `GEMINI.md` but configurable via the `contextFileName` setting)
+are crucial for configuring the _instructional context_ (also referred to as
+"memory") provided to the Gemini model. This powerful feature allows you to give
+project-specific instructions, coding style guides, or any relevant background
+information to the AI, making its responses more tailored and accurate to your
+needs. The CLI includes UI elements, such as an indicator in the footer showing
+the number of loaded context files, to keep you informed about the active
+context.
+
+- **Purpose:** These Markdown files contain instructions, guidelines, or context
+  that you want the Gemini model to be aware of during your interactions. The
+  system is designed to manage this instructional context hierarchically.
+
+### Example context file content (e.g., `GEMINI.md`)
+
+Here's a conceptual example of what a context file at the root of a TypeScript
+project might contain:
+
+```markdown
+# Project: My Awesome TypeScript Library
+
+## General Instructions:
+
+- When generating new TypeScript code, please follow the existing coding style.
+- Ensure all new functions and classes have JSDoc comments.
+- Prefer functional programming paradigms where appropriate.
+- All code should be compatible with TypeScript 5.0 and Node.js 20+.
+
+## Coding Style:
+
+- Use 2 spaces for indentation.
+- Interface names should be prefixed with `I` (e.g., `IUserService`).
+- Private class members should be prefixed with an underscore (`_`).
+- Always use strict equality (`===` and `!==`).
+
+## Specific Component: `src/api/client.ts`
+
+- This file handles all outbound API requests.
+- When adding new API call functions, ensure they include robust error handling
+  and logging.
+- Use the existing `fetchWithRetry` utility for all GET requests.
+
+## Regarding Dependencies:
+
+- Avoid introducing new external dependencies unless absolutely necessary.
+- If a new dependency is required, please state the reason.
+```
+
+This example demonstrates how you can provide general project context, specific
+coding conventions, and even notes about particular files or components. The
+more relevant and precise your context files are, the better the AI can assist
+you. Project-specific context files are highly encouraged to establish
+conventions and context.
+
+- **Hierarchical loading and precedence:** The CLI implements a sophisticated
+  hierarchical memory system by loading context files (e.g., `GEMINI.md`) from
+  several locations. Content from files lower in this list (more specific)
+  typically overrides or supplements content from files higher up (more
+  general). The exact concatenation order and final context can be inspected
+  using the `/memory show` command. The typical loading order is:
+  1.  **Global context file:**
+      - Location: `~/.gemini/<contextFileName>` (e.g., `~/.gemini/GEMINI.md` in
+        your user home directory).
+      - Scope: Provides default instructions for all your projects.
+  2.  **Project root and ancestors context files:**
+      - Location: The CLI searches for the configured context file in the
+        current working directory and then in each parent directory up to either
+        the project root (identified by a `.git` folder) or your home directory.
+      - Scope: Provides context relevant to the entire project or a significant
+        portion of it.
+  3.  **Sub-directory context files (contextual/local):**
+      - Location: The CLI also scans for the configured context file in
+        subdirectories _below_ the current working directory (respecting common
+        ignore patterns like `node_modules`, `.git`, etc.). The breadth of this
+        search is limited to 200 directories by default, but can be configured
+        with a `memoryDiscoveryMaxDirs` field in your `settings.json` file.
+      - Scope: Allows for highly specific instructions relevant to a particular
+        component, module, or subsection of your project.
+- **Concatenation and UI indication:** The contents of all found context files
+  are concatenated (with separators indicating their origin and path) and
+  provided as part of the system prompt to the Gemini model. The CLI footer
+  displays the count of loaded context files, giving you a quick visual cue
+  about the active instructional context.
+- **Importing content:** You can modularize your context files by importing
+  other Markdown files using the `@path/to/file.md` syntax. For more details,
+  see the [Memory Import Processor documentation](../core/memport.md).
+- **Commands for memory management:**
+  - Use `/memory refresh` to force a re-scan and reload of all context files
+    from all configured locations. This updates the AI's instructional context.
+  - Use `/memory show` to display the combined instructional context currently
+    loaded, allowing you to verify the hierarchy and content being used by the
+    AI.
+  - See the [Commands documentation](./commands.md#memory) for full details on
+    the `/memory` command and its sub-commands (`show` and `refresh`).
+
+By understanding and utilizing these configuration layers and the hierarchical
+nature of context files, you can effectively manage the AI's memory and tailor
+the Gemini CLI's responses to your specific needs and projects.
+
+## Sandboxing
+
+The Gemini CLI can execute potentially unsafe operations (like shell commands
+and file modifications) within a sandboxed environment to protect your system.
+
+Sandboxing is disabled by default, but you can enable it in a few ways:
+
+- Using `--sandbox` or `-s` flag.
+- Setting `GEMINI_SANDBOX` environment variable.
+- Sandbox is enabled in `--yolo` mode by default.
+
+By default, it uses a pre-built `gemini-cli-sandbox` Docker image.
+
+For project-specific sandboxing needs, you can create a custom Dockerfile at
+`.gemini/sandbox.Dockerfile` in your project's root directory. This Dockerfile
+can be based on the base sandbox image:
+
+```dockerfile
+FROM gemini-cli-sandbox
+
+# Add your custom dependencies or configurations here
+# For example:
+# RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y some-package
+# COPY ./my-config /app/my-config
+```
+
+When `.gemini/sandbox.Dockerfile` exists, you can use `BUILD_SANDBOX`
+environment variable when running Gemini CLI to automatically build the custom
+sandbox image:
+
+```bash
+BUILD_SANDBOX=1 gemini -s
+```
+
+## Usage statistics
+
+To help us improve the Gemini CLI, we collect anonymized usage statistics. This
+data helps us understand how the CLI is used, identify common issues, and
+prioritize new features.
+
+**What we collect:**
+
+- **Tool calls:** We log the names of the tools that are called, whether they
+  succeed or fail, and how long they take to execute. We do not collect the
+  arguments passed to the tools or any data returned by them.
+- **API requests:** We log the Gemini model used for each request, the duration
+  of the request, and whether it was successful. We do not collect the content
+  of the prompts or responses.
+- **Session information:** We collect information about the configuration of the
+  CLI, such as the enabled tools and the approval mode.
+
+**What we DON'T collect:**
+
+- **Personally identifiable information (PII):** We do not collect any personal
+  information, such as your name, email address, or API keys.
+- **Prompt and response content:** We do not log the content of your prompts or
+  the responses from the Gemini model.
+- **File content:** We do not log the content of any files that are read or
+  written by the CLI.
+
+**How to opt out:**
+
+You can opt out of usage statistics collection at any time by setting the
+`usageStatisticsEnabled` property to `false` in your `settings.json` file:
+
+```json
+{
+  "usageStatisticsEnabled": false
+}
+```