Gemini CLI is Google's open-source terminal AI agent — and it's growing fast. Released in mid-2025, Gemini CLI gives developers direct access to Gemini's intelligence from the command line: read and write files, run shell commands, search the web, analyze code, and work through complex multi-step tasks without a web UI.
What many developers want is image and video generation from inside Gemini CLI — without leaving the terminal, without switching tools, and without setting up a separate Google Cloud project. This guide is honest about what Gemini CLI can and can't do out of the box, and shows you the fastest path to making it media-capable.
What Is Gemini CLI?
Gemini CLI (@google/gemini-cli) is Google's official open-source AI agent for the command line. It runs locally, uses your Gemini API key (with a generous free tier), and provides:
- Code generation and editing — Read files, write code, explain logic, refactor
- Shell command execution — Run commands, manage files, automate workflows
- Web search — Real-time Google search results from within the agent
- File reading and analysis — Process text, image, and code files as context
- Multi-turn conversations — Maintain context across long working sessions
Gemini CLI is powered by Gemini 2.5 Pro (with Gemini 2.5 Flash available for faster responses), making it one of the most capable free-tier AI CLI agents available. It's also fully open-source, so developers can inspect, fork, and extend it.
Does Gemini CLI Support Native Image Generation?
No — not on a fresh install. Gemini CLI is a reasoning and code agent. The base package gives you file I/O, shell execution, web search, and code generation. There is no built-in image synthesis command that works out of the box.
Google's newer image models (the Nano Banana series: gemini-2.5-flash-image, gemini-3.1-flash-image) are available through the Gemini API, but using them from Gemini CLI requires either custom tool definitions or a shell-accessible CLI that wraps the API. The older Imagen 3 model series is being deprecated as of mid-2026.
AnyCap CLI is the straightforward answer — install once, no Google Cloud project, no Vertex AI setup, and you get image, video, and audio generation plus web search in one package.
Video Generation in Gemini CLI
Gemini CLI does not include native video generation. Google's Gemini API does provide access to Veo (its video generation model), but connecting Veo to Gemini CLI requires either Google Cloud infrastructure or a shell-accessible CLI wrapper.
Two practical paths exist:
Google's experimental Genmedia MCP: Google Cloud has published experimental MCP server code for Gemini CLI video generation via Veo. This requires a Google Cloud project, Vertex AI access, and additional API setup. As of mid-2026, it remains experimental.
AnyCap CLI: AnyCap is an agent CLI that brings video generation (Veo 3, Kling, Runway, Wan, Luma, and more) to Gemini CLI with a simple install — no Google Cloud account required. Gemini CLI can run shell commands as part of any session, so once AnyCap is installed, the two work together naturally.
For most developers, AnyCap is the faster and more practical path.
Setting Up AnyCap for Gemini CLI: Images + Video + Audio
Step 1: Install AnyCap CLI
npm install -g anycap
anycap login
Step 2: Verify AnyCap is available
In your terminal, confirm AnyCap is ready:
anycap status
Step 3: Use it from Gemini CLI
Gemini CLI is a terminal agent that can run shell commands. Ask it to use AnyCap and it will invoke the CLI directly:
gemini "Use AnyCap to generate a test image — a simple blue gradient square"
If AnyCap is installed and authenticated, Gemini CLI runs anycap image generate and returns the output. AnyCap is now available for all subsequent sessions.
Generating Images with AnyCap in Gemini CLI
Once connected, you can ask for images naturally in any Gemini CLI session:
gemini "Generate three product screenshot mockups for an iOS app — social media dashboard, dark mode, iPhone 15 Pro frame"
gemini "Generate a header image for a blog post titled 'The Future of Terminal-Based AI Development'. Abstract, tech aesthetic, dark color scheme. Use FLUX Pro."
gemini "Generate five app icons: Home, Search, Profile, Settings, Notifications. Flat design, blue accent color, 512x512 PNG."
You can specify a model in your prompt or leave it out and let AnyCap pick based on what you're asking for.
Generating Videos with AnyCap in Gemini CLI
Video generation follows the same conversational pattern:
Product demo:
gemini "Generate a 15-second product demo video for a developer CLI tool. Show a terminal with code being generated, smooth animations. Dark background. Use Veo 3."
Social content:
gemini "Generate a YouTube Shorts video (9:16, 30 seconds) announcing a new open-source developer tool. Modern, energetic aesthetic."
Animated explainer:
gemini "Create a 20-second animated explainer: AI agents working in parallel on a codebase. Abstract visualization, clean lines, blue and white color scheme."
Chaining Media Into Larger Workflows
Where this gets useful is when image and video generation are steps in a longer Gemini CLI workflow — not the whole point, just part of a bigger task.
For documentation:
gemini "Read the README.md in this directory. Write a comprehensive documentation page. Generate a hero image that captures the tool's purpose. Return the markdown and the hero image URL."
For a product launch:
gemini "I'm launching a developer tool tomorrow on Product Hunt. Write the launch description, generate a 30-second demo video, and create five social media graphics for X/Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Product name: DevSnap. Core value: instant API documentation from code."
For content pipelines:
gemini "Read blog-topics.txt. For each topic, write a 200-word intro and generate a matching header image. Output a folder with all intros and images organized by topic name."
These work because Gemini CLI can read and write files, run shell commands, and call AnyCap tools — all in a single session. The combination handles tasks that would otherwise require multiple tools and manual handoffs.
Image Model Reference
| Model (via AnyCap) | Best Use Case | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| FLUX Pro 1.1 | Photorealistic, high-detail images | Medium |
| FLUX Schnell | Fast iteration and draft exploration | Fast |
| Ideogram 3.0 | Text within images, typography | Medium |
| Stable Diffusion XL | Creative and artistic styles | Fast |
| Recraft V3 | Vector-style illustrations, brand assets | Medium |
| gpt-image-2 | High-quality photorealistic output, UI mockups | Medium |
Video Model Reference
| Model (via AnyCap) | Best Use Case | Quality Level |
|---|---|---|
| Veo 3 | Photorealistic video, cinematic shots | Highest |
| Kling 1.6 | Character motion, storytelling | High |
| Wan 2.1 | Speed, artistic flexibility | Good |
| Runway Gen-4 | Precise control, reference-image guidance | High |
| Luma Dream Machine | Smooth motion, product showcases | High |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Google Cloud account for AnyCap? No. AnyCap is an independent CLI tool and operates outside Google Cloud entirely. You only need an AnyCap account (free tier available) and a working Gemini CLI installation.
Does Gemini CLI have any image generation before installing AnyCap? Not on a standard install. Gemini CLI's base package is a code and reasoning agent — image synthesis isn't part of it. AnyCap is the straightforward path to adding image and video generation without custom tool integrations or Google Cloud setup.
What's the difference between Google's experimental Genmedia and AnyCap? Google's experimental Genmedia integration requires Google Cloud and Vertex AI setup and focuses on Google's own models. AnyCap is a standalone CLI that installs with a single command and supports multiple providers — Veo 3, Runway, Kling, FLUX, and more. AnyCap also covers image, audio, web search, and CDN publishing beyond video alone.
Is there a free tier? Yes — AnyCap offers a free tier to get started. Paid plans unlock higher generation volumes and access to premium models.
Summary
Gemini CLI is a solid reasoning agent for the terminal. With AnyCap connected, it can handle image and video generation as part of any workflow, without Google Cloud setup or a separate tool. Five minutes to configure, and it works with the free Gemini API tier.