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// install_gemini

Using AgentRoot with Gemini CLI

Search the AgentRoot registry and install MCP servers and skills into Gemini CLI. Gemini supports the cross-tool .agents/skills/ standard, making project-scoped skills portable across compatible tools.

// what_you_need

Gemini CLI installed (npm i -g @anthropic-ai/gemini-cli)
Node.js 18+
A project directory (for project-scoped installs)

1Search the registry

# Search for MCP servers
$ npx agent-root search "git" --type mcp

gitops.tools/git-mcp           mcp  Git MCP Server
  transport: stdio | tools: status, diff, log, commit, branch

# Search for skills
$ npx agent-root search "deployment" --type skill

shipfast.dev/deploy-patterns   skill  Deployment Patterns
  skills: docker-deploy, k8s-rollout, ci-pipeline

2Install a record

Use the --tool gemini flag to install into Gemini CLI:

Installing an MCP server:

$ npx -p @agent-root/cli agent-root install gitops.tools/git-mcp --tool gemini

# The CLI prints the JSON snippet to add to Gemini's MCP config:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "git-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@gitops/git-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Install never mutates Gemini's settings file automatically. Paste the snippet into the file Gemini reads at startup, then restart the CLI.

Installing skills:

$ npx -p @agent-root/cli agent-root install shipfast.dev/deploy-patterns --tool gemini

# Writes skill files into Gemini's global skills dir:
# ~/.gemini/skills/shipfast.dev/deploy-patterns/SKILL.md
# (plus any referenced supporting files)

3Verify it works

Restart Gemini CLI and test that the MCP tools are available:

$ gemini
# In the Gemini session, try using the installed tools
# "Show me the git status using git-mcp"

For skills, Gemini loads them when your prompts match the trigger keywords defined in each skill's frontmatter.

4Project-scoped vs global installs

# Global install (default) — available everywhere
$ npx -p @agent-root/cli agent-root install shipfast.dev/deploy-patterns --tool gemini
# Installs to: ~/.gemini/skills/

# Project-scoped — available in this project only
$ npx -p @agent-root/cli agent-root install shipfast.dev/deploy-patterns --tool gemini --project
# Installs to: .agents/skills/

The .agents/skills/ directory is a cross-tool standard. Skills installed here by any compatible tool (Codex CLI, Gemini CLI) are available to all of them. This means you can install a skill once at the project level and have it work across multiple AI coding assistants.

The cross-tool compatibility matrix for project-scoped skills:

Claude Code reads from .claude/skills/
Cursor reads from .cursor/skills/
Codex CLI reads from .agents/skills/
Gemini CLI reads from .agents/skills/

Codex CLI and Gemini CLI share the .agents/skills/ directory, so a project-scoped skill installed for one works for the other automatically.

// troubleshooting

MCP server not loading: The CLI prints the JSON block but does not write it. Paste it into the file Gemini reads at startup, then restart the CLI.
Skills not triggering: Check that files exist in ~/.gemini/skills/<domain>/<record-id>/ (global) or .agents/skills/<domain>/<record-id>/ (project). Ensure your prompts contain keywords that match the skill triggers in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Cross-tool skills missing: If a skill was installed with --tool codex --project, it lives at .agents/skills/ and is available to Gemini in the same project. Verify the directory exists.
Outdated records: Run agent-root update <domain>/<record-id> to re-fetch from the publisher.

// next_steps

Install with Codex CLI Install with Claude Code Publish your own skills