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# Command Line Interface
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The Gemini CLI provides a comprehensive command-line interface supporting both interactive and non-interactive modes with extensive configuration options.
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## Capabilities
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### Binary Command
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Main CLI entry point supporting various execution modes and configuration options.
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```bash { .api }
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gemini [options] [promptWords...]
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```
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**Usage Examples:**
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```bash
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# Interactive mode
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gemini
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# Direct prompt
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gemini "Explain TypeScript generics"
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# Model selection
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gemini --model gemini-2.0-flash-exp "Review my code"
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# Sandbox execution
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gemini --sandbox "Create a web server"
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# Non-interactive with stdin
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echo "What is async/await?" | gemini --prompt "Explain this"
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```
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### Global CLI Options
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#### Model and Generation Options
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```bash { .api }
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--model, -m <string>              # Gemini model to use (default: from GEMINI_MODEL env)
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--prompt, -p <string>             # Non-interactive prompt (appended to stdin)
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--prompt-interactive, -i <string> # Execute prompt then continue interactively
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```
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**Usage Examples:**
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```bash
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# Specify model
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gemini --model gemini-2.0-flash-exp "Generate a function"
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# Non-interactive execution
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gemini --prompt "Summarize this file" < document.txt
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# Interactive after initial prompt
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gemini --prompt-interactive "Start by reviewing my code"
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```
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#### Execution Environment Options
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```bash { .api }
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--sandbox, -s                     # Run in sandbox environment
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--sandbox-image <string>          # Specific sandbox image URI
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--debug, -d                       # Enable debug mode
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--yolo, -y                        # Auto-accept all actions (YOLO mode)
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--approval-mode <mode>            # Set approval mode: default, auto_edit, yolo
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```
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**Usage Examples:**
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```bash
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# Enable sandbox
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gemini --sandbox "Install and test npm packages"
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# Debug mode
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gemini --debug "Troubleshoot this issue"
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# Auto-accept mode
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gemini --yolo "Fix all TypeScript errors"
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# Specific approval mode
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gemini --approval-mode auto_edit "Refactor this code"
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```
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#### Context and File Options
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```bash { .api }
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--all-files, -a                   # Include ALL files in context (deprecated)
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--include-directories <dirs>      # Additional directories to include (comma-separated)
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--checkpointing, -c              # Enable file edit checkpointing
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```
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**Usage Examples:**
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```bash
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# Include additional directories
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gemini --include-directories "src,tests,docs" "Review the entire project"
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# Enable checkpointing for file edits
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gemini --checkpointing "Refactor the authentication module"
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```
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#### Tool Configuration Options
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```bash { .api }
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--allowed-tools <tools>                 # Tools allowed without confirmation (comma-separated)
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--allowed-mcp-server-names <names>      # Allowed MCP server names (comma-separated)
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--extensions, -e <names>                # Specific extensions to use (comma-separated)
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--list-extensions, -l                   # List all available extensions and exit
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```
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**Usage Examples:**
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```bash
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# Allow specific tools
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gemini --allowed-tools "file_edit,shell" "Update configuration files"
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# Use specific extensions
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gemini --extensions "github-integration,code-formatter" "Push changes to GitHub"
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# List available extensions
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gemini --list-extensions
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```
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#### Telemetry and Monitoring Options
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```bash { .api }
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--telemetry                            # Enable telemetry
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--telemetry-target <target>            # Telemetry target: local, gcp
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--telemetry-otlp-endpoint <url>        # OTLP endpoint URL
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--telemetry-otlp-protocol <protocol>   # OTLP protocol: grpc, http
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--telemetry-log-prompts               # Enable prompt logging in telemetry
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--telemetry-outfile <file>            # Redirect telemetry to file
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--show-memory-usage                   # Show memory usage in status bar
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```
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#### Accessibility and UI Options
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```bash { .api }
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--screen-reader                       # Enable screen reader mode
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--session-summary <file>              # Write session summary to file
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--proxy <url>                         # Proxy configuration
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--experimental-acp                    # Enable ACP mode
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```
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## Subcommands
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### MCP Server Management
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Commands for managing Model Context Protocol servers.
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```bash { .api }
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gemini mcp <command> [options]
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```
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#### MCP Add Command
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```bash { .api }
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gemini mcp add <name> <commandOrUrl> [args...] [options]
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# Options:
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--scope, -s <scope>           # Configuration scope: user, project
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--transport, -t <type>        # Transport type: stdio, sse, http
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--env, -e <KEY=value>         # Environment variables (repeatable)
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--header, -H <header>         # HTTP headers for SSE/HTTP (repeatable)
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--timeout <ms>                # Connection timeout in milliseconds
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--trust                       # Trust server (bypass confirmations)
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--description <desc>          # Server description
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--include-tools <tools>       # Include specific tools (comma-separated)
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--exclude-tools <tools>       # Exclude specific tools (comma-separated)
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```
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**Usage Examples:**
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```bash
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# Add stdio MCP server
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gemini mcp add weather-server npx weather-mcp-server
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# Add HTTP MCP server with headers
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gemini mcp add api-server http://localhost:3000/mcp \
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  --transport http \
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  --header "Authorization: Bearer token123" \
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  --trust
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# Add with environment variables
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gemini mcp add database-server python db-mcp.py \
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  --env "DB_HOST=localhost" \
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  --env "DB_PORT=5432" \
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  --scope user
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```
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#### MCP List and Remove Commands
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```bash { .api }
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gemini mcp list                       # List configured MCP servers
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gemini mcp remove <name>              # Remove MCP server by name
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```
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### Extension Management
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Commands for managing CLI extensions.
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```bash { .api }
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gemini extensions <command> [options]
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```
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#### Extension Commands
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```bash { .api }
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gemini extensions install <source>    # Install extension from source
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gemini extensions uninstall <name>    # Remove extension by name
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gemini extensions list                # Show installed extensions
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gemini extensions update [name]       # Update extension(s)
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gemini extensions enable <name>       # Enable extension
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gemini extensions disable <name>      # Disable extension
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gemini extensions link <path>         # Link local extension for development
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gemini extensions new <name>          # Create new extension template
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```
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**Usage Examples:**
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```bash
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# Install from GitHub
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gemini extensions install https://github.com/user/gemini-ext-example
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# Install from local directory
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gemini extensions install ./my-extension
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# Update specific extension
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gemini extensions update my-extension
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# Update all extensions
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gemini extensions update
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# Link for development
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gemini extensions link ./development/my-extension
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```
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## Environment Variables
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### Runtime Configuration
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```bash { .api }
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GEMINI_MODEL                    # Default model to use
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NO_COLOR                        # Disable colors (activates no-color theme)
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DEBUG / DEBUG_MODE              # Enable debug mode
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CLOUD_SHELL                     # Indicates Cloud Shell environment
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SANDBOX                         # Indicates sandbox environment
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GEMINI_CLI_NO_RELAUNCH         # Prevent memory-based relaunching
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```
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### HTTP Configuration
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```bash { .api }
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HTTPS_PROXY / https_proxy       # HTTPS proxy configuration
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HTTP_PROXY / http_proxy         # HTTP proxy configuration
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```
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### Telemetry Configuration
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```bash { .api }
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OTEL_EXPORTER_OTLP_ENDPOINT    # OpenTelemetry OTLP endpoint
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```
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## CLI Arguments Interface
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Internal CLI arguments structure (not exposed for programmatic use):
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```typescript { .api }
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interface CliArgs {
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  // Model and generation
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  model?: string;
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  prompt?: string;
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  promptInteractive?: string;
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  // Execution environment
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  sandbox?: boolean | string;
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  debug?: boolean;
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  yolo?: boolean;
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  approvalMode?: 'default' | 'auto_edit' | 'yolo';
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  // Context and files
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  allFiles?: boolean;
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  includeDirectories?: string[];
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  checkpointing?: boolean;
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  // Tool configuration
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  allowedTools?: string[];
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  allowedMcpServerNames?: string[];
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  extensions?: string[];
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  listExtensions?: boolean;
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  // Telemetry and monitoring
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  telemetry?: boolean;
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  telemetryTarget?: 'local' | 'gcp';
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  telemetryOtlpEndpoint?: string;
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  telemetryOtlpProtocol?: 'grpc' | 'http';
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  telemetryLogPrompts?: boolean;
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  telemetryOutfile?: string;
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  showMemoryUsage?: boolean;
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  // UI and accessibility
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  screenReader?: boolean;
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  sessionSummary?: string;
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  proxy?: string;
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  experimentalAcp?: boolean;
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  // Positional arguments
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  promptWords?: string[];
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}
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```