# Gemini CLI


# Set up banish for Gemini CLI

banish runs as an MCP server. Register it in Gemini CLI and every command it runs
through banish comes back compacted, so Gemini spends far fewer tokens on verbose
shell and tool output.

## Prerequisites

- banish installed. See [install](/docs/getting-started/install) and confirm with
  `banish version`.
- Gemini CLI, which supports MCP servers over stdio.

## Register banish

Add banish to your Gemini CLI settings at `~/.gemini/settings.json` (user scope) or
`.gemini/settings.json` (project scope):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "banish": { "command": "banish", "args": ["serve"] }
  }
}
```

If Gemini cannot find banish on your PATH, replace `"banish"` with the absolute
path from `which banish`.

## Verify

Start Gemini CLI and list its tools. banish exposes every verb in your extensions
as an MCP tool - with the defaults you get 45-plus tools such as `banish_gs`,
`banish_dps`, and `banish_kpods`. If they appear, banish is wired in.

## What you get

Gemini now reads compacted output through banish. See
[MCP server](/docs/concepts/mcp-server) for how verbs become tools, the
[benchmarks](/docs/reference/benchmarks) for measured savings, and
[set up an agent](/docs/getting-started/set-up-an-agent) for the general flow.

Other agents: [OpenAI Codex](/docs/integrations/codex),
[Windsurf](/docs/integrations/windsurf), [Cline](/docs/integrations/cline),
[GitHub Copilot](/docs/integrations/copilot).