Gemini CLI [Free]: MCP + Checkpoints (Tutorial)

Google's new Gemini CLI is completely FREE with 60 requests per minute and includes checkpointing - the one feature Claude Code is missing! I'll show you how to set up Gemini CLI with MCP servers and enable checkpointing so you can easily restore your code when things break. This tutorial covers everything from installation to advanced features, plus how to migrate your workflow while the free usage lasts. What You'll Learn: • Install and authenticate Gemini CLI from scratch • Configure MCP servers (Sequential Thinking demo) • Enable checkpointing for easy code restoration • Create custom instruction files with GEMINI.md • Navigate the interface and essential commands • Maximize the free usage limits (60/min, 1000/day) Links: Book a call with me: https://cal.com/jeredblu Gemini CLI Repository: https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/tree/main Checkpointing Documentation: https://github.com/google-gemini/gemini-cli/blob/main/docs/checkpointing.md Sequential Thinking MCP Server: https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/servers/tree/main/src/sequentialthinking Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro & Why Gemini CLI Matters 01:00 - Installation & Authentication Setup 02:00 - MCP Server Configuration 03:00 - Enabling Checkpointing Feature 04:00 - Creating Custom GEMINI.md Files 06:00 - Testing Features & Commands 07:00 - Tips & Wrap-up #MCP #GeminiCLI #MCPServers #FreeAI #AICoding #Checkpointing #AITutorial