Gemini CLI

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Runtime overview

Beacon supports Gemini CLI through local OTLP logs, traces, and metrics. The default endpoint install enables it when Gemini is detected.

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Prerequisites

Before enabling Gemini CLI telemetry, make sure:

• Gemini CLI is installed and available as the gemini executable for the user or managed endpoint.
• beacon endpoint install has run so the local collector, endpoint config, and runtime log path exist.
• Gemini is detected only through the gemini executable on PATH; its user configuration alone does not make it detectable. If the executable is not on PATH, or automatic discovery is unavailable in an unattended environment, explicitly include it with beacon endpoint install --harness claude,codex,gemini.
• No project settings or GEMINI_TELEMETRY_* environment variables override the user-level Beacon settings you expect to use.
• Your team has reviewed content handling and destination access for prompt telemetry.

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Collection path

Gemini CLI exports local OpenTelemetry data to Beacon’s localhost collector when the gemini endpoint harness is enabled. Beacon maps Gemini prompts, tool calls, MCP activity, file operations, and approval-related events into normalized endpoint events.

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Discovery and status

Beacon detects Gemini CLI through the gemini executable and $GEMINI_CLI_HOME/.gemini/settings.json (default ~/.gemini/settings.json). Use beacon endpoint discover or beacon endpoint status to confirm that Gemini CLI is present and configured. Install, discovery, inventory, and beacon mcp connect honor GEMINI_CLI_HOME as Gemini CLI does: when it is set, its .gemini directory replaces ~/.gemini. The scheduled inventory job starts without your shell’s environment, so a per-user beacon endpoint install or repair writes the GEMINI_CLI_HOME it resolved into the job’s launchd or systemd definition. If you change GEMINI_CLI_HOME later, run beacon endpoint repair from a shell that has the new value. System-mode installs do not record it.

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Install or configuration support

The default beacon endpoint install configures Gemini automatically when it is detected. Run beacon endpoint install --harness claude,codex,gemini to select it explicitly instead. Beacon writes local OTLP settings to $GEMINI_CLI_HOME/.gemini/settings.json (default ~/.gemini/settings.json), sets target to local, uses OTLP gRPC, enables collector mode, and removes outfile so telemetry flows to Beacon. Gemini CLI is not currently configured through Beacon’s hook adapter.

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Telemetry coverage

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Deployment notes

Project settings or GEMINI_TELEMETRY_* environment variables may override Beacon’s user-level Gemini config. For enterprise rollouts, add gemini to the endpoint harness list, for example claude,codex,gemini, when you want Beacon to manage ~/.gemini/settings.json for local OTLP collection. If a system collector is running while the CLI is reading the default per-user log, beacon endpoint status and the local dashboard surface a runtime-log source warning so you can tell where OTLP events are being written.

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