AI coding agent Google launches Jules Tools CLI for direct terminal access & public API

Google has launched Jules Tools, a new command-line interface for its AI-powered agent Jules, designed to let developers access coding assistance directly from the terminal. Announced by Google Labs Product Management Director Kathy Korevec, the tool lets developers access Jules directly from the terminal, removing the need to switch between web and GitHub interfaces. Similar to Google’s Gemini CLI, it operates within the terminal but is designed for more focused, single-task execution, while Gemini CLI supports longer, iterative collaboration. While both Jules and the Gemini CLI share Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro language model, Jules Tools targets single, scoped coding actions and operates with minimal interaction after user approval.

Accompanying the CLI launch is the release of a public API for Jules, enabling integration with development tools and workflows. Developers can now connect Jules to integrated development environments such as Visual Studio Code, or incorporate it into their own build processes. Google plans to expand accessibility further by releasing dedicated IDE plug-ins for Jules, targeting widespread developer adoption across popular platforms.

These updates follow a series of recent improvements to Jules, including memory for tracking user interactions, image upload support and environment variable handling, all aimed at making the tool more integrated and useful in real coding environments.