Google’s Jules enters developers’ toolchains as AI coding agent competition heats up

Google is bringing its AI coding agent Jules deeper into developer workflows with a brand new command-line interface and public API, permitting it to plug into terminals, CI/CD programs, and instruments like Slack — as competitors intensifies amongst tech firms to personal the way forward for software program improvement and make coding extra of an AI-assisted process.

Till now, Jules — Google’s asynchronous coding agent — was solely accessible by way of its web site and GitHub. On Thursday, the corporate launched Jules Instruments, a command-line interface that brings Jules immediately into the developer’s terminal. The CLI lets builders work together with the agent utilizing instructions, streamlining workflows by eliminating the necessity to swap between the online interface and GitHub. It permits them to remain inside their atmosphere whereas delegating coding duties and validating outcomes.

“We need to scale back context switching for builders as a lot as doable,” stated Kathy Korevec, director of product at Google Labs, in an interview.

Google already presents Gemini CLI, an AI-based command-line instrument that works throughout developer environments like terminals and CI/CD pipelines. Each Gemini CLI and Jules use Google’s Gemini 2.5 Professional AI mannequin beneath the hood. Nevertheless, Korevec advised Trendster that Jules Instruments is designed for “very scoped duties,” whereas Gemini CLI requires customers to be “much more iterative” and to “collaborate much more with the instrument.”

Google’s senior developer advocate Denise Kwan additionally elaborated in a Medium put up on how Jules differs from Gemini CLI. Jules is much less interactive by design, she famous, and executes duties independently as soon as the person approves its plan.

Along with the CLI, Google has made Jules’ API public, which it had beforehand used for inner improvement. The aim of that is additionally to assist builders use Jules extra usually as they will prolong the instrument into their current workflows the place they’ve “numerous muscle reminiscence and familiarity,” Korevec stated.

Builders can even use the API to combine Jules with their built-in improvement atmosphere (IDE), a software program software that helps make coding simpler by offering a listing of instruments, akin to VS Code. Nevertheless, Korevec advised Trendster that her staff is eager to construct particular plug-ins for IDEs to additional develop Jules’ presence.

The most recent updates come simply after Google launched “reminiscence” for Jules to maintain a document of interactions with customers and their preferences, nudges, and corrections. For the previous couple of weeks, the instrument has additionally added a listing of different options, together with a stacked structure for the diff viewer, picture add, and the flexibility to learn and reply to feedback on pull requests.

Now, one other space Google is exploring with Jules is lowering its reliance on GitHub. At the moment, the agent codes inside a GitHub repository — requiring builders to both join it to an current repo or present a clean one to work in.

“Customers need Jules to combine with different code internet hosting suppliers,” stated Korevec. “We’re wanting into how we are able to allow that with different model management programs. We’re additionally wanting into enabling it for individuals who don’t desire a model management system, or they don’t care the place their code is hosted.”

Oversight of AI instruments stays a problem, particularly when they’re utilized in skilled settings. Jules, nonetheless, is designed to inform the person if it will get caught on a specific process, prompting them to step in and help.

“If one thing occurs the place it runs into a difficulty, or it runs right into a scenario the place it might probably’t unstick itself, it would pause and ask me a query,” Korevec stated.

Nevertheless, oversight turns into harder when customers work together with Jules on cell, as native notifications will not be but supported. Korevec famous that many customers are already accessing Jules by means of its cell internet interface, and stated Google is working to enhance the cell expertise — notably by exploring methods to supply native notifications.

To this point, Jules has primarily been utilized by software program engineers and different professionals — not like many vibe coding platforms that place themselves as go-to instruments for non-coders. Nonetheless, some customers are experimenting with Jules as a complement to extra informal or inventive coding environments.

“We see lots of people take that venture that they’ve hit the restrict in no matter vibe coding instrument they’re utilizing, after which convey that to Jules for additional extending it,” Korevec advised Trendster.

Launched in public preview in Could, Jules exited beta in August and is now accessible beneath structured pricing tiers. A free plan presents as much as 15 particular person each day duties and three concurrent duties. Greater limits can be found by means of the Google AI Professional and Extremely plans, priced at $19.99 and $124.99 monthly, providing roughly 5x and 20x the boundaries, respectively.