overview
What is cli?
cli is a command-line interface tool developed by Google that enables developers, administrators, and AI agents to interact with the entire Google Workspace ecosystem. It provides direct, scriptable access to services like Drive, Gmail, Calendar, Sheets, Docs, Chat, and Admin APIs from the terminal. The Google Workspace CLI acts as a "universal remote" for Google Workspace, allowing users to manage and automate tasks across various Google services without needing to navigate multiple web interfaces or build separate API integrations. A core design principle is its "agent-native" approach, enabling AI agents (like those powered by Claude Code or Gemini CLI) to read, write, and interact with Workspace data and actions through structured JSON output and pre-built "skills." This eliminates the need for complex API wrappers and reduces the "context tax" often associated with Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. The tool streamlines development by offering a single interface to over 50 Workspace APIs, dynamically discovering new API endpoints, and providing helper commands for common workflows such as sending emails, triaging inboxes, and generating standup reports.
