Official References: Get Started · Sandboxing · Memory & Context
Start with safety before speed
Gemini CLI is powerful on day one, but beginner mistakes usually come from broad scope and unclear trust boundaries.
Your first-day objective:
- safe setup
- one narrow win
- clear proof of completion
45-minute first-day loop
0–10 min: trust and boundaries
- confirm trusted folder
- verify sandbox mode
- confirm what should not be edited
10–25 min: one focused task
Use a task that touches a small surface.
25–35 min: verification
Run minimal checks and inspect diff scope.
35–45 min: capture notes
Record:
- change summary
- commands run
- remaining risks
Beginner prompt shape
Goal:
Context:
Constraints:
Done when:Do not skip Done when. It is your anti-guessing control.
Beginner anti-patterns
Jumping straight into large refactors
You lose control before learning the loop.
Running with unclear trust settings
Boundary mistakes happen before code mistakes.
Finishing without evidence
Confidence language is not verification.
Quick checklist
- trust/sandbox confirmed
- one narrow task completed
- verification commands run
- short completion note captured
If these pass, your first Gemini loop is healthy.