Google

Gemini CLI + Pixeltable

Google's open-source terminal agent powered by Gemini. Give it a multimodal backend: one app.py declares tables, computed columns, indexes, and HTTP routes.

Setup playbook Agent Skill Gemini CLI site

What is Gemini CLI?

Gemini CLI is Google's open-source agent for the terminal. It reads and writes files, runs shell commands, and supports MCP servers through ~/.gemini/settings.json, including remote servers via the mcp-remote bridge.

Quick start

Four steps. The agent can run all of them when you hand it the setup playbook.

01
Install Gemini CLI
Requires Node 20+. Sign in with a Google account for the free tier.
bash
```
npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
gemini
```
02
Install Pixeltable
Python 3.11+ required. `pxt init` marks the project root; schema and service commands refuse an app without one.
bash
```
pip install -U 'pixeltable[serve]'
pxt init
```
03
Add the Pixeltable Skill
The Skill teaches the agent table/schema patterns, provider integrations, and anti-patterns. Source: https://github.com/pixeltable/pixeltable-skill
bash
```
npx skills add pixeltable/pixeltable-skill
npx skills list
```
04
Ship a first app
Declare the schema, serve the HTTP routes, then experiment in the dashboard. Cloud deploy uses the same app.py: set PIXELTABLE_API_KEY, add `[[pixeltable.database]]` with `name = 'pxt://org:db'`, then `pxt db update`, `pxt schema update`, `pxt service update` in that order.
bash
```
pxt service example --out app.py
pxt schema update app.py my_app
pxt service update app.py my_app
pxt dashboard
```

MCP configuration

Pixeltable has two MCP servers. Connect the one the job needs.

Server	Transport	What it can do
pixeltable-web	HTTP	Read-only docs search and integration listing. No table mutations.
pixeltable-developer	stdio	Inspect schemas, query tables, run a REPL against a local or Cloud catalog.

Connect the WebMCP (docs search, no auth)

Gemini CLI reaches remote MCP servers through the mcp-remote bridge. Merge this into `~/.gemini/settings.json`:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pixeltable-web": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://pixeltable.com/mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Connect the developer MCP (tables + REPL)

Install the server once per machine (step below), then add a second entry to the same file:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pixeltable-developer": {
      "command": "mcp-server-pixeltable-developer"
    }
  }
}

Install the developer MCP server

Stdio server that inspects schemas, queries tables, and runs a REPL against a local or Cloud catalog. Repository: https://github.com/pixeltable/mcp-server-pixeltable-developer

bash

uv tool install --from git+https://github.com/pixeltable/mcp-server-pixeltable-developer.git mcp-server-pixeltable-developer
# if uv is missing:
# curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

Example prompts

What to ask Gemini CLI once Pixeltable is set up.

Install Pixeltable and set up a table that embeds every image I insert.

Build a RAG pipeline over the PDFs in ./docs and expose a FastAPI route that answers questions.

Transcribe every video in ./media with Whisper, index the transcript, and serve semantic search over HTTP.

Add a computed column that captions each uploaded image with a vision model.

Scaffold app.py with pxt service example, declare the schema, and start the service.

Take app.py and deploy it to my Pixeltable Cloud database pxt://org:db.

Build a background-remover API: image in, background removed, POST endpoint.

Common workflows

Set up a Pixeltable app

1.Hand the agent https://pixeltable.com/get-started.md and let it run the playbook
2.It installs the pxt CLI and the Pixeltable Skill
3.It scaffolds app.py, declares the schema, starts the service
4.It verifies the endpoint with a curl request

Build a multimodal pipeline

1.Describe the pipeline: ingest media, run models, index results
2.The agent declares the table and computed columns in app.py
3.It adds an embedding index and an HTTP route that serves results
4.Insert a row; computed columns run and indexes stay current

Deploy to Pixeltable Cloud

1.Ask the agent to deploy app.py to Cloud
2.It pauses for your org slug and an sk_... API key (human step)
3.It runs pxt db update, pxt schema update, pxt service update in order
4.It calls the hosted endpoint at https://<org>-<db>.svc.pxt.run to verify

Inspect a catalog over MCP

1.Connect the pixeltable-developer MCP server
2.The agent lists tables and views in the catalog
3.It runs read queries and reports schema and row counts
4.Keep human confirmation on: the developer server can change local catalog state

Tips for success

Hand the agent https://pixeltable.com/get-started.md; it is the canonical setup playbook.

Point the agent at https://pixeltable.com/llms.txt after setup for the one-file app.py Quick Start.

Keep human confirmation enabled for MCP mutations; the developer server can change catalog state.

Let the agent run `pxt schema diff` before `pxt service update` to preview schema drift.

For Cloud deploys the agent pauses for sign-in and the API key; everything else it can do itself.

A GEMINI.md in the repo with a get-started.md link persists the setup instructions across sessions.

Run `/mcp list` inside Gemini CLI to verify both servers connected.

Troubleshooting

The Pixeltable Skill is not visible after install

Reload or restart the agent. Confirm the install path with `npx skills list` and that the skill targets the current agent.

The agent does not list the MCP server

Validate the config file JSON. pixeltable-web is a remote HTTP server at https://pixeltable.com/mcp; pixeltable-developer is a stdio command, `mcp-server-pixeltable-developer`. Verify the server is installed with `mcp-server-pixeltable-developer --help`.

`pxt service check` fails: modifies catalog while imported

app.py must declare TableModel tables and FastAPIRouter routes, not run pxt.create_table() at import. Scaffold with `pxt service example`.

Cloud deploy fails with 404: UDF not found

Order is required: `pxt db update pxt://org:db`, then `pxt schema update app.py pxt://org:db`, then `pxt service update app.py pxt://org:db`.

Frequently asked questions

Can Gemini CLI set up Pixeltable on its own?

Yes. Give Gemini CLI https://pixeltable.com/get-started.md: it installs the pxt CLI, adds the Pixeltable Skill, and connects MCP. It pauses only for Cloud sign-in and the org API key, which are human steps.

Which Pixeltable MCP server should I connect?

pixeltable-web (https://pixeltable.com/mcp) is a remote server for read-only docs search. pixeltable-developer is a stdio server that inspects schemas, queries tables, and runs a REPL against a local or Cloud catalog. Connect the one the job needs.

Can Gemini CLI deploy to Pixeltable Cloud?

Yes, through the pxt CLI. Gemini CLI runs `pxt db update`, `pxt schema update`, and `pxt service update` against `pxt://org:db`. Creating the organization and the API key stays with you.

Does the Pixeltable Skill work with Gemini CLI?

Yes. `npx skills add pixeltable/pixeltable-skill` installs it for the current agent and teaches table/schema patterns, provider integrations, and anti-patterns.

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Resources

Agent setup playbook (get-started.md)Site overview for agents (llms.txt)Pixeltable Skill source Developer MCP server Pixeltable docs Gemini CLI

Give Gemini CLI a multimodal backend

One app.py declares tables, computed columns, indexes, and HTTP routes. Insert a row; the pipeline runs.

Setup playbook Quick Start Guide View on GitHub