Comparing Terminal-Based AI Coding Tools: Gemini CLI, Claude Code, and Forge Code

In the fast-paced world of software development, AI-powered coding tools are changing the game. These tools help developers work faster, catch mistakes, and simplify complex tasks. Among the latest innovations are terminal-based AI coding assistants, which let you get help right from your command line. In this post, we’ll dive into three standout tools: Gemini CLI, Claude Code, and Forge Code. We’ll test them on real-world coding challenges—like building a project, fixing bugs, and planning architecture—to see how they stack up. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned coder, this comparison will help you pick the right tool for your needs.

What Are These Tools?

Before we jump into the tests, let’s meet the players.

Gemini CLI

Developed by Google, Gemini CLI is an open-source tool powered by the Gemini 2.5 Pro model. It shines with its massive context window, meaning it can handle big projects and long conversations without losing track. You type simple commands in your terminal, and it responds with code or suggestions. It’s free to start, with paid options for extra features, making it a solid pick for developers who want power without complexity.

Claude Code

Created by Anthropic, Claude Code aims to feel like a teammate. It digs into your codebase, offers interactive suggestions, and even ties into Git for version control. It’s built for developers who want a tool that understands their project and helps with quick fixes or improvements. While it’s not free, its paid plans unlock its full potential.

Forge Code

Forge Code is a versatile tool that stands out with its dual-agent system. It has a planning agent (called /muse) for brainstorming and a coding agent (called /forge) for getting things done. It adapts to your workflow, remembers your project’s history, and lets you use your own AI model keys if you want. It’s like having a pair of assistants—one to think, one to build.

Each tool brings something unique to the table. Let’s see how they perform when put to the test.

Installation and Setup

Getting these tools up and running should be easy. Here’s how to install each one, along with any tips to make it smooth.

Gemini CLI

• How to Install: You can try it instantly with npx @google/gemini-cli, or install it globally using:

  npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
  

• Getting Started: Run gemini in your terminal and sign in with your Google account—no extra signup needed. You get 1,000 requests per day and 60 per minute for free.
• Extra Options: Want more control? Grab a Gemini API key from Google AI Studio and add it to your setup, or tweak it with environment variables.

Forge Code

• How to Install: Head to forgecode.dev, sign up with GitHub or Google, and create an API key. Then install it with:

  npm i -g forgecode@latest
  

• Getting Started: Save your API key in a .env file in your project folder, then run forge. It works best if you start it from your project’s root directory.
• Customization: You can link your own model keys (like Claude or OpenAI) with a quick setup—see the Custom Providers guide.

Claude Code

• How to Install: Install it globally with:

  npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
  

• Getting Started: Run claude in your project folder. You’ll need an Anthropic account with a paid plan (Pro or Max) or billing turned on. It uses OAuth to log in, and Windows users will need WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux).
• First Steps: Try commands like summarize this project or /init to create a project guide and get rolling.

Quick Thoughts

Forge Code wins for speed—less than a minute from signup to coding. Gemini CLI is super accessible with its free tier and Google login. Claude Code takes a bit more setup with its account requirements, but it’s still straightforward.

Building a Blog App: Who Does It Best?

To test their project-building skills, we gave each tool the same challenge: build a blog app with user login, a Markdown-based post editor, and a creative UI. The app should use React and Node.js, with dummy login (no database, just temporary storage). The UI needs to look sharp and feel real, even if some features are static. We asked for blog CRUD (create, read, update, delete) operations and a basic email/password login, all in a single codebase.

Here’s how they did.

Claude Code

• How It Worked: Claude kicked off by writing documentation, then set up a single repo with all packages pre-installed. I just had to start the servers.
• What I Got: The UI had nice colors, but the styling was patchy—some parts looked off. You could sign up and log in, but there was a big flaw: published blogs didn’t show up anywhere. For a blog app, that’s a dealbreaker.
• Overall: It got partway there but missed key pieces.

Gemini CLI

• How It Worked: Gemini jumped straight into coding without much planning. It paused sometimes to ask if I wanted to keep going. Packages came pre-installed, so I could run the servers right away.
• What I Got: The result was rough. No UI, no login system, no validation—just a basic blog CRUD setup that felt incomplete. Moving between pages meant refreshing manually, which was clunky.
• Overall: It didn’t deliver what I asked for.

Forge Code

• How It Worked: I used its two agents: /muse to plan and /forge to build. It asked smart questions to clarify my needs, set up a single repo, and gave me demo login details and setup instructions when done.
• What I Got: This was a standout. It had working login, full blog CRUD, and a Markdown editor packed with features—live previews, draft saving, tags, and even a like button. The UI wasn’t the prettiest, but the functionality was top-notch.
• Overall: It went above and beyond.

The Winner

Forge Code nailed it with a nearly complete app that actually worked. Claude Code tried but fell short, and Gemini CLI barely scratched the surface.

Debugging a Messy Form: Who Fixes It Best?

Next, we threw a buggy signup form at them. It’s a simple HTML and JavaScript form with sneaky problems like race conditions, premature success messages, and missing checks. Here’s the code we started with:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Tricky Signup Form</title>
</head>
<body>
  <form id="signupForm">
    <input type="text" id="name" placeholder="Name" /><br />
    <input type="email" id="email" placeholder="Email" /><br />
    <button type="submit">Submit</button>
  </form>
  <p id="status" style="color: green;"></p>
  <script>
    let submitted = false;
    document.getElementById("signupForm").addEventListener("submit", function (e) {
      e.preventDefault();
      const name = document.getElementById("name").value;
      const email = document.getElementById("email").value;
      if (!name || !email) {
        document.getElementById("status").textContent = "All fields are required.";
        return;
      }
      if (!submitted) {
        submitted = true;
        fakeSubmit(name, email);
      }
      document.getElementById("status").textContent = "Form submitted!";
    });
    function fakeSubmit(name, email) {
      setTimeout(() => {
        console.log("Form submitted with:", name, email);
       »

if (Math.random() < 0.3) {
          console.error("Simulated submission failure");
        }
        submitted = false;
      }, 1000);
    }
  </script>
</body>
</html>

We asked each tool to spot the bugs and fix them. Here’s what happened.

Forge Code

• What It Did: The Muse agent pinpointed issues like whitespace sneaking through, success messages showing too soon, and the risk of double submissions. The Forge agent fixed them by trimming inputs, adding a loading state, and disabling the button while submitting.
• Bonus Points: It added labels for accessibility (great for screen readers) and tossed in Git commands like commit my changes with message "Fix form bugs".
• Result: A smooth, reliable form that’s easy to use.

Gemini CLI

• What It Did: It zeroed in on the submission logic, catching the premature success message. It switched to a Promise to wait for the fake backend response, showing feedback only when confirmed.
• Downside: No UI tweaks or accessibility fixes—just the bare logic. No Git help either.
• Result: It worked, but it was basic.

Claude Code

• What It Did: It improved the flow with a “Submitting…” message, used colors for feedback (green for success, red for errors), and reset the form properly.
• Downside: It skipped UI polish, accessibility, and input cleanup. The button stayed clickable during submission, risking double submissions.
• Result: Good logic fixes with Git support, but not the full package.

The Winner

Forge Code took the crown by fixing both the logic and the user experience. Gemini CLI and Claude Code stuck to logic-only fixes, missing the bigger picture.

Context Handling & Architecture Planning

For the final challenge, we gave them a tough one: a visual workflow agent builder using Reactflow, riddled with bugs like broken node connections. We asked for a rebuild plan to make it cleaner and more scalable.

Gemini CLI

• What It Said: It offered general tips without looking at the code—think clean folder setups (canvas, nodes, store), centralized Zustand state, and per-node components.
• Downside: No real analysis, just broad advice.

Claude Code

• What It Said: It laid out a detailed redesign with modular folders (Canvas, Sidebar, Nodes), scoped Zustand stores, custom hooks, and a step-by-step rollout plan.
• Strength: It felt like a senior developer’s playbook—thorough and organized.

Forge Code

• What It Said: It dug into the codebase, spotting issues like messy state handling and bulky components. It suggested per-node folders, real-time validation, and a clear rebuild roadmap.
• Strength: Its advice was spot-on for the project, boosted by “Context Compaction” for long sessions.

The Winner

Forge Code edged out with tailored, project-specific insights. Claude Code gave a strong theoretical plan, while Gemini CLI stayed too generic.

Pricing and Limits

Let’s break down the costs and limits to see what fits your budget.

• Best for Free: Gemini CLI—its 1,000 daily requests are hard to beat.
• Best for Power Users: Forge Code—the Max plan is free right now in early access.

Which One Should You Choose?

Here’s the rundown based on what they’re good at:

• Claude Code: Great for quick logic fixes and Git integration.
• Gemini CLI: Perfect for big projects with lots of context, plus it’s free and open-source.
• Forge Code: The all-in-one champ—planning, coding, Git, and deep project smarts.

Conclusion

Terminal-based AI coding tools are transforming how we code, bringing help right where we need it. After putting them through the paces, Forge Code comes out on top. It doesn’t just suggest fixes—it gets your project, works with Git, and ties planning to action seamlessly. Gemini CLI impresses with its huge context window, and Claude Code keeps things simple, but Forge Code lifts your whole workflow.

Have you tried these tools? Let me know how they’ve worked for you—I’d love to hear your take!

FAQs

Which tool is the easiest to install?

Forge Code—signup to coding in under a minute. Gemini CLI is close behind with its Google login.

Can they build a complete application?

Forge Code can, delivering a solid app. Claude Code gets halfway, and Gemini CLI struggles with the full picture.

How do they handle debugging?

Forge Code fixes logic and usability. Gemini CLI and Claude Code focus on logic but skip UI and accessibility.

Which is the most cost-effective?

Gemini CLI for light use with its free tier. Forge Code for heavy use with its free Max plan in early access.

How-To: Install Your Favorite Tool

Gemini CLI

1. Run: npm install -g @google/gemini-cli
2. Type gemini and sign in with Google.
3. Start coding!

Forge Code

1. Sign up at forgecode.dev.
2. Install: npm i -g forgecode@latest
3. Add your API key to .env.
4. Run forge—you’re set!

Claude Code

1. Install: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
2. Set up an Anthropic account with a paid plan.
3. Run claude and log in via OAuth.

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