Set Up Google Gemini Code Assist

8/14/2025

So, you've been hearing all the buzz about AI-powered coding assistants, & you're finally ready to dive in & see what all the fuss is about. Honestly, it's a game-changer. I'm talking about Google's Gemini Code Assist, & if you're working within the Google Cloud ecosystem, you're in for a treat. This isn't just another autocomplete tool; it's like having a senior developer whispering in your ear, helping you write better code faster, untangle complex logic, & even generate entire functions from a simple comment.

In this guide, I'm going to walk you through everything you need to know to get Gemini Code Assist up & running. We'll cover the nitty-gritty of setting it up in your Google Cloud project, integrating it with your favorite IDE (we're talking VS Code & JetBrains), & most importantly, how to actually use it to make your life as a developer a whole lot easier. So, grab a coffee, get comfortable, & let's get you set up.

The First Hurdle: Setting Up Gemini in Your Google Cloud Project

Before you can start generating code like a wizard, there are a few hoops to jump through in the Google Cloud Console. It might seem a bit daunting at first, but it's a pretty straightforward process. Here's the thing, Gemini Code Assist is part of the broader Gemini for Google Cloud offering, so the first step is to get that enabled.

Enabling the Necessary APIs

The heart of Gemini Code Assist lies in the "Cloud AI Companion API". Without this enabled, your IDE won't be able to talk to Google's powerful language models. You have a couple of ways to do this:

The Easy Way (Google Cloud Console):
1. Head over to the Google Cloud Console.
2. In the search bar at the top, type in "Gemini for Google Cloud" & select it.
3. Make sure you've selected the right project from the project selector at the top of the page.
4. You should see a big blue "Enable" button. Click it. If you don't see the button & instead see a chat interface, it means it's already enabled for your project, & you're good to go to the next step.
The "I Live in the Terminal" Way (gcloud CLI): If you're more of a command-line warrior, you can enable the API with a single command. Pop open your Cloud Shell or your local terminal with the gcloud CLI installed & run this: