Gemini CLI Tool Mapping
Skills use Claude Code tool names. When you encounter these in a skill, use your platform equivalent:
| Skill references | Gemini CLI equivalent |
|---|---|
Read (file reading) | read_file |
Write (file creation) | write_file |
Edit (file editing) | replace |
Bash (run commands) | run_shell_command |
Grep (search file content) | grep_search |
Glob (search files by name) | glob |
TodoWrite (task tracking) | write_todos |
Skill tool (invoke a skill) | activate_skill |
WebSearch | google_web_search |
WebFetch | web_fetch |
Task tool (dispatch subagent) | @agent-name (see Subagent support) |
Subagent support
Gemini CLI supports subagents natively via the @ syntax. Use the built-in @generalist agent to dispatch any task — it has access to all tools and follows the prompt you provide.
When a skill says to dispatch a named agent type, use @generalist with the full prompt from the skill's prompt template:
| Skill instruction | Gemini CLI equivalent |
|---|---|
Task tool (superpowers:implementer) | @generalist with the filled implementer-prompt.md template |
Task tool (superpowers:spec-reviewer) | @generalist with the filled spec-reviewer-prompt.md template |
Task tool (superpowers:code-reviewer) | @code-reviewer (bundled agent) or @generalist with the filled review prompt |
Task tool (superpowers:code-quality-reviewer) | @generalist with the filled code-quality-reviewer-prompt.md template |
Task tool (general-purpose) with inline prompt | @generalist with your inline prompt |
Prompt filling
Skills provide prompt templates with placeholders like {WHAT_WAS_IMPLEMENTED} or [FULL TEXT of task]. Fill all placeholders and pass the complete prompt as the message to @generalist. The prompt template itself contains the agent's role, review criteria, and expected output format — @generalist will follow it.
Parallel dispatch
Gemini CLI supports parallel subagent dispatch. When a skill asks you to dispatch multiple independent subagent tasks in parallel, request all of those @generalist or named subagent tasks together in the same prompt. Keep dependent tasks sequential, but do not serialize independent subagent tasks just to preserve a simpler history.
Additional Gemini CLI tools
These tools are available in Gemini CLI but have no Claude Code equivalent:
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
list_directory | List files and subdirectories |
save_memory | Persist facts to GEMINI.md across sessions |
ask_user | Request structured input from the user |
tracker_create_task | Rich task management (create, update, list, visualize) |
enter_plan_mode / exit_plan_mode | Switch to read-only research mode before making changes |