What to know

  • Google is adding a GitHub app to Gemini that lets users attach repositories to their prompts
  • The app will help coders understand codebases, answer questions about functions, suggest improvements, and debug issues
  • Users can import one repository (up to 5,000 files and 100MB) per chat, with private repositories requiring GitHub account linking

Google is expanding Gemini's capabilities with a new GitHub app integration. This Extension, coming to the web version of Gemini, follows previous third-party integrations with Spotify and WhatsApp.

The GitHub app will allow you to attach a repository to your Gemini prompt and ask questions about your code. You can use it to better understand your codebase, get answers about specific functions, receive suggestions for code improvements, and help with debugging issues.

For example, you might ask Gemini questions like "What external libraries are used in the attached code?" or "How can the attached code be more efficient?" You could even request Gemini to "Write event handlers for the attached code to recommend products to users."

To use this feature, you'll need to open the 'plus' menu for "Import code" and enter your GitHub repository or branch URL. Google has set some limitations - you can only add one repository per chat, with a maximum of 5,000 files and a size limit of 100MB.

If you want to import a private repository, you'll need to link your GitHub account that has access to that repository to your Google Account. The system will guide you through this process if your accounts aren't already linked.

There are some limitations to be aware of. The integration won't be able to retrieve commit history, pull requests, or other metadata. You also can't read a repository by simply including a GitHub URL in your prompt, and the app won't be able to write to your code repository.

While you can only import repositories on gemini.google.com, you can continue your chat in the Gemini mobile app and web app on mobile devices. Once released, GitHub will appear on the Gemini apps page where you can enable or disable it.

As of April 30, 2025, this feature isn't yet available on accounts that were checked, but it appears to be rolling out soon as part of Google's expanding AI coding assistance offerings.

Via: 9to5google