Gemini CLI: Custom Extension Themes, Background Shell Commands, and Extension Settings
Gemini CLIGemini CLI v0.28.0 delivers a significant expansion of extension capabilities and terminal customization. Extensions can now contribute their own color themes and declare configurable settings that prompt users automatically at install time. Background shell command execution allows long-running processes to run without blocking the interactive session. The release also adds the /prompt-suggest slash command and enhanced authentication transparency.
Sources & Mentions
5 external resources covering this update
Weekly Update [v0.28.1]: Custom Themes, Background Shells, and Integrations
GitHub
Release v0.28.0 · google-gemini/gemini-cli
GitHub
Gemini CLI by Google - Release Notes - February 2026
Releasebot
Gemini CLI Changelog (February 2026)
Gradually
I Tested the Updated Gemini CLI (And Found These New Features)
Medium
Extension Themes: A Richer Customization Ecosystem
Prior to v0.28.0, theming in Gemini CLI was limited to built-in color schemes and user-defined themes in settings.json. With this release, extensions can now package their own themes via a themes property in their gemini-extension.json manifest. These themes are automatically discovered at install time and appear in the /theme selection dialog alongside built-in options.
Automatic theme switching based on terminal background color has also been introduced. Gemini CLI now detects whether the active terminal is running a light or dark background and adapts its color scheme accordingly.
Extension Settings: Configurable at Install Time
Extension authors can now declare typed settings in their manifest, and Gemini CLI prompts for these values during the gemini extensions install flow. Sensitive values are handled as password fields, while base URLs and other configuration values are validated at setup time.
Background Shell Commands
Gemini CLI now supports running shell commands in the background, accessible via Ctrl+B. This is particularly useful for long-running build processes, test suites, or development server start commands. Background shell execution opens up agentic workflows involving parallel processes — for example, starting a dev server in the background while the agent continues editing source files.
/prompt-suggest and UX Polish
The new /prompt-suggest slash command generates context-aware prompt suggestions based on the current project and conversation state. Additional UX refinements include updated undo/redo keybindings, improved reverse search via Ctrl+R, and Markdown rendering support inside ask_user tool prompts. The authentication header now displays the active auth method, user email, and subscription tier.
Security and Reliability
OAuth consent flows have been revamped to support both interactive and non-interactive modes. The release also prevents credential exposure to MCP servers, fixes PAT token handling in git remote URL parsing, and resolves several Windows-specific issues.