GEMINI.md
Gemini CLI's memory file, structurally close to CLAUDE.md — @imports and a user-scope layer — which is why repos that carry both usually carry near-identical text in each.
What the corpus measured
2026-08-03Repositories
33
2026-08-03Adopting repositories, not files.Share of corpus
4.8%
2026-08-03Of every repository RuleStack indexes.Median length
257w
2026-08-0390th percentile 1,704 words.Median quality
60
2026-08-0352.2% name a command; 45.6% contain code.Repositories carrying GEMINI.md, 2026-08-01 to 2026-08-03
Real GEMINI.md files
| Repository | Format | Stack | Covers | Score | Changed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| google-gemini/gemini-cliGEMINI.md · 106k | GEMINI.md | setupbuildtestlint-format+6 | 91/100 | 3 days ago | |
| diegosouzapw/OmniRouteGEMINI.md · 38k | GEMINI.md | testlint-formatarchsecurity+2 | 87/100 | 3 days ago | |
| firebase/flutterfireGEMINI.md · 9.2k | GEMINI.md | lint-formatstylearchdo-not+1 | 80/100 | 3 days ago | |
| zigcc/zig-cookbookGEMINI.md · 1.2k | GEMINI.md | setupbuildlint-formatstyle+3 | 79/100 | 3 days ago | |
| nodejs/nodedeps/v8/GEMINI.md · 119k | GEMINI.md | buildteststylearch+4 | 77/100 | 3 days ago | |
| abpframework/abpnpm/ng-packs/packages/schematics/src/commands/ai-config/files/gemini/.gemini/GEMINI.md · 14k | GEMINI.md | testlint-formatstylearch+8 | 76/100 | 2 days ago | |
| flutter/flutterengine/src/flutter/lib/web_ui/GEMINI.md · 178k | GEMINI.md | buildtestarch | 74/100 | 3 days ago | |
| google-gemini/gemini-clipackages/devtools/GEMINI.md · 106k | GEMINI.md | setupbuildarchapi+1 | 74/100 | 3 days ago | |
| danielvm-git/bigpowersGEMINI.md · 114 | GEMINI.md | setupstyledo-notagent-behaviour | 67/100 | 3 days ago |
What it asserts
2026-08-01Read from the format’s own documentation and checked by hand. Capabilities are asserted; adoption is measured.
- File
- GEMINI.md
- When it applies
- Hierarchical memory: a global ~/.gemini/GEMINI.md, then the project file, then nested files, concatenated from broadest to narrowest.
- Size limits
- None documented
- Tools that read it
- Gemini CLIGemini Code Assist
Capabilities
- Read by more than one tool
- Frontmatter
- Glob targeting
- Imports other files
- Nested / per-directory
- Multiple files
- User-level scope
Strengths
- @path imports and a global user file, same composition model as CLAUDE.md
- Explicit hierarchy from global to local
Weaknesses
- Google-only
- No glob targeting
Measured — counted from real repositories, nightlyAsserted — read from the vendor docs, dated
Repositories that carry GEMINI.md and something else
Counted pairwise across the whole corpus. The percentage is of repositories carrying GEMINI.md — the number a “GEMINI.md vs …” search is really asking for.
+ AGENTS.md
69.7%
2026-08-0323 repos carry both5.8% the other way
+ CLAUDE.md51.5%
2026-08-0317 repos carry both6.9% the other way
+ Copilot instructions42.4%
2026-08-0314 repos carry both11.1% the other way
+ Cursor rules33.3%
2026-08-0311 repos carry both6.1% the other way
+ Windsurf rules21.2%
2026-08-037 repos carry both50.0% the other way
+ Cline rules21.2%
2026-08-037 repos carry both8.9% the other way
+ .cursorrules12.1%
2026-08-034 repos carry both14.8% the other way
