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Gemini CLI Exa Search get_code_context_exa

How to: Gemini CLI Exa Search get_code_context_exa

client:Gemini CLI transport:stdio tool:get_code_context_exa

Add Exa Search to Gemini CLI

  1. 01

    Open ~/.gemini/settings.json and merge this in. Keep any servers already there. 

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "exa-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "exa-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "EXA_API_KEY": "<EXA_API_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}
  1. 02

    Save the file and restart Gemini CLI.

  2. 03

    Ask for something get_code_context_exa does. Gemini CLI lists the server's tools on connect and calls get_code_context_exa itself — you do not invoke it by name.

  3. 04

    If nothing happens, check the server is running and that Exa Search's identifier in your config matches the one above exactly.

Gemini expands $VAR and ${VAR} inside env values, so a secret can live in your shell rather than this file. Gemini CLI docs

Set these first

Exa Search will not start until these are set, so get_code_context_exa never becomes available.

  • EXA_API_KEY

Same tool, other clients

Mutating and Read-only are read off each tool's name, not its schema — a hint, not a guarantee. The registry stores tool names only; connect the server for its live schemas.

Exa Search MCP server