Configure Gemini Code Assist release channels

This document describes how to configure Gemini Code Assist release channels for a project by using the Google Cloud console or an API.

We release Gemini Code Assist features in different release channels. You can set each Google Cloud project to a single release channel depending on your chosen balance between feature availability and stability. Users in your organization who use Gemini Code Assist in their local IDE can use features and models based on the release channel configured for the project.

The following release channels are available:

  • Generally Available. The default release channel. Lets you use generally available models and features. Note that it is possible to access certain preview features without opting into the Preview channel, using alternative mechanisms of Preview sign-up. These features will be accessible within the GA channel, but are still covered under Pre-GA Offering Terms.

  • Preview. Lets you access certain preview features for Gemini Code Assist and, optionally, provide feedback and usage data to help Google improve future releases. Note that currently there are no distinct features in the Preview release channel.

    When you enable the Preview release channel on a project, you agree on behalf of the customer that all usage of Gemini Code Assist in that project is subject to the Pre-GA Offering Terms of the Google Cloud Platform Specific Service Terms. Don't use this channel for projects and resources that aren't suitable for use with pre-GA offerings.

The following sections provide steps required to set or change your Gemini Code Assist release channel.

Before you begin

Required roles

For the required permissions to create settings and bindings that control the release channel, ask your administrator to grant you the Gemini for Google Cloud Settings Admin (roles/cloudaicompanion.settingsAdmin) role on the project.

To see the exact permissions that are required, expand the Required permissions section:

Required permissions

  • cloudaicompanion.releaseChannelSettings.create
  • cloudaicompanion.releaseChannelSettings.delete
  • cloudaicompanion.releaseChannelSettings.get
  • cloudaicompanion.releaseChannelSettings.list
  • cloudaicompanion.releaseChannelSettings.update
  • cloudaicompanion.dataSharingWithGoogleSettings.create
  • Configure release channels using an API:
    • cloudaicompanion.settingBindings.releaseChannelSettingsCreate
    • cloudaicompanion.settingBindings.releaseChannelSettingsDelete
    • cloudaicompanion.settingBindings.releaseChannelSettingsGet
    • cloudaicompanion.settingBindings.releaseChannelSettingsList
    • cloudaicompanion.settingBindings.releaseChannelSettingsUpdate
    • cloudaicompanion.settingBindings.releaseChannelSettingsUse
  • Configure prompt and response sharing using an API:
    • cloudaicompanion.settingBindings.dataSharingWithGoogleSettingsCreate
    • cloudaicompanion.settingBindings.dataSharingWithGoogleSettingsUse
  • View Gemini for Google Cloud administrator settings:
    • cloudaicompanion.instances.queryEffectiveSetting
    • cloudaicompanion.instances.queryEffectiveSettingBindings

Configure Gemini Code Assist release channels

Select one of the following options:

Console

  1. In the Google Cloud console, go to the Admin for Gemini page.

    Go to Gemini for Google Cloud

    The Gemini for Google Cloud page loads.

  2. Click Settings in the navigation menu.

    The Settings page loads.

  3. In the Release channels for Gemini Code Assist in local IDEs section, select the release channel that best suits your needs:

    Preview

    1. Select Preview.
    2. Review the Preview release channel details and Trusted Tester program terms, and then click Save changes.

    Generally Available

    1. Select GA.
    2. Click Save changes.

API

  1. Create the release channel setting and a setting-specific value:

    1. Obtain an authentication token. You must be authenticated using gcloud CLI authentication to obtain it:

      TOKEN=$(gcloud auth print-access-token)

    2. Create the setting. These instructions use cURL to call API methods:

        curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{
      "release_channel": "RELEASE_CHANNEL",
    } ' -X POST "https://cloudaicompanion.googleapis.com/v1/projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/releaseChannelSettings?release_channel_setting_id=RC_SETTING_ID"

      Replace the following:

      • RELEASE_CHANNEL: the release channel, either PREVIEW for Preview or GA for Generally Available.
      • CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME: the project ID of the project where the binding resource is stored. This is the parent project of the binding.
      • RC_SETTING_ID: a unique setting name—for example, rc1 for Release Channel.

      The output shows the releaseChannel set to RELEASE_CHANNEL:

      {
  "name": "projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME
/locations/global/releaseChannelSettings/RC_SETTING_ID",
  "createTime": "2025-01-23T15:22:49.717166932Z",
  "updateTime": "2025-01-23T15:22:49.717166932Z",
  "releaseChannel": RELEASE_CHANNEL
}

    3. Create the release channel setting binding:

        curl \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
      "target": "projects/TARGET_PROJECT_NAME",
      "product": "GEMINI_CODE_ASSIST"
    }' \
  -X POST "https://cloudaicompanion.googleapis.com/v1/projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/releaseChannelSettings/RC_SETTING_ID/settingBindings?setting_binding_id=RC_BINDING_ID"

      Replace the following:

      • TARGET_PROJECT_NAME: the target project to which the binding should be bound. This is often the same as the container project. However, you can bind a setting to multiple projects so that the setting resource doesn't have to be duplicated.
      • CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME: the project ID of the project where the binding resource is stored. This is the parent project of the binding.
      • RC_SETTING_ID: the same RC_SETTING_ID that you used when you created the setting, but appended with b1. For example, use rc1b1 for Release Channel.
      • RC_BINDING_ID: a unique name for the settings binding—for example, rc_binding.

      The output includes the operation metadata in the following format:

      {
  "name": "projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/operations/operation-RC_BINDING_OPERATION_ID",
  "metadata": {
    "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.cloudaicompanion.v1.OperationMetadata",
    "createTime": "2025-01-23T15:27:50.076075570Z",
    "target": "projects/TARGET_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/releaseChannelSettings/RC_SETTING_ID/settingBindings/RC_BINDING_ID",
    "verb": "create",
    "requestedCancellation": false,
    "apiVersion": "v1"
  },
  "done": false
}

    4. Optional: Check the status of the release channel setting binding creation:

      curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
https://cloudaicompanion.googleapis.com/v1/projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/operations/operation-RC_BINDING_OPERATION_ID

      Replace the following:

      • CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME: the project ID of the project where the binding resource is stored. This is the parent project of the binding.
      • RC_BINDING_OPERATION_ID: the release channel setting binding creation operation ID provided in the response in the previous step.

  2. Optional: Create the prompt and response sharing setting and a setting-specific value:

    1. Obtain the token:

      TOKEN=$(gcloud auth print-access-token)

    2. Create the setting:

      curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{
    "enable_preview_data_sharing": true,
  } ' -X POST "https://cloudaicompanion.googleapis.com/v1/projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/dataSharingWithGoogleSettings?data_sharing_with_google_setting_id=DSWG_SETTING_ID"

      Replace the following:

      • CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME: the parent project ID
      • DSWG_SETTING_ID: a unique setting name—for example, dswg1 for Data Sharing with Google

      The output shows the enablePreviewDataSharing set to true:

      {
  "name": "projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME
/locations/global/dataSharingWithGoogleSettings/DSWG_SETTING_ID",
  "createTime": "2025-01-23T15:22:49.717166932Z",
  "updateTime": "2025-01-23T15:22:49.717166932Z",
  "enablePreviewDataSharing": true
}

    3. Create the prompt and response setting binding:

        curl \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
      "target": "projects/TARGET_PROJECT_NAME",
      "product": "GEMINI_CODE_ASSIST"
    }' \
  -X POST "https://cloudaicompanion.googleapis.com/v1/projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/dataSharingWithGoogleSettings/DSWG_SETTING_ID/settingBindings?setting_binding_id=DSWG_BINDING_ID"

      Replace the following:

      • TARGET_PROJECT_NAME: the target project to which the setting should be applied.
      • CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME: the parent project ID.
      • DSWG_SETTING_ID: the same DSWG_SETTING_ID that you used when you created the setting, but appended with b1. For example, use dswg1b1 for Data Sharing with Google.
      • DSWG_BINDING_ID: a unique name for the settings binding—for example, dswg_binding.

      The output includes the operation metadata in the following format:

      {
"name": "projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/operations/operation-DSWG_BINDING_OPERATION_ID",
"metadata": {
  "@type": "type.googleapis.com/google.cloud.cloudaicompanion.v1.OperationMetadata",
  "createTime": "2025-01-23T15:27:50.076075570Z",
  "target": "projects/TARGET_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/dataSharingWithGoogleSettings/DSWG_SETTING_ID/settingBindings/DSWG_BINDING_ID",
  "verb": "create",
  "requestedCancellation": false,
  "apiVersion": "v1"
},
"done": false
}

    4. Optional: Check the status of the prompt and response setting binding creation:

      curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN" \
https://cloudaicompanion.googleapis.com/v1/projects/CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME/locations/global/operations/operation-DSWG_BINDING_OPERATION_ID

      Replace the following:

      • CONTAINER_PROJECT_NAME: the project ID of the project where the binding resource is stored. This is the parent project of the binding.
      • DSWG_BINDING_OPERATION_ID: the prompt and response setting binding creation operation ID provided in the response in the previous step.

What's next