version: "1.0.0" name: gemini-when-to-use description: Master router for the Gemini plugin. Use when uncertain whether a Gemini consult is warranted; covers cost discipline, anti-hallucination triggers, and the five subagent roles. Invoke before any other gemini-* skill.

Gemini When To Use

This is the master routing skill for the Gemini plugin. Before invoking any other gemini-* skill, consult this guide to decide whether a Gemini consult is warranted and which capability to reach for.

When to invoke this skill

• You are uncertain whether the task justifies a Gemini call at all.
• The task touches multiple Gemini capabilities and you need to pick the right one.
• You want to avoid hallucination on a fact, version number, CVE, or post-training claim.
• A user asks "use Gemini" without specifying which capability.

Cost discipline rules

1. Do not call Gemini for tasks Claude can handle confidently. Simple string manipulation, well-known algorithms, boilerplate generation, and in-context refactors do not need a second opinion.
2. One Gemini call per sub-task. Do not fan out multiple parallel Gemini calls unless each covers a distinct, independent concern.
3. Prefer cheaper tools first. Use gemini_generate (chat/reason) before reaching for gemini_search_grounded or deep research unless freshness is required.
4. File analysis is expensive. Upload files to Gemini only when the file is genuinely too large for Claude's context or is a non-text format (PDF, image, audio, video).

Anti-hallucination triggers

Invoke a Gemini skill whenever the response would otherwise rely on:

• A library version, API endpoint, or config key that may have changed since training cutoff.
• A CVE, security advisory, or patch status.
• A claim about a living document (spec, RFC, standard) that may have been updated.
• An assertion about the current state of a third-party service or cloud provider.

The five subagent roles (agents/ directory)

These are pre-built agent configurations for common Gemini workflows. Prefer them over raw MCP calls for structured tasks:

The seven capability skills

After consulting this routing guide, invoke exactly one of:

Decision flowchart

1. Is the task purely generative text within Claude's knowledge? → No Gemini needed.
2. Does it require freshness or a primary source? → gemini-research-grounded
3. Is there a file that is too large or non-text? → gemini-file-analysis
4. Do you need code execution or math verification? → gemini-code-exec
5. Do you need an image, video, or audio asset? → gemini-image-gen, gemini-video-gen, or gemini-audio-tts-music
6. Do you want a second opinion or critique? → gemini-chat-and-reason

Do NOT use this skill for

• Actually making any Gemini API calls (this skill has no MCP tools; it is a decision guide only).
• Tasks where you already know which Gemini capability to use.
• Non-Gemini decisions.