Gemini Best Practices

Gemini API Best Practices

When reviewing or modifying Gemini API integration code, ensure compliance with Google's official best practices from google-gemini/gemini-skills.

SDK and Package

• Correct SDK: @google/genai (npm)
• NEVER use deprecated: @google/generative-ai (old package)
• Prefer environment variables for API keys over hard-coding

Safety Settings

All API calls (generateContent, generateContentStream, chats.create) MUST include safetySettings in the config:

import { HarmCategory, HarmBlockThreshold, type SafetySetting } from "@google/genai";

const DEFAULT_SAFETY_SETTINGS: SafetySetting[] = [
  { category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HARASSMENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE },
  { category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_HATE_SPEECH, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE },
  { category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_SEXUALLY_EXPLICIT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE },
  { category: HarmCategory.HARM_CATEGORY_DANGEROUS_CONTENT, threshold: HarmBlockThreshold.BLOCK_MEDIUM_AND_ABOVE },
];

Response Validation (finishReason)

Always check finishReason on response candidates:

• SAFETY - Response blocked by safety filters; inform user to rephrase
• RECITATION - Blocked due to potential copyrighted content recitation
• MAX_TOKENS - Output truncated; consider informing user
• STOP - Normal completion

import { FinishReason } from "@google/genai";

// Check candidates[0].finishReason after each response
if (candidate.finishReason === FinishReason.SAFETY) {
  // Handle blocked response
}

For non-streaming: check response.candidates[0].finishReason before using response.text. For streaming: check finishReason in chunk candidates.

System Instructions

• Pass via systemInstruction in config (not as a chat message)
• System instructions are interaction-scoped; re-specify on each chat session creation

Tool / Function Calling

• Pass tools via config.tools array
• Use proper SDK types (Tool, FunctionDeclaration) without forced as casts
• googleSearch and fileSearch are first-class Tool properties
• fileSearch CANNOT be combined with functionDeclarations in the same request
• googleSearch CANNOT be combined with functionDeclarations

Streaming

• Use generateContentStream or chat.sendMessageStream for streaming
• Use SDK Chat (ai.chats.create()) for automatic thought signature handling
• Process ALL parts in each chunk (text, thought, functionCall can coexist)

Thinking / Reasoning

• Thinking is ON by default for Gemini 2.5+ and 3.x models
• thinkingBudget: 0 disables thinking (except models that require it)
• Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite uses thinkingLevel instead of thinkingBudget
• Gemini 3 Pro / 3.1 Pro require thinking (cannot be disabled)
• Access thought parts via part.thought boolean on content parts

Model Names

Current models (use these):

• gemini-3.1-pro-preview - Flagship, 1M context
• gemini-3-flash-preview - Fast, balanced
• gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview - Cost-efficient
• gemini-2.5-pro / gemini-2.5-flash - Still available

Deprecated models (NEVER use):

• All gemini-2.0-*, gemini-1.5-*, gemini-1.0-*, gemini-pro

Type Safety

• Use proper SDK types from @google/genai instead of as casts
• Tool interface supports googleSearch, fileSearch, functionDeclarations, codeExecution, urlContext
• Import enums (FinishReason, HarmCategory, HarmBlockThreshold) as values, not just types

Checklist for New API Calls

• safetySettings: DEFAULT_SAFETY_SETTINGS included in config
• finishReason checked on response candidates
• systemInstruction passed in config (not as message)
• No forced as Tool type assertions
• Proper error handling with formatError()
• Usage metadata extracted for cost tracking

Source: takeshy/obsidian-gemini-helper — distributed by TomeVault.