Gemini 3 Pro is here. Try it for free in Google AI Studio.

Interactions API

The Interactions API is a unified interface for interacting with Gemini models and agents. It simplifies state management, tool orchestration, and long-running tasks. For comprehensive view of the API schema, see the API Reference.

The following example shows how to call the Interactions API with a text prompt.

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

interaction =  client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-3-pro-preview",
    input="Tell me a short joke about programming."
)

print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction =  await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-3-pro-preview',
    input: 'Tell me a short joke about programming.',
});

console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-3-pro-preview",
    "input": "Tell me a short joke about programming."
}'

Basic interactions

The Interactions API is available through our existing SDKs. The simplest way to interact with the model is by providing a text prompt. The input can be a string, a list containing a content objects, or a list of turns with roles and content objects.

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

interaction =  client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="Tell me a short joke about programming."
)

print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction =  await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'Tell me a short joke about programming.',
});

console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "Tell me a short joke about programming."
}'

Conversation

You can build multi-turn conversations in two ways:

Statefully by referencing a previous interaction
Statelessly by providing the entire conversation history

Stateful conversation

Pass the id from the previous interaction to the previous_interaction_id parameter to continue a conversation.

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

# 1. First turn
interaction1 = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="Hi, my name is Phil."
)
print(f"Model: {interaction1.outputs[-1].text}")

# 2. Second turn (passing previous_interaction_id)
interaction2 = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="What is my name?",
    previous_interaction_id=interaction1.id
)
print(f"Model: {interaction2.outputs[-1].text}")

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

// 1. First turn
const interaction1 = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'Hi, my name is Phil.'
});
console.log(`Model: ${interaction1.outputs[interaction1.outputs.length - 1].text}`);

// 2. Second turn (passing previous_interaction_id)
const interaction2 = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'What is my name?',
    previous_interaction_id: interaction1.id
});
console.log(`Model: ${interaction2.outputs[interaction2.outputs.length - 1].text}`);

REST

# 1. First turn
curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "Hi, my name is Phil."
}'

# 2. Second turn (Replace INTERACTION_ID with the ID from the previous interaction)
# curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
# -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
# -H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
# -d '{
#     "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
#     "input": "What is my name?",
#     "previous_interaction_id": "INTERACTION_ID"
# }'

Retrieve past stateful interactions

Using the interaction id to retrieve previous turns of the conversation.

Python

previous_interaction = client.interactions.get("<YOUR_INTERACTION_ID>")

print(previous_interaction)

JavaScript

const previous_interaction = await client.interactions.get("<YOUR_INTERACTION_ID>");
console.log(previous_interaction);

REST

curl -X GET "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions/<YOUR_INTERACTION_ID>" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY"

Stateless conversation

You can manage conversation history manually on the client side.

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

conversation_history = [
    {
        "role": "user",
        "content": "What are the three largest cities in Spain?"
    }
]

interaction1 = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=conversation_history
)

print(f"Model: {interaction1.outputs[-1].text}")

conversation_history.append({"role": "model", "content": interaction1.outputs})
conversation_history.append({
    "role": "user", 
    "content": "What is the most famous landmark in the second one?"
})

interaction2 = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=conversation_history
)

print(f"Model: {interaction2.outputs[-1].text}")

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const conversationHistory = [
    {
        role: 'user',
        content: "What are the three largest cities in Spain?"
    }
];

const interaction1 = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: conversationHistory
});

console.log(`Model: ${interaction1.outputs[interaction1.outputs.length - 1].text}`);

conversationHistory.push({ role: 'model', content: interaction1.outputs });
conversationHistory.push({
    role: 'user',
    content: "What is the most famous landmark in the second one?"
});

const interaction2 = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: conversationHistory
});

console.log(`Model: ${interaction2.outputs[interaction2.outputs.length - 1].text}`);

REST

 curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
 -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
 -H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
 -d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": [
        {
            "role": "user",
            "content": "What are the three largest cities in Spain?"
        },
        {
            "role": "model",
            "content": "The three largest cities in Spain are Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia."
        },
        {
            "role": "user",
            "content": "What is the most famous landmark in the second one?"
        }
    ]
}'

Multimodal capabilities

You can use the Interactions API for multimodal use cases such as image understanding or video generation.

Multimodal understanding

You can provide multimodal data as base64 encoded data inline or using the Files API for larger files.

Image understanding

Python

import base64
from pathlib import Path
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

# Read and encode the image
with open(Path(__file__).parent / "car.png", "rb") as f:
    base64_image = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode('utf-8')

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=[
        {"type": "text", "text": "Describe the image."},
        {"type": "image", "data": base64_image, "mime_type": "image/png"}
    ]
)

print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
import * as fs from 'fs';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const base64Image = fs.readFileSync('car.png', { encoding: 'base64' });

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: [
        { type: 'text', text: 'Describe the image.' },
        { type: 'image', data: base64Image, mime_type: 'image/png' }
    ]
});

console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": [
        {"type": "text", "text": "Describe the image."},
        {"type": "image", "data": "'"$(base64 -w0 car.png)"'", "mime_type": "image/png"}
    ]
}'

Audio understanding

Python

import base64
from pathlib import Path
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

# Read and encode the audio
with open(Path(__file__).parent / "speech.wav", "rb") as f:
    base64_audio = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode('utf-8')

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=[
        {"type": "text", "text": "What does this audio say?"},
        {"type": "audio", "data": base64_audio, "mime_type": "audio/wav"}
    ]
)

print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
import * as fs from 'fs';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const base64Audio = fs.readFileSync('speech.wav', { encoding: 'base64' });

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: [
        { type: 'text', text: 'What does this audio say?' },
        { type: 'audio', data: base64Audio, mime_type: 'audio/wav' }
    ]
});

console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": [
        {"type": "text", "text": "What does this audio say?"},
        {"type": "audio", "data": "'"$(base64 -w0 speech.wav)"'", "mime_type": "audio/wav"}
    ]
}'

Video understanding

Python

import base64
from pathlib import Path
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

# Read and encode the video
with open(Path(__file__).parent / "video.mp4", "rb") as f:
    base64_video = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode('utf-8')

print("Analyzing video...")
interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=[
        {"type": "text", "text": "What is happening in this video? Provide a timestamped summary."},
        {"type": "video", "data": base64_video, "mime_type": "video/mp4" }
    ]
)

print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
import * as fs from 'fs';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const base64Video = fs.readFileSync('video.mp4', { encoding: 'base64' });

console.log('Analyzing video...');
const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: [
        { type: 'text', text: 'What is happening in this video? Provide a timestamped summary.' },
        { type: 'video', data: base64Video, mime_type: 'video/mp4'}
    ]
});

console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": [
        {"type": "text", "text": "What is happening in this video?"},
        {"type": "video", "mime_type": "video/mp4", "data": "'"$(base64 -w0 video.mp4)"'"}
    ]
}'

Document (PDF) understanding

Python

import base64
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

with open("sample.pdf", "rb") as f:
    base64_pdf = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode('utf-8')

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=[
        {"type": "text", "text": "What is this document about?"},
        {"type": "document", "data": base64_pdf, "mime_type": "application/pdf"}
    ]
)
print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
import * as fs from 'fs';
const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const base64Pdf = fs.readFileSync('sample.pdf', { encoding: 'base64' });

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: [
        { type: 'text', text: 'What is this document about?' },
        { type: 'document', data: base64Pdf, mime_type: 'application/pdf' }
    ],
});
console.log(interaction.outputs[0].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": [
        {"type": "text", "text": "What is this document about?"},
        {"type": "document", "data": "'"$(base64 -w0 sample.pdf)"'", "mime_type": "application/pdf"}
    ]
}'

Multimodal generation

You can use Interactions API to generation multimodal outputs.

Image generation

Python

import base64
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-3-pro-image-preview",
    input="Generate an image of a futuristic city.",
    response_modalities=["IMAGE"]
)

for output in interaction.outputs:
    if output.type == "image":
        print(f"Generated image with mime_type: {output.mime_type}")
        # Save the image
        with open("generated_city.png", "wb") as f:
            f.write(base64.b64decode(output.data))

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
import * as fs from 'fs';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-3-pro-image-preview',
    input: 'Generate an image of a futuristic city.',
    response_modalities: ['IMAGE']
});

for (const output of interaction.outputs) {
    if (output.type === 'image') {
        console.log(`Generated image with mime_type: ${output.mime_type}`);
        // Save the image
        fs.writeFileSync('generated_city.png', Buffer.from(output.data, 'base64'));
    }
}

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-3-pro-image-preview",
    "input": "Generate an image of a futuristic city.",
    "response_modalities": ["IMAGE"]
}'

Agentic capabilities

The Interactions API is designed for building and interacting with agents, and includes support for function calling, built-in tools, structured outputs, and the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

Agents

You can use specialized agents like deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025 for complex tasks. To learn more about the Gemini Deep Research Agent, see the Deep Research guide.

Python

import time
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

# 1. Start the Deep Research Agent
initial_interaction = client.interactions.create(
    input="Research the history of the Google TPUs with a focus on 2025 and 2026.",
    agent="deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025",
    background=True
)

print(f"Research started. Interaction ID: {initial_interaction.id}")

# 2. Poll for results
while True:
    interaction = client.interactions.get(initial_interaction.id)
    print(f"Status: {interaction.status}")

    if interaction.status == "completed":
        print("\nFinal Report:\n", interaction.outputs[-1].text)
        break
    elif interaction.status in ["failed", "cancelled"]:
        print(f"Failed with status: {interaction.status}")
        break

    time.sleep(10)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

// 1. Start the Deep Research Agent
const initialInteraction = await client.interactions.create({
    input: 'Research the history of the Google TPUs with a focus on 2025 and 2026.',
    agent: 'deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025',
    background: true
});

console.log(`Research started. Interaction ID: ${initialInteraction.id}`);

// 2. Poll for results
while (true) {
    const interaction = await client.interactions.get(initialInteraction.id);
    console.log(`Status: ${interaction.status}`);

    if (interaction.status === 'completed') {
        console.log('\nFinal Report:\n', interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);
        break;
    } else if (['failed', 'cancelled'].includes(interaction.status)) {
        console.log(`Failed with status: ${interaction.status}`);
        break;
    }

    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
}

REST

# 1. Start the Deep Research Agent
curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "input": "Research the history of the Google TPUs with a focus on 2025 and 2026.",
    "agent": "deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025",
    "background": true
}'

# 2. Poll for results (Replace INTERACTION_ID with the ID from the previous interaction)
# curl -X GET "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions/INTERACTION_ID" \
# -H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY"

Tools and function calling

This section explains how to use function calling to define custom tools and how to use Google's built-in tools within the Interactions API.

Function calling

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

# 1. Define the tool
def get_weather(location: str):
    """Gets the weather for a given location."""
    return f"The weather in {location} is sunny."

weather_tool = {
    "type": "function",
    "name": "get_weather",
    "description": "Gets the weather for a given location.",
    "parameters": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
            "location": {"type": "string", "description": "The city and state, e.g. San Francisco, CA"}
        },
        "required": ["location"]
    }
}

# 2. Send the request with tools
interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="What is the weather in Paris?",
    tools=[weather_tool]
)

# 3. Handle the tool call
for output in interaction.outputs:
    if output.type == "function_call":
        print(f"Tool Call: {output.name}({output.arguments})")
        # Execute tool
        result = get_weather(**output.arguments)

        # Send result back
        interaction = client.interactions.create(
            model="gemini-2.5-flash",
            previous_interaction_id=interaction.id,
            input=[{
                "type": "function_result",
                "name": output.name,
                "call_id": output.id,
                "result": result
            }]
        )
        print(f"Response: {interaction.outputs[-1].text}")

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

// 1. Define the tool
const weatherTool = {
    type: 'function',
    name: 'get_weather',
    description: 'Gets the weather for a given location.',
    parameters: {
        type: 'object',
        properties: {
            location: { type: 'string', description: 'The city and state, e.g. San Francisco, CA' }
        },
        required: ['location']
    }
};

// 2. Send the request with tools
let interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'What is the weather in Paris?',
    tools: [weatherTool]
});

// 3. Handle the tool call
for (const output of interaction.outputs) {
    if (output.type === 'function_call') {
        console.log(`Tool Call: ${output.name}(${JSON.stringify(output.arguments)})`);

        // Execute tool (Mocked)
        const result = `The weather in ${output.arguments.location} is sunny.`;

        // Send result back
        interaction = await client.interactions.create({
            model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
            previous_interaction_id: interaction.id,
            input: [{
                type: 'function_result',
                name: output.name,
                call_id: output.id,
                result: result
            }]
        });
        console.log(`Response: ${interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text}`);
    }
}

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "What is the weather in Paris?",
    "tools": [{
        "type": "function",
        "name": "get_weather",
        "description": "Gets the weather for a given location.",
        "parameters": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
                "location": {"type": "string", "description": "The city and state, e.g. San Francisco, CA"}
            },
            "required": ["location"]
        }
    }]
}'

# Handle the tool call and send result back (Replace INTERACTION_ID and CALL_ID)
# curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
# -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
# -H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
# -d '{
#     "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
#     "previous_interaction_id": "INTERACTION_ID",
#     "input": [{
#         "type": "function_result",
#         "name": "get_weather",
#         "call_id": "FUNCTION_CALL_ID",
#         "result": "The weather in Paris is sunny."
#     }]
# }'

Function calling with client-side state

If you don't want to use server-side state, you can manage it all on the client side.

Python

from google import genai
client = genai.Client()

functions = [
    {
        "type": "function",
        "name": "schedule_meeting",
        "description": "Schedules a meeting with specified attendees at a given time and date.",
        "parameters": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
                "attendees": {"type": "array", "items": {"type": "string"}},
                "date": {"type": "string", "description": "Date of the meeting (e.g., 2024-07-29)"},
                "time": {"type": "string", "description": "Time of the meeting (e.g., 15:00)"},
                "topic": {"type": "string", "description": "The subject of the meeting."},
            },
            "required": ["attendees", "date", "time", "topic"],
        },
    }
]

history = [{"role": "user","content": [{"type": "text", "text": "Schedule a meeting for 2025-11-01 at 10 am with Peter and Amir about the Next Gen API."}]}]

# 1. Model decides to call the function
interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=history,
    tools=functions
)

# add model interaction back to history
history.append({"role": "model", "content": interaction.outputs})

for output in interaction.outputs:
    if output.type == "function_call":
        print(f"Function call: {output.name} with arguments {output.arguments}")

        # 2. Execute the function and get a result
        # In a real app, you would call your function here.
        # call_result = schedule_meeting(**json.loads(output.arguments))
        call_result = "Meeting scheduled successfully."

        # 3. Send the result back to the model
        history.append({"role": "user", "content": [{"type": "function_result", "name": output.name, "call_id": output.id, "result": call_result}]})

        interaction2 = client.interactions.create(
            model="gemini-2.5-flash",
            input=history,
        )
        print(f"Final response: {interaction2.outputs[-1].text}")
    else:
        print(f"Output: {output}")

JavaScript

// 1. Define the tool
const functions = [
    {
        type: 'function',
        name: 'schedule_meeting',
        description: 'Schedules a meeting with specified attendees at a given time and date.',
        parameters: {
            type: 'object',
            properties: {
                attendees: { type: 'array', items: { type: 'string' } },
                date: { type: 'string', description: 'Date of the meeting (e.g., 2024-07-29)' },
                time: { type: 'string', description: 'Time of the meeting (e.g., 15:00)' },
                topic: { type: 'string', description: 'The subject of the meeting.' },
            },
            required: ['attendees', 'date', 'time', 'topic'],
        },
    },
];

const history = [
    { role: 'user', content: [{ type: 'text', text: 'Schedule a meeting for 2025-11-01 at 10 am with Peter and Amir about the Next Gen API.' }] }
];

// 2. Model decides to call the function
let interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: history,
    tools: functions
});

// add model interaction back to history
history.push({ role: 'model', content: interaction.outputs });

for (const output of interaction.outputs) {
    if (output.type === 'function_call') {
        console.log(`Function call: ${output.name} with arguments ${JSON.stringify(output.arguments)}`);

        // 3. Send the result back to the model
        history.push({ role: 'user', content: [{ type: 'function_result', name: output.name, call_id: output.id, result: 'Meeting scheduled successfully.' }] });

        const interaction2 = await client.interactions.create({
            model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
            input: history,
        });
        console.log(`Final response: ${interaction2.outputs[interaction2.outputs.length - 1].text}`);
    }
}

Built-in tools

Gemini comes with built-in tools like Grounding with Google Search, Code execution, and URL context.

Grounding with Google search

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="Who won the last Super Bowl?",
    tools=[{"type": "google_search"}]
)
# Find the text output (not the GoogleSearchResultContent)
text_output = next((o for o in interaction.outputs if o.type == "text"), None)
if text_output:
    print(text_output.text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'Who won the last Super Bowl?',
    tools: [{ type: 'google_search' }]
});
// Find the text output (not the GoogleSearchResultContent)
const textOutput = interaction.outputs.find(o => o.type === 'text');
if (textOutput) console.log(textOutput.text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "Who won the last Super Bowl?",
    "tools": [{"type": "google_search"}]
}'

Code execution

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="Calculate the 50th Fibonacci number.",
    tools=[{"type": "code_execution"}]
)
print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'Calculate the 50th Fibonacci number.',
    tools: [{ type: 'code_execution' }]
});
console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "Calculate the 50th Fibonacci number.",
    "tools": [{"type": "code_execution"}]
}'

URL context

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="Summarize the content of https://www.wikipedia.org/",
    tools=[{"type": "url_context"}]
)
# Find the text output (not the URLContextResultContent)
text_output = next((o for o in interaction.outputs if o.type == "text"), None)
if text_output:
    print(text_output.text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'Summarize the content of https://www.wikipedia.org/',
    tools: [{ type: 'url_context' }]
});
// Find the text output (not the URLContextResultContent)
const textOutput = interaction.outputs.find(o => o.type === 'text');
if (textOutput) console.log(textOutput.text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "Summarize the content of https://www.wikipedia.org/",
    "tools": [{"type": "url_context"}]
}'

Remote Model context protocol (MCP)

Remote MCP integration simplifies agent development by allowing the Gemini API to directly call external tools hosted on remote servers.

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

mcp_server = {
    "type": "mcp_server",
    "name": "weather_service",
    "url": "https://gemini-api-demos.uc.r.appspot.com/mcp"
}

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="What is the weather like in New York today?",
    tools=[mcp_server]
)

print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const mcpServer = {
    type: 'mcp_server',
    name: 'weather_service',
    url: 'https://gemini-api-demos.uc.r.appspot.com/mcp'
};

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'What is the weather like in New York today?',
    tools: [mcpServer]
});

console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "What is the weather like in New York today?",
    "tools": [{
        "type": "mcp_server",
        "name": "weather_service",
        "url": "https://gemini-api-demos.uc.r.appspot.com/mcp"
    }]
}'

Structured output (JSON schema)

Enforce a specific JSON output by providing a JSON schema in the response_format parameter. This is useful for tasks like moderation, classification, or data extraction.

Python

from google import genai
from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
from typing import Literal, Union
client = genai.Client()

class SpamDetails(BaseModel):
    reason: str = Field(description="The reason why the content is considered spam.")
    spam_type: Literal["phishing", "scam", "unsolicited promotion", "other"]

class NotSpamDetails(BaseModel):
    summary: str = Field(description="A brief summary of the content.")
    is_safe: bool = Field(description="Whether the content is safe for all audiences.")

class ModerationResult(BaseModel):
    decision: Union[SpamDetails, NotSpamDetails]

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="Moderate the following content: 'Congratulations! You've won a free cruise. Click here to claim your prize: www.definitely-not-a-scam.com'",
    response_format=ModerationResult.model_json_schema(),
)

parsed_output = ModerationResult.model_validate_json(interaction.outputs[-1].text)
print(parsed_output)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
import { z } from 'zod';
const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const moderationSchema = z.object({
    decision: z.union([
        z.object({
            reason: z.string().describe('The reason why the content is considered spam.'),
            spam_type: z.enum(['phishing', 'scam', 'unsolicited promotion', 'other']).describe('The type of spam.'),
        }).describe('Details for content classified as spam.'),
        z.object({
            summary: z.string().describe('A brief summary of the content.'),
            is_safe: z.boolean().describe('Whether the content is safe for all audiences.'),
        }).describe('Details for content classified as not spam.'),
    ]),
});

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: "Moderate the following content: 'Congratulations! You've won a free cruise. Click here to claim your prize: www.definitely-not-a-scam.com'",
    response_format: z.toJSONSchema(moderationSchema),
});
console.log(interaction.outputs[0].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "Moderate the following content: 'Congratulations! You've won a free cruise. Click here to claim your prize: www.definitely-not-a-scam.com'",
    "response_format": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
            "decision": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                    "reason": {"type": "string", "description": "The reason why the content is considered spam."},
                    "spam_type": {"type": "string", "description": "The type of spam."}
                },
                "required": ["reason", "spam_type"]
            }
        },
        "required": ["decision"]
    }
}'

Combining tools and structured output

Combine built-in tools with structured output to get a reliable JSON object based on information retrieved by a tool.

Python

from google import genai
from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
from typing import Literal, Union

client = genai.Client()

class SpamDetails(BaseModel):
    reason: str = Field(description="The reason why the content is considered spam.")
    spam_type: Literal["phishing", "scam", "unsolicited promotion", "other"]

class NotSpamDetails(BaseModel):
    summary: str = Field(description="A brief summary of the content.")
    is_safe: bool = Field(description="Whether the content is safe for all audiences.")

class ModerationResult(BaseModel):
    decision: Union[SpamDetails, NotSpamDetails]

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-3-pro-preview",
    input="Moderate the following content: 'Congratulations! You've won a free cruise. Click here to claim your prize: www.definitely-not-a-scam.com'",
    response_format=ModerationResult.model_json_schema(),
    tools=[{"type": "url_context"}]
)

parsed_output = ModerationResult.model_validate_json(interaction.outputs[-1].text)
print(parsed_output)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
import { z } from 'zod'; // Assuming zod is used for schema generation, or define manually
const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const obj = z.object({
    winning_team: z.string(),
    score: z.string(),
});
const schema = z.toJSONSchema(obj);

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-3-pro-preview',
    input: 'Who won the last euro?',
    tools: [{ type: 'google_search' }],
    response_format: schema,
});
console.log(interaction.outputs[0].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-3-pro-preview",
    "input": "Who won the last euro?",
    "tools": [{"type": "google_search"}],
    "response_format": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
            "winning_team": {"type": "string"},
            "score": {"type": "string"}
        }
    }
}'

Advanced features

There are also additional advance features that give you more flexibility in working with Interactions API.

Streaming

Receive responses incrementally as they are generated.

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

stream = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="Explain quantum entanglement in simple terms.",
    stream=True
)

for chunk in stream:
    if chunk.event_type == "content.delta":
        if chunk.delta.type == "text":
            print(chunk.delta.text, end="", flush=True)
        elif chunk.delta.type == "thought":
            print(chunk.delta.thought, end="", flush=True)
    elif chunk.event_type == "interaction.complete":
        print(f"\n\n--- Stream Finished ---")
        print(f"Total Tokens: {chunk.interaction.usage.total_tokens}")

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const stream = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'Explain quantum entanglement in simple terms.',
    stream: true,
});

for await (const chunk of stream) {
    if (chunk.event_type === 'content.delta') {
        if (chunk.delta.type === 'text' && 'text' in chunk.delta) {
            process.stdout.write(chunk.delta.text);
        } else if (chunk.delta.type === 'thought' && 'thought' in chunk.delta) {
            process.stdout.write(chunk.delta.thought);
        }
    } else if (chunk.event_type === 'interaction.complete') {
        console.log('\n\n--- Stream Finished ---');
        console.log(`Total Tokens: ${chunk.interaction.usage.total_tokens}`);
    }
}

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions?alt=sse" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "Explain quantum entanglement in simple terms.",
    "stream": true
}'

Configuration

Customize the model's behavior with generation_config.

Python

from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input="Tell me a story about a brave knight.",
    generation_config={
        "temperature": 0.7,
        "max_output_tokens": 500,
        "thinking_level": "low",
    }
)

print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: 'Tell me a story about a brave knight.',
    generation_config: {
        temperature: 0.7,
        max_output_tokens: 500,
        thinking_level: 'low',
    }
});

console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": "Tell me a story about a brave knight.",
    "generation_config": {
        "temperature": 0.7,
        "max_output_tokens": 500,
        "thinking_level": "low"
    }
}'

Working with files

Working with remote files

Access files using remote URLs directly in the API call.

Python

from google import genai
client = genai.Client()

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=[
        {
            "type": "image",
            "uri": "https://github.com/<github-path>/cats-and-dogs.jpg",
        },
        {"type": "text", "text": "Describe what you see."}
    ],
)
for output in interaction.outputs:
    if output.type == "text":
        print(output.text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: [
        {
            type: 'image',
            uri: 'https://github.com/<github-path>/cats-and-dogs.jpg',
        },
        { type: 'text', text: 'Describe what you see.' }
    ],
});
for (const output of interaction.outputs) {
    if (output.type === 'text') {
        console.log(output.text);
    }
}

REST

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": [
        {
            "type": "image",
            "uri": "https://github.com/<github-path>/cats-and-dogs.jpg"
        },
        {"type": "text", "text": "Describe what you see."}
    ]
}'

Working with Gemini Files API

Upload files to the Gemini Files API before using them.

Python

from google import genai
import time
import requests
client = genai.Client()

# 1. Download the file
url = "https://github.com/philschmid/gemini-samples/raw/refs/heads/main/assets/cats-and-dogs.jpg"
response = requests.get(url)
with open("cats-and-dogs.jpg", "wb") as f:
    f.write(response.content)

# 2. Upload to Gemini Files API
file = client.files.upload(file="cats-and-dogs.jpg")

# 3. Wait for processing
while client.files.get(name=file.name).state != "ACTIVE":
    time.sleep(2)

# 4. Use in Interaction
interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-2.5-flash",
    input=[
        {
            "type": "image",
            "uri": file.uri,
        },
        {"type": "text", "text": "Describe what you see."}
    ],
)
for output in interaction.outputs:
    if output.type == "text":
        print(output.text)

JavaScript

import { GoogleGenAI } from '@google/genai';
import * as fs from 'fs';
import fetch from 'node-fetch';
const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

// 1. Download the file
const url = 'https://github.com/philschmid/gemini-samples/raw/refs/heads/main/assets/cats-and-dogs.jpg';
const filename = 'cats-and-dogs.jpg';
const response = await fetch(url);
const buffer = await response.buffer();
fs.writeFileSync(filename, buffer);

// 2. Upload to Gemini Files API
const myfile = await client.files.upload({ file: filename, config: { mimeType: 'image/jpeg' } });

// 3. Wait for processing
while ((await client.files.get({ name: myfile.name })).state !== 'ACTIVE') {
    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
}

// 4. Use in Interaction
const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: 'gemini-2.5-flash',
    input: [
        { type: 'image', uri: myfile.uri, },
        { type: 'text', text: 'Describe what you see.' }
    ],
});
for (const output of interaction.outputs) {
    if (output.type === 'text') {
        console.log(output.text);
    }
}

REST

# 1. Upload the file (Requires File API setup)
# See https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/files for details.
# Assume FILE_URI is obtained from the upload step.

curl -X POST "https://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/v1beta/interactions" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "x-goog-api-key: $GEMINI_API_KEY" \
-d '{
    "model": "gemini-2.5-flash",
    "input": [
        {"type": "image", "uri": "FILE_URI"},
        {"type": "text", "text": "Describe what you see."}
    ]
}'

Data model

You can learn more about the data model in the API Reference. The following is a high level overview of the main components.

Interaction

Property	Type	Description
`id`	`string`	Unique identifier for the interaction.
`model` / `agent`	`string`	The model or agent used. Only one can be provided.
`input`	`Content[]`	The inputs provided.
`outputs`	`Content[]`	The model's responses.
`tools`	`Tool[]`	The tools used.
`previous_interaction_id`	`string`	ID of the previous interaction for context.
`stream`	`boolean`	Whether the interaction is streaming.
`status`	`string`	Status: `completed`, `in_progress`, `requires_action`,`failed`, etc.
`background`	`boolean`	Whether the interaction is in background mode.
`store`	`boolean`	Whether to store the interaction. Default: `true`. Set to `false` to opt out.
`usage`	Usage	Token usage of the interaction request.

Supported models & agents

Model Name	Type	Model ID
Gemini 2.5 Pro	Model	`gemini-2.5-pro`
Gemini 2.5 Flash	Model	`gemini-2.5-flash`
Gemini 2.5 Flash-lite	Model	`gemini-2.5-flash-lite`
Gemini 3 Pro Preview	Model	`gemini-3-pro-preview`
Deep Research Preview	Agent	`deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025`

How the Interactions API works

The Interactions API is designed around a central resource: the Interaction. An Interaction represents a complete turn in a conversation or task. It acts as a session record, containing the entire history of an interaction, including all user inputs, model thoughts, tool calls, tool results, and final model outputs.

When you make a call to interactions.create, you are creating a new Interaction resource.

Optionally, you can use the id of this resource in a subsequent call using the previous_interaction_id parameter to continue the conversation. The server uses this ID to retrieve the full context, saving you from having to resend the entire chat history. This server-side state management is optional; you can also operate in stateless mode by sending the full conversation history in each request.

Data storage and retention

By default, all Interaction objects are stored (store=true) in order to simplify use of server-side state management features (with previous_interaction_id), background execution (using background=true) and observability purposes.

Paid Tier: Interactions are retained for 55 days.
Free Tier: Interactions are retained for 1 day.

If you do not want this, you can set store=false in your request. This control is separate from state management; you can opt out of storage for any interaction. However, note that store=false is incompatible with background=true and prevents using previous_interaction_id for subsequent turns.

You can delete stored interactions at any time using the delete method found in the API Reference. You can only delete interactions if you know the interaction ID.

After the retention period expires, your data will be deleted automatically.

Interactions objects are processed according to the terms.

Best practices

Cache hit rate: Using previous_interaction_id to continue conversations allows the system to more easily utilize implicit caching for the conversation history, which improves performance and reduces costs.
Mixing interactions: You have the flexibility to mix and match Agent and Model interactions within a conversation. For instance, you can use a specialized agent, like the Deep Research agent, for initial data collection, and then use a standard Gemini model for follow-up tasks such as summarizing or reformatting, linking these steps with the previous_interaction_id.

SDKs

You can use latest version of the Google GenAI SDKs in order to access Interactions API.

On Python, this is google-genai package from 1.55.0 version onwards.
On JavaScript, this is @google/genai package from 1.33.0 version onwards.

You can learn more about how to install the SDKs on Libraries page.

Limitations

Beta status: The Interactions API is in beta/preview. Features and schemas may change.
Unsupported features: The following features are not yet supported but are coming soon:
- Grounding with Google Maps
- Computer Use
Output ordering: Content ordering for built-in tools (google_search and url_context) may sometimes be incorrect, with text appearing before the tool execution and result. This is a known issue and a fix is in progress.
Tool combinations: Combining MCP, Function Call, and Built-in tools is not yet supported but is coming soon.
Remote MCP: Gemini 3 does not support remote mcp, this is coming soon.

Breaking changes

The Interactions API is currently in an early beta stage. We are actively developing and refining the API capabilities, resource schemas, and SDK interfaces based on real-world usage and developer feedback.

As a result, breaking changes may occur. Updates may include changes to:

Schemas for input and output.
SDK method signatures and object structures.
Specific feature behaviors.

For production workloads, you should continue to use the standard generateContent API. It remains the recommended path for stable deployments and will continue to be actively developed and maintained.

Feedback

Your feedback is critical to the development of the Interactions API. Please share your thoughts, report bugs, or request features on our Google AI Developer Community Forum.

What's next

Learn more about the Gemini Deep Research Agent.