Google has updated Gemini Code Assist with two features that bring it closer to the customisation level developers expect from AI coding tools. Custom slash commands let teams define reusable prompts — type a slash, pick a command, and the pre-configured prompt fires with your current context. Teams can standardise code review checklists, documentation generation, and refactoring workflows into single commands.
The upgrade to Gemini 2.5 as the underlying model is the more significant technical change. Gemini 2.5 shows marked improvements in code understanding, multi-file reasoning, and the ability to follow complex instructions. The model handles larger contexts more reliably and produces fewer hallucinated imports or non-existent APIs.
The Context Drawer is a new UI panel that shows exactly which files and code snippets are being fed into the conversation. Developers can add, remove, or pin files to maintain precise control over what the model sees. This transparency addresses a common frustration with AI coding tools where the model's context is a black box, and you cannot tell why it is generating irrelevant suggestions.
