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Gemini CLI + Wahlu

Post to Instagram from Gemini CLI with Wahlu

Connect Gemini CLI to Wahlu once, then plan, draft and schedule posts for Instagram professional accounts (Business or Creator) connected to Wahlu from the Gemini CLI terminal. Every schedule can wait for your approval.

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What Gemini CLI can prepare on Instagram

  • Feed post

    One to 10 images or videos. Two or more make a carousel.

  • Reel

    One video, with a caption.

  • Story

    One image or video. Stories don't take a caption.

Ask Gemini CLI for Instagram posts

Example prompts and the steps to expect. These are illustrations, not recorded conversations.

Example prompt

“Read the README in this project and write an Instagram caption for the launch. Use the screenshots in docs/launch as a carousel and hold it for review tomorrow at 9am.”

Example prompt

“Make a Reel draft from the demo video at the public link in the README in this project. Keep the caption under 300 characters and don't schedule it yet.”

Example prompt

“Check whether anything is already scheduled on Instagram this week before you draft a post about the README in this project.”

What Wahlu does on Instagram

Gemini CLI works through Wahlu's tools, so it can set the Instagram options Wahlu supports.

Instagram settings on a draft

Post type
Feed post, Reel or Story.
Collaborators
Invite up to five accounts by their handle.
Trial Reel
Share a Reel with non-followers first, then share it to followers yourself or let Instagram decide based on how it performs.

Wahlu doesn't add a first comment, location or tagged people to Instagram posts.

The tool calls, in order

  1. 01

    list_targetsFinds the brand's connected Instagram account and checks it's ready.

  2. 02

    upload_media_from_file, import_media_from_url or list_mediaBrings in the image or video, or picks one from your media library.

  3. 03

    create_draftCreates the draft with its caption and instagram_settings, such as the post type.

  4. 04

    preflight_draftChecks the draft against Instagram's rules without changing it.

  5. 05

    create_schedulePuts it on the calendar at pending_review, held for your approval.

Instagram limits to know

Wahlu checks these before a post is scheduled, so the agent finds out early.

Getting images and video to Instagram

The local server can upload a file straight from your computer with upload_media_from_file, so screenshots and videos in your project don't need a public link.

Connect Gemini CLI to Wahlu

Set this up once and Gemini CLI can work on every network you've connected, not just Instagram.

  1. 1

    In the Wahlu app, create an API key under Settings → API Keys in your workspace, with only the permissions and brands you need.

  2. 2

    Add export WAHLU_API_KEY=your-key to your shell profile, with your key, and open a new terminal.

  3. 3

    Add the Wahlu configuration to ~/.gemini/settings.json. If the file already has settings, add wahlu inside its mcpServers object.

  4. 4

    Start a new Gemini CLI session and run /mcp to check that wahlu is connected and its tools are listed.

Checked against the Gemini CLI docs on 27 September 2026. Menus can change; if a step doesn't match what you see, follow the vendor's current instructions.

~/.gemini/settings.json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "wahlu": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@wahlu/mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "WAHLU_API_KEY": "$WAHLU_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Gemini CLI replaces $WAHLU_API_KEY with the value from your shell, so the key isn't saved in the settings file. You can also add the same configuration to a project's .gemini/settings.json to use Wahlu in that project only. Available local tools depend on the installed version. Check the local MCP server notes for its Node.js requirement and tool availability.

You stay in control.

Every Wahlu plan includes agent access, through MCP and the API. You choose the workspace, brands and permissions each connection gets, and can disconnect it at any time.

Held until you approve

Agents create schedules at pending_review unless you've told them to publish. A held schedule can't publish until you approve it in Wahlu or ask an agent with Publishing permission to approve it.

Publishing is its own permission

Publishing is separate from Manage your schedule. Leave it unticked and nothing your agent schedules can go out on its own.

Checked before it's scheduled

preflight_draft reports anything that would stop a post, such as media the network won't accept or a caption that's too long, without changing anything.

Some things stay in the app

Use the app for queues, draft media and platform settings, and connecting social accounts. Agents can change the name or caption of an unused draft and approve held schedules with the right permissions.

Keep going

Your next Instagram post, drafted by Gemini CLI.

Connect your Instagram account in Wahlu, then give Gemini CLI a specific brief.

Open WahluAll Gemini CLI options