If you're a developer who's been experimenting with AI coding assistants, you've probably noticed a common limitation: they require you to babysit them. You type a prompt, wait for output, copy-paste it into your project, fix the errors, and repeat. It's helpful, but it's not autonomous.
That's where Google Jules comes in.
Jules is not a chatbot or a "copilot" that sits in your IDE waiting for you to tab-complete a function. It's an asynchronous AI coding agent that operates in the cloud, connects directly to your GitHub repositories, and works on tasks while you do something else.
I've been using it for the past few weeks, and I'm ready to share my honest take on what it does well, what makes it unique, and why it's an exceptional value if you're already on a Google One plan.
Quick Look: Is Jules Worth It?
| Feature | Verdict | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Autonomy | Excellent | Truly asynchronous "fire and forget" workflow via GitHub PRs. |
| Value | Best in Class | Included in the $19.99/mo Google One AI Premium plan. |
| Safety | High | Never pushes directly to main; strictly uses Pull Requests for review. |
| Context | Good | AGENTS.md support allows for detailed project-specific instructions. |
| Speed | Moderate | Can take time to spin up VMs and run tests, but that's the point of async. |
What is Google Jules?
At its core, Jules is an experimental coding agent designed to help you:
- Fix bugs: Paste an error or a stack trace, and Jules will investigate your codebase to find the root cause and propose a fix.
- Add documentation: "Write JSDoc comments for all functions in
/src/utils" is a perfectly valid task. - Build new features: Describe what you want, and Jules will draft the implementation.
But the key differentiator is how it works. Jules integrates with GitHub, understands your entire codebase through an AGENTS.md configuration file, and works autonomously. This means you can assign a task and walk away. Go grab a coffee. Work on something else. Jules will notify you when it's done.
The Benefits: Why Jules Stands Out
1. Truly Asynchronous Operation
Most AI coding tools are synchronous—you ask, they answer, you wait. Jules flips this model. When you submit a task, Jules:
- Clones your repository into a secure, sandboxed Google Cloud virtual machine.
- Analyzes the codebase and your
AGENTS.mdinstructions. - Generates a detailed plan for your approval.
- Writes the code, runs the build, and executes tests.
- Opens a Pull Request on GitHub with the changes.
This "fire and forget" model is powerful. I've assigned Jules refactoring tasks at the end of my workday and woken up to a ready-to-review PR. It's like having a tireless junior developer on the team.
From your terminal prompt to a verified GitHub Pull Request—Jules handles the entire pipeline.
2. A "Safe Workflow" by Design
One of my initial concerns with autonomous agents was safety. What if the AI pushes broken code directly to my main branch?
Google has addressed this thoughtfully. Jules never pushes to your main branch directly. Every task results in a Pull Request that a human must review and merge. This keeps a developer in the loop for all production-level changes, preventing accidental damage.
3. Enhanced Context with AGENTS.md
Jules supports the AGENTS.md standard—a convention increasingly adopted by AI tools to help agents understand a codebase. While it doesn't completely eliminate the risk of hallucinations, it is a powerful way to tailor the output to your specific needs.
By placing this file in your project root, you serve Jules a "handbook" that explicitly defines:
- Your project's architecture (e.g., "This is a Next.js 15 app with a
/src/appdirectory router"). - Build and test commands (e.g.,
pnpm test,npm run build). - Coding standards (e.g., "Use functional components. Prefer
constoverlet.").
This extra context ensures that Jules doesn't just write generic code, but writes code that actually fits your project's style and structure.
4. Scheduled and Proactive Tasks
Beyond ad-hoc requests, Jules can be set on a schedule. This unlocks some incredibly useful automation:
- Security Audits: Schedule a weekly task to scan dependencies for CVEs and open PRs to patch them.
- Dependency Updates: Have Jules check for library updates, attempt the upgrade, and report any breaking changes.
- Code Quality: Run monthly checks to "identify and refactor deprecated function usage."
This proactive maintenance is something no simple chatbot can offer. It's like having an automated DevSecOps assistant.
What Makes Jules Unique?
The agentic AI space is heating up, with tools like GitHub Copilot Workspace, Devin, and Cursor making headlines. So what makes Jules different?
| Feature | Google Jules | Devin | GitHub Copilot Workspace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Execution Model | Asynchronous (Cloud VM) | Asynchronous (Cloud VM) | Synchronous (Inline) |
| GitHub Integration | Native (Commits PRs) | Native | Native |
| Test Execution | Yes (runs your test suite) | Yes | Limited |
| Context File | AGENTS.md | Custom instructions | None |
| CLI Tool | Yes (@google/jules) | No | No |
| Scheduled Tasks | Yes | No | No |
| Pricing | Included in Google AI Pro | $500/month (waitlist) | Included in Copilot Enterprise |
The combination of a powerful CLI, scheduled automation, and inclusion in the Google One AI Pro plan gives Jules a unique value proposition.
The Google One AI Pro Advantage
Here's the part that I think many developers are missing: Jules is included in the Google One AI Pro subscription.
Let's break down what you get for $19.99/month:
- Jules Access: Full access to the asynchronous coding agent with generous limits.
- Gemini 3 Pro: Access to Google's most advanced model for coding, research, and creative tasks.
- 2 TB Cloud Storage: For Google Drive, Gmail, and Photos.
- Gemini in Google Apps: AI drafting and editing in Gmail, Docs, Slides, and Sheets.
- Higher Limits for Gemini CLI: Keep coding without hitting rate limits.
- $10 Monthly Google Cloud Credits: Take your projects to production.
- Google Home Premium: Added smart home features included.
For comparison, a standalone agent like Devin is on a $500/month waitlist. GitHub Copilot Workspace requires a Copilot Enterprise subscription. With Google AI Pro, you're getting a comparable agentic coding tool bundled with an entire suite of AI productivity tools and storage.
If you're a solo developer, freelancer, or small team, this is an exceptional deal.
The Google One AI Pro plan bundles Jules with 2TB storage, Gemini 3, and much more.
Getting Started: The Jules Tools CLI
While the jules.google web dashboard is excellent for getting started, power users will love the Jules Tools CLI.
Installation
npm install -g @google/jules
Authentication
jules login
This opens a browser window to authenticate with your Google account.
Starting a Task
You can start a new task directly from your terminal:
jules remote new --repo . --session "Add unit tests for the UserService class"
Jules will infer the repository from your current directory if you use --repo ..
The Interactive Dashboard (TUI)
Running jules without any arguments launches a beautiful Terminal User Interface (TUI). It provides a dashboard view of all your sessions, a side-by-side diff viewer, and guided flows for creating new tasks.
Final Verdict
Google Jules is the real deal. It's not a gimmick or a demo—it's a functional, asynchronous coding agent that can genuinely save you hours of tedious work every week.
Pros:
- Truly asynchronous—assign a task and walk away.
- Safe, PR-based workflow keeps humans in control.
AGENTS.mdprovides deep, project-specific context.- Scheduled tasks for security and code quality.
- Excellent CLI and TUI for power users.
- Incredible value as part of Google One AI Pro.
Cons:
- Still experimental; occasional hallucinations on complex tasks.
- Requires thoughtful setup of
AGENTS.mdfor best results. - Some advanced features are US-only for now.
If you're already paying for Google One storage or Gemini Advanced, upgrading to AIro (or trying the free trial) is a no-brainer. Jules alone justifies the cost.
Head over to jules.google to connect your first repository and see what it can do for you.
