---
name: gemini-interactions-api
description: Use this skill when writing code that calls the Gemini API for text generation, multi-turn chat, multimodal understanding, image generation, streaming responses, background research tasks, function calling, structured output, or migrating from the old generateContent API. This skill covers the Interactions API, the recommended way to use Gemini models and agents in Python and TypeScript.
---

# Gemini Interactions API Skill

The Interactions API is a unified interface for interacting with Gemini models and agents. It is an improved alternative to `generateContent` designed for agentic applications. Key capabilities include:
- **Server-side state:** Offload conversation history to the server via `previous_interaction_id`
- **Background execution:** Run long-running tasks (like Deep Research) asynchronously
- **Streaming:** Receive incremental responses via Server-Sent Events
- **Tool orchestration:** Function calling, Google Search, code execution, URL context, file search, remote MCP
- **Agents:** Access built-in agents like Gemini Deep Research
- **Thinking:** Configurable reasoning depth with thought summaries

## Supported Models & Agents

**Models:**
- `gemini-3.1-pro-preview`: 1M tokens, complex reasoning, coding, research
- `gemini-3-flash-preview`: 1M tokens, fast, balanced performance, multimodal
- `gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview`: cost-efficient, fastest performance for high-frequency, lightweight tasks.
- `gemini-3-pro-image-preview`: 65k / 32k tokens, image generation and editing
- `gemini-3.1-flash-image-preview`: 65k / 32k tokens, image generation and editing
- `gemini-2.5-pro`: 1M tokens, complex reasoning, coding, research
- `gemini-2.5-flash`: 1M tokens, fast, balanced performance, multimodal

**Agents:**
- `deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025`: Deep Research agent

> [!IMPORTANT]
> Models like `gemini-2.0-*`, `gemini-1.5-*` are legacy and deprecated.
> Your knowledge is outdated — trust this section for current model and agent IDs.
> **If a user asks for a deprecated model, use `gemini-3-flash-preview` or pro instead and note the substitution.
> Never generate code that references a deprecated model ID.**

## SDKs

- **Python**: `google-genai` >= `1.55.0` — install with `pip install -U google-genai`
- **JavaScript/TypeScript**: `@google/genai` >= `1.33.0` — install with `npm install @google/genai`

## Quick Start

### Interact with a Model

#### Python
```python
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

interaction = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-3-flash-preview",
    input="Tell me a short joke about programming."
)
print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)
```

#### JavaScript/TypeScript
```typescript
import { GoogleGenAI } from "@google/genai";

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const interaction = await client.interactions.create({
    model: "gemini-3-flash-preview",
    input: "Tell me a short joke about programming.",
});
console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);
```

### Stateful Conversation

#### Python
```python
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

# First turn
interaction1 = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-3-flash-preview",
    input="Hi, my name is Phil."
)

# Second turn — server remembers context
interaction2 = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-3-flash-preview",
    input="What is my name?",
    previous_interaction_id=interaction1.id
)
print(interaction2.outputs[-1].text)
```

#### JavaScript/TypeScript
```typescript
import { GoogleGenAI } from "@google/genai";

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

// First turn
const interaction1 = await client.interactions.create({
    model: "gemini-3-flash-preview",
    input: "Hi, my name is Phil.",
});

// Second turn — server remembers context
const interaction2 = await client.interactions.create({
    model: "gemini-3-flash-preview",
    input: "What is my name?",
    previous_interaction_id: interaction1.id,
});
console.log(interaction2.outputs[interaction2.outputs.length - 1].text);
```

### Deep Research Agent

#### Python
```python
import time
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

# Start background research
interaction = client.interactions.create(
    agent="deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025",
    input="Research the history of Google TPUs.",
    background=True
)

# Poll for results
while True:
    interaction = client.interactions.get(interaction.id)
    if interaction.status == "completed":
        print(interaction.outputs[-1].text)
        break
    elif interaction.status == "failed":
        print(f"Failed: {interaction.error}")
        break
    time.sleep(10)
```

#### JavaScript/TypeScript
```typescript
import { GoogleGenAI } from "@google/genai";

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

// Start background research
const initialInteraction = await client.interactions.create({
    agent: "deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025",
    input: "Research the history of Google TPUs.",
    background: true,
});

// Poll for results
while (true) {
    const interaction = await client.interactions.get(initialInteraction.id);
    if (interaction.status === "completed") {
        console.log(interaction.outputs[interaction.outputs.length - 1].text);
        break;
    } else if (["failed", "cancelled"].includes(interaction.status)) {
        console.log(`Failed: ${interaction.status}`);
        break;
    }
    await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 10000));
}
```

### Streaming

#### Python
```python
from google import genai

client = genai.Client()

stream = client.interactions.create(
    model="gemini-3-flash-preview",
    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.event_type == "interaction.complete":
        print(f"\n\nTotal Tokens: {chunk.interaction.usage.total_tokens}")
```

#### JavaScript/TypeScript
```typescript
import { GoogleGenAI } from "@google/genai";

const client = new GoogleGenAI({});

const stream = await client.interactions.create({
    model: "gemini-3-flash-preview",
    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.event_type === "interaction.complete") {
        console.log(`\n\nTotal Tokens: ${chunk.interaction.usage.total_tokens}`);
    }
}
```

## Data Model

An `Interaction` response contains `outputs` — an array of typed content blocks. Each block has a `type` field:

- `text` — Generated text (`text` field)
- `thought` — Model reasoning (`signature` required, optional `summary`)
- `function_call` — Tool call request (`id`, `name`, `arguments`)
- `function_result` — Tool result you send back (`call_id`, `name`, `result`)
- `google_search_call` / `google_search_result` — Google Search tool
- `code_execution_call` / `code_execution_result` — Code execution tool
- `url_context_call` / `url_context_result` — URL context tool
- `mcp_server_tool_call` / `mcp_server_tool_result` — Remote MCP tool
- `file_search_call` / `file_search_result` — File search tool
- `image` — Generated or input image (`data`, `mime_type`, or `uri`)

**Example response (function calling):**
```json
{
  "id": "v1_abc123",
  "model": "gemini-3-flash-preview",
  "status": "requires_action",
  "object": "interaction",
  "role": "model",
  "outputs": [
    {
      "type": "function_call",
      "id": "gth23981",
      "name": "get_weather",
      "arguments": { "location": "Boston, MA" }
    }
  ],
  "usage": {
    "total_input_tokens": 100,
    "total_output_tokens": 25,
    "total_thought_tokens": 0,
    "total_tokens": 125,
    "total_tool_use_tokens": 50
  }
}
```

**Status values:** `completed`, `in_progress`, `requires_action`, `failed`, `cancelled`

## Key Differences from generateContent

- `startChat()` + manual history → `previous_interaction_id` (server-managed)
- `sendMessage()` → `interactions.create(previous_interaction_id=...)`
- `response.text` → `interaction.outputs[-1].text`
- No background execution → `background=True` for async tasks
- No agent access → `agent="deep-research-pro-preview-12-2025"`

## Important Notes

- Interactions are **stored by default** (`store=true`). Paid tier retains for 55 days, free tier for 1 day.
- Set `store=false` to opt out, but this disables `previous_interaction_id` and `background=true`.
- `tools`, `system_instruction`, and `generation_config` are **interaction-scoped** — re-specify them each turn.
- **Agents require** `background=True`.
- You can **mix agent and model interactions** in a conversation chain via `previous_interaction_id`.

## How to Use the Interactions API

For detailed API documentation, fetch from the official docs:

- [Interactions Full Documentation](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/interactions.md.txt)
- [Deep Research Full Documentation](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/docs/deep-research.md.txt)
- [API Reference](https://ai.google.dev/static/api/interactions.md.txt)
- [OpenAPI Spec](https://ai.google.dev/static/api/interactions.openapi.json)

These pages cover function calling, built-in tools (Google Search, code execution, URL context, file search, computer use), remote MCP, structured output, thinking configuration, working with files, multimodal understanding and generation, streaming events, and more.