google-gemini/gemini-cli · error · Error

Unsupported install type: ${installMetadata.type}

Error message

Unsupported install type: ${installMetadata.type}

What it means

Defensive `default` branch when `installMetadata.type` is not one of `git`, `github-release`, `local`, or `link`. By the time control reaches this branch, the source has not been resolved to a local path. Normal CLI paths only ever produce the four supported types, so this typically indicates a malformed extension-config file or a programmatic caller passing an invalid type.

Source

Thrown at packages/cli/src/config/extension-manager.ts:292

Would you like to attempt to install via "git clone" instead?`,
            ))
          ) {
            await cloneFromGit(installMetadata, tempDir);
            installMetadata.type = 'git';
          } else {
            throw new Error(
              `Failed to install extension ${installMetadata.source}: ${result.errorMessage}`,
            );
          }
        }
        localSourcePath = tempDir;
      } else if (
        installMetadata.type === 'local' ||
        installMetadata.type === 'link'
      ) {
        localSourcePath = getRealPath(installMetadata.source);
      } else {
        throw new Error(`Unsupported install type: ${installMetadata.type}`);
      }

      try {
        newExtensionConfig = await this.loadExtensionConfig(localSourcePath);

        const newExtensionName = newExtensionConfig.name;
        const previousName = previousExtensionConfig?.name ?? newExtensionName;
        const previous = this.getExtensions().find(
          (installed) => installed.name === previousName,
        );
        const nameConflict = this.getExtensions().find(
          (installed) =>
            installed.name === newExtensionName &&
            installed.name !== previousName,
        );

        if (isUpdate && !previous) {
          throw new Error(

View on GitHub (pinned to 5024443c72)

Solutions

1. Set `installMetadata.type` to one of `git`, `github-release`, `local`, `link` before calling install.
2. If migrating from a different install mechanism, re-install through the supported CLI command.
3. Delete the on-disk `install_metadata.json` and reinstall from a known source.

Example fix

// before
installOrUpdateExtension({ source: url, type: 'tarball' })
// after
installOrUpdateExtension({ source: localDir, type: 'local' })

const SUPPORTED = new Set(['git', 'github-release', 'local', 'link']);
if (!SUPPORTED.has(installMetadata.type)) {
  throw new Error(`Unsupported install type: ${installMetadata.type}`);
}

const INSTALL_TYPES = ['git', 'github-release', 'local', 'link'] as const;
type InstallType = (typeof INSTALL_TYPES)[number];
function isInstallType(v: unknown): v is InstallType {
  return typeof v === 'string' && (INSTALL_TYPES as readonly string[]).includes(v);
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling `installOrUpdateExtension` directly with a synthetic `ExtensionInstallMetadata` whose `type` is something like `'npm'` or `'tarball'`; a corrupt `install_metadata.json` written by a future or third-party tool.

Common situations: Programmatic use of the ExtensionManager; an extension config produced by an incompatible version; manual edits to on-disk metadata.

Related errors

• Installation aborted: Folder "${absolutePath}" is not truste
• The source argument must be provided.
• Failed to install extension ${installMetadata.source}: ${res
• Extension "${newExtensionName}" is already installed. Please
• Cannot install extension "${newExtensionName}" because a dir

AI-assisted analysis of google-gemini/gemini-cli@5024443c72 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/b9b0925f9d4a1003. Report an issue: GitHub.