To use Google Jules, go to jules.google.com, sign in with your Google account, connect your GitHub repositories, pick a repo and branch, write a clear task and click Give me a plan. Jules works in its own cloud virtual machine, shows you a plan to approve before it changes any code, and notifies you when it's done. There's a plan that costs nothing to start.
Jules is Google's coding agent. You hand it a job, like fixing a bug, adding tests or writing documentation, and it gets on with it while you do something else. It's in public beta, and it's one of the friendlier ways to see what an AI coding agent can do with a real codebase.
This guide is based on Google's own Jules documentation, read in October 2026.
What Jules is good at
- Fixing bugs you can describe clearly
- Adding tests and documentation
- Updating an app and building new features
- Recurring maintenance jobs, through scheduled tasks
Google says it's language agnostic but works best with JavaScript or TypeScript, Python, Java and Rust projects.
How to set up Jules
- Go to jules.google.com and sign in with your Google account.
- Accept the one-time privacy notice.
- Click Connect to GitHub account and finish the GitHub login.
- Choose all repositories or only the ones you want Jules to see.
- Come back to Jules (refresh if it doesn't redirect) and you'll see a repo selector and a prompt box.
You can change which repos Jules sees later from your GitHub settings: open Applications, find Google Labs Jules and click configure.
How to run your first task
- Pick a repository from the selector.
- Choose the branch. The default branch is already selected.
- Write a clear, specific prompt.
- Add environment setup scripts if your project needs them (optional).
- Click Give me a plan, then review and approve the plan before any code changes.
Google's own example of a good prompt is short and exact: add a test for a named function in a named file. Here's the same idea for a small business website:
Copy this prompt
In the contact form component, add validation so the email field rejects addresses without an @ sign, show a friendly error message under the field, and add a test that covers both a valid and an invalid email.
Then turn on browser notifications when Jules asks. You're free to leave while it works, and it'll tell you when the plan's ready or the task finishes.
The AGENTS.md tip
This is the detail I'd want every developer to know about. Jules automatically looks for a file called AGENTS.md in the root of your repository. If you describe your project's tools, conventions and quirks there, Jules uses it to write better plans. Google's advice is to keep it up to date, because it helps your teammates as much as it helps the agent.
Jules plans and daily limits
Google's docs list three plans, all with access to the same family of Gemini models but different limits:
| Plan | Tasks per rolling 24 hours | Tasks at once | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jules | 15 | 3 | Available to all users without cost |
| Jules in Pro | 100 | 15 | Included with Google AI Pro |
| Jules in Ultra | 300 | 60 | Included with Google AI Ultra |
Two catches from the same page. Paid Jules plans currently come through a Google AI plan on individual accounts ending in @gmail.com, so Workspace and business accounts can't upgrade that way yet. And Jules needs you to be 18 or over, even if your family's Google plan includes younger members. Family members each get their own limits rather than sharing a pool.
When you hit your limit, the new task button is disabled until the 24-hour window resets, but you can still review and manage existing tasks.
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Scheduled tasks in Jules
Jules can repeat a job for you. In the task input, open the Planning dropdown at the bottom right, choose Scheduled Task, set how often it runs, write the prompt and submit. You'll find it under the Scheduled tab. One limit: you can't edit a scheduled task yet, so to change it you delete it and create a new one. Google suggests three templates, focused on performance, design touches and accessibility, and security.
The security rules to follow
Every Jules task runs in a fresh cloud virtual machine with internet access. Google says you're responsible for the code you run, and gives three rules:
- Don't commit secrets such as API keys, tokens or passwords to your repo.
- Avoid known security holes in your dependencies and scripts.
- Be careful with third-party packages or shell commands that could harm your system or data.
Google also says Jules doesn't train on private repository content. One practical limit: it can't run long-lived commands such as a dev server in setup scripts, so use separate install and test commands.
If you're comparing coding agents, my round-up of vibe coding tools and my guide to Gemini CLI are good next reads. And if you'd like help working out where AI agents fit in your business, that's on my work with me page.
My verdict
Jules is an easy, low-risk way to try a coding agent on real work, because it plans first and you approve. Start on the free plan with small, specific jobs like tests and documentation, add an AGENTS.md file early, and never let a secret near the repo. If it saves you time on those, then think about the Pro or Ultra limits.
I'd like to hear from developers testing coding agents, and the AI tools guest post guidelines show how.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Jules free?
Yes, there's a Jules plan available to all users without cost, with 15 tasks per rolling 24 hours and 3 at once. Google AI Pro and Ultra include higher limits.
What is Google Jules?
Jules is Google's coding agent. It connects to GitHub, understands your codebase and works on tasks like bug fixes, tests and new features in its own cloud virtual machine.
Does Jules work without GitHub?
Google's setup guide has you connect a GitHub account and choose repositories, because Jules needs access to your code to work.
Does Google Jules train on my code?
Google says Jules doesn't train on private repository content and doesn't use your private repositories to train models.
Can I use Jules with a Workspace account?
Not for paid plans yet. Google says paid Jules plans currently come through Google AI plans for individual accounts ending in @gmail.com, and it's working on upgrade paths for other account types.
