Pluginofficial publisher

Cline

Plugin : A set of capabilities installed into an AI application or a host · requires vscode

Open source code agent in VS Code: plan then act mode, multi-file editing, terminal, native MCP client.

The best free agent with your own key; it executes commands, keep an eye on API costs.

Official site GitHub · 67,960 ★

Overall score

8.8 /10

Security: read before installing

Utility

9.0

Reliability

10.0

Security

6.0

Ease

1 click · Comfortable

What it does, concretely

Writing code across multiple files, running commands, and fixing compilation errors in real time are repetitive tasks that slow developers down. Cline is an open source coding agent that handles these operations directly in your editor or terminal, without forcing you to leave your working environment.

Cline works in two stages: in Plan mode, it explores your codebase, asks clarifying questions, and proposes a strategy; in Act mode, it executes changes file by file and command by command, asking for your approval at each step. Every edit appears as a diff you can accept, adjust, or revert. Checkpoints are saved automatically so you can undo the agent's work if needed.

Cline is aimed at developers who want to stay in control of their code while delegating repetitive tasks to an agent. It works with all major model providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, AWS Bedrock, Azure, and more) as well as local models via Ollama or LM Studio. The VS Code extension and JetBrains plugin are free; you only pay for your API key or use a local model.

Cline is not suited for those looking for a ready-to-use tool with no configuration: you need to bring your own API key, monitor usage costs, and accept that your code is sent to the chosen model provider. Non-developer users or those unfamiliar with VS Code, JetBrains, or a terminal will find the learning curve steep.

What it offers

·Plan then Act mode: Cline explores your code and proposes a strategy before acting, with human approval at each step or an activatable autopilot mode.
·Coordinated multi-file editing: consistent changes across the entire project with automatic detection of type, import, and syntax errors.
·Terminal command execution: package installation, test runs, deployments, and live dev server management.
·Compatible with all major model providers: Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, AWS Bedrock, Azure, Ollama, LM Studio, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint.
·Native MCP client: connect to databases, APIs, and cloud infrastructure via community or custom MCP servers.
·Project rules via .clinerules files: define your coding, architecture, and deployment conventions for the agent to follow automatically.
·Available as a VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, desktop app (macOS and Windows), and npm-installable CLI.
·Multi-agent teams and scheduling: a coordinator agent delegates subtasks to specialist agents, with cron-based execution for recurring automations.

Our tips

Use Plan mode before launching significant changes: Cline will ask questions and present a strategy, reducing costly token mistakes.
Place a .clinerules file at the root of your project to define your coding and architecture conventions; Cline will apply them automatically in every session.
Enable manual approval command by command at first, then switch to auto-approve only for well-scoped tasks whose effects you fully understand.
Monitor your API costs each session: powerful models like Claude Opus consume many tokens on large codebases; prefer a lighter model for simple tasks.
For recurring automations (PR summaries, dependency checks), use the CLI with the cron scheduling option rather than the editor extension.

Watch out

Each request sends code to the chosen model provider: check that provider's terms of service before using Cline on confidential projects.
API costs can rise quickly on large codebases, especially with high-end models; there is no built-in automatic spending cap in the extension.

In practice

Price: Free
Commercial use: Commercial use: yes
Available on: vscode, windsurf
Host: vscode
Licence: Apache-2.0
FR interface: No

Security and data

Rating: Security: read before installing
Your data: Local or cloud depending on use
Maintenance: Active
Last release: 13 September 2026

Card verified on 14 September 2026 · added on 1 July 2024

How to install Cline

1. Open VS Code and go to the Extensions tab (Ctrl+Shift+X). 2. Search for "Cline" and click Install (publisher: saoudrizwan.claude-dev). 3. Once installed, open the Cline panel in the sidebar. 4. Enter your API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, etc.) or configure a local model via Ollama. 5. Security note: your code is sent to the chosen model provider; do not use an API key with excessive permissions and review the provider's privacy policy.

npm i -g cline

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