Cline
VerifiedOpen-source AI coding agent for IDEs and terminals.
What is Cline?
Cline provides an open-source AI coding agent that operates inside IDEs and terminals. It reads entire codebases to perform cross-file edits while tracking errors and applying fixes automatically.
The agent supports Plan mode for strategy development and Act mode for execution, with built-in checkpoints and approval gates. It can run shell commands, monitor outputs, and handle long-running processes in the background.
Developers and teams use Cline to speed up routine coding work while retaining control through human-in-the-loop approvals and multi-agent task management.
Capabilities
What you can build with Cline
Large-scale refactoring
Scan a project, identify related files, and apply consistent changes with automatic lint and type error fixes.
CI/CD automation
Run the CLI in headless mode to execute builds, tests, and deployments as part of scripts or pipelines.
Parallel task management
Use the Kanban interface to launch multiple agents, each working in isolated worktrees with dependency tracking.
Install Cline
npm i -g clinenpm i -g cline- 1Install the CLI globally with npm i -g cline.
- 2Launch Cline in your terminal and connect it to your project folder.
- 3For VS Code, install the extension from the marketplace and open a workspace.
- 4Switch between Plan and Act modes to outline work then execute changes.
- 5Review diffs and approve edits or commands as they appear.
Works with
Cline: pros & cons
Pros
- +Strong project-wide code understanding and coordinated edits
- +Multiple interfaces (IDE, terminal, web Kanban) from one core engine
- +Explicit approval steps and checkpoints keep users in control
- +Open-source SDK for building custom agents and integrations
Cons
- –JetBrains plugin source is not publicly available
- –Frequent approval prompts can interrupt flow unless auto-approve is enabled
- –Requires Node.js environment for CLI and SDK components
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the core agent and most components are open source and free to use.
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