Cline
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent for VS Code that reads and writes across multiple files, executes commands, and supports bring-your-own API keys from any major model provider.
At a Glance
Free for individual developers. Includes VS Code extension, CLI, BYOK, and MCP Marketplace.
Engagement
Available On
Alternatives
Updated Apr 2026
About Cline
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that integrates directly into VS Code, JetBrains IDEs, and the command line, enabling developers to plan, write, and refactor code across entire codebases with full transparency and permission-based control. It supports frontier models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, xAI, and open-source labs, and allows users to bring their own API keys or use Cline's built-in inference credits. With a client-side architecture, code and prompts flow directly from the developer to their chosen provider — Cline never sits in the middle. The project has over 59,000 GitHub stars and 5 million installs across all platforms.
- Multi-file editing: Cline reads and writes across multiple files simultaneously, keeping imports, types, and behavior consistent during large refactors.
- Plan & Act modes: Use Plan mode to discuss requirements and design a solution, then switch to Act mode for step-by-step execution with your approval.
- Bring your own API keys (BYOK): Connect directly to Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, AWS Bedrock, GCP Vertex, Azure OpenAI, Groq, DeepSeek, and more — no vendor lock-in.
- MCP Marketplace: Extend Cline's capabilities with Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to connect to GitHub, databases, browsers, and other external services.
- Cline CLI: Run Cline from the terminal, integrate it into CI/CD pipelines, cron jobs, and scripts for automated recurring workflows.
- JetBrains support: Use Cline inside IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, and other JetBrains IDEs via the Teams plan.
- Enterprise-grade security: Deploy within VPC, on-premises, or air-gapped environments; supports SSO, OIDC, SCIM, audit logs, and role-based access control.
- Cline Rules & custom instructions: Define project-specific coding standards, documentation requirements, and workflow rules using
.clinerulesfiles or global custom instructions. - Cline Kanban: A new UI for orchestrating multiple agents across Cline, Claude, and Codex in a visual board interface.
- Open source: The core extension is MIT-licensed with over 250 contributors; self-hosting and full extensibility are supported.
Community Discussions
Cline CLI for shell automation
Been trying Cline from the terminal to help with complex commands and script generation. The diff preview + checkpoints feel good, but it's a bit chatty and setup was a pain. Anyone figured out a clean CLI workflow?
Pricing
Open Source
Free for individual developers. Includes VS Code extension, CLI, BYOK, and MCP Marketplace.
- VS Code Extension
- CLI
- Secure Client-Side Architecture
- Purchase and Model Inference at Cost or BYOK
- MCP Marketplace
Teams
Free through Q1 2026, then $20/mo/user. First 10 seats always free. Includes all OSS features plus JetBrains, centralized billing, RBAC, and priority support.
- All Open Source features
- JetBrains Extension
- Centralized Billing
- Simple Config Management
- Role Based Access Control
Teams (after Q1 2026)
$20/mo per user after Q1 2026 promotional period ends. First 10 seats always free.
- All Open Source features
- JetBrains Extension
- Centralized Billing
- Simple Config Management
- Role Based Access Control
- Limit Inference Providers
- Team Management System & Dashboard
- Priority Support
Enterprise
Custom pricing for organizations needing SSO, SLA, dedicated support, and advanced security features.
- All Teams features
- SSO
- SLA
- Dedicated Support
- Authentication Logs
- Advanced Config Management (Coming Soon)
- Fine-Grained Permissioning (Coming Soon)
Capabilities
Key Features
- Multi-file code editing and refactoring
- Plan & Act modes for complex tasks
- Bring your own API keys (BYOK)
- MCP Marketplace for extensibility
- Cline CLI for terminal and CI/CD workflows
- JetBrains IDE integration
- VS Code extension
- Role-based access control
- Centralized billing for teams
- SSO, OIDC, SCIM for enterprise
- VPC and on-premises deployment
- Audit logs and authentication logs
- Cline Rules and custom instructions
- Cline Kanban for multi-agent orchestration
- Permission-based file and command approval
- Support for 10+ AI model providers
- Local model support
- Open source (MIT license)