Cline Dev Stack
IntermediateCline's open-source agent in the terminal or its desktop app, running GLM, Kimi, Claude, or any model you choose.
Published 30 September 2026
About Cline Dev Stack
Cline is an open-source, Apache-2.0 coding agent that began as a VS Code extension and now also runs on its own, as a terminal CLI and a desktop app. This stack is built around those two. The agent reads the repository, proposes an approach in Plan mode without touching any files, then edits code, runs commands, and iterates in Act mode, asking for approval at each step unless auto-approve is on. It isn't tied to one vendor: the default here is Z.ai's GLM, the first model in Cline's ClinePass subscription, with Kimi, DeepSeek, MiniMax, Xiaomi MiMo, Qwen, Claude, and OpenAI's GPT models alongside.
The CLI runs as an interactive terminal interface or headless, taking piped input and returning JSON, so the same agent works in scripts and CI pipelines. Cline Desktop, a recent release for macOS with Windows in beta and no Linux build yet, runs several sessions in parallel, schedules recurring tasks, and imports conversations from Claude Code and Codex to continue them on a different model. It is still less mature than the extension. For parallel work in separate git worktrees, Cline Kanban, a research preview, puts Cline CLI, Claude Code, Codex, and OpenCode on one task board.
Most developers run Cline on their own computer, which has to stay on while the agent works. From a phone, the CLI's connectors take messages through Telegram, Slack, Discord, or WhatsApp, and the Kanban board opens in a phone browser on the local network or over a private VPN. Cline has no hosted cloud sessions and no mobile app, though its CLI can run in GitHub Actions to review pull requests or answer issues with your machine off. For sessions that run around the clock, the CLI runs headless on a VPS or home server, and Cline Desktop can work on a remote machine over SSH, keeping the chat and approvals on your computer while edits, commands, and git run on the server.
Code lives on GitHub by default, or on GitLab. A model aggregator, a faster terminal emulator, a terminal multiplexer for server sessions, CI/CD, and an AI code reviewer are common additions; none of them change how Cline works.
Key Features
- ✓Open-source, Apache-2.0 agent as a terminal CLI and a desktop app, plus the original VS Code extension
- ✓Plan and Act modes with step-by-step approval, or auto-approve for unattended runs
- ✓Model-agnostic: open-weight models through ClinePass, any provider's API key, local models, or an existing Claude or ChatGPT plan
- ✓Headless CLI with piped input and JSON output for scripts, CI pipelines, and GitHub Actions
- ✓Cline Desktop with parallel sessions, scheduled tasks, and imports from Claude Code and Codex
- ✓Remote development over SSH from the desktop app, with the agent and code on the remote machine
- ✓Messaging connectors for Telegram, Slack, Discord, and WhatsApp from the CLI
When to Use Cline Dev Stack
- →Running a capable coding agent on open-weight models for a flat $9.99 a month
- →Keeping one agent while switching between cheap and premium models as tasks demand
- →Reviewing pull requests or triaging issues automatically with the headless CLI in CI
- →Running several agent sessions side by side, including scheduled nightly checks, from one desktop app
- →Working on a remote dev box or VPS over SSH while the chat stays on your laptop
Pros
- The agent is free and open source; you pay only for models
- Wide model choice, including existing Claude Pro/Max and ChatGPT plans
- The same agent across the terminal, a desktop app, and VS Code
- Approval at each step keeps the agent's actions visible and reversible
- A headless mode built for CI and scripting, with official GitHub Actions samples
Cons
- Cline Desktop is an early release: macOS only, with Windows in beta and no Linux build
- No hosted cloud sessions or mobile app; away-from-desk work runs on hardware you keep on
- ClinePass covers open-weight models only, so Claude and GPT bill per token unless an existing plan covers them
- Step-by-step approval is slower than a fully autonomous agent, and auto-approve on a server runs commands unchecked
- Open-weight models differ in how reliably they follow tool calls, so results depend on the model picked
LLM Options for Cline Dev Stack
Cline Dev Stack powered by GLM
GLM is the default here: GLM-5.3 leads the ClinePass lineup, and Cline also connects to Z.ai directly, through the GLM Coding Plan from $18 a month or the API at $1.40 in and $4.40 out per million tokens. GLM-5.3-Flash is the cheap sibling at $0.15 per million input tokens.
Cline Dev Stack powered by Kimi
Moonshot's Kimi K3 is the strongest model in ClinePass for hard agentic tasks, at $3 in and $15 out per million tokens on the API. K2.7-Code, at $0.95 and $4, handles everyday work for less. Cline reaches Kimi through ClinePass, OpenRouter, or Moonshot's own API.
Cline Dev Stack powered by DeepSeek
DeepSeek's V4.1-Flash is among the cheapest capable coding models, about $0.15 per million input tokens off-peak with a 1M-token context, and V4-Pro takes the harder tasks. Cline has DeepSeek as a built-in provider, and both models are also in ClinePass.
Cline Dev Stack powered by MiniMax
MiniMax-M3 pairs a 1M-token context and multimodal input with low prices, $0.30 in and $1.20 out per million tokens, plus a Token Plan subscription from $22 a month. Cline lists MiniMax as a built-in provider, and M3 is part of ClinePass.
Cline Dev Stack powered by Xiaomi MiMo
Xiaomi's MIT-licensed MiMo models do well on agentic coding for very little: $0.435 in and $0.87 out per million tokens for Pro, $0.14 and $0.28 for Flash. In Cline they're easiest to reach through ClinePass or OpenRouter, and the weights run locally too.
Cline Dev Stack powered by Qwen
Alibaba's Qwen family runs from cheap Flash and Plus tiers to the Qwen3.8-Max flagship at $2 in and $6 out per million tokens, and most releases are Apache 2.0 weights. Cline reaches Qwen through ClinePass, its built-in Qwen provider, or a local Ollama or LM Studio server.
Cline Dev Stack powered by Claude
Claude is the model Cline was first built around and still a strong pick for long multi-file changes. It isn't in ClinePass: Cline bills it per token with an Anthropic key, Sonnet 5 at $2 in and $10 out per million, or uses an existing Claude Pro or Max plan through the Claude Code CLI.
Cline Dev Stack powered by OpenAI
OpenAI's GPT models suit developers who already pay for ChatGPT: Cline signs in with a ChatGPT plan, so no API key is needed. With a key, GPT-5.3-Codex costs $1.75 in and $14 out per million tokens and GPT-6 Sol $2 and $10. They aren't part of ClinePass.
These are highlighted picks. To see all the tools, check the LLM category.
Version Control Options for Cline Dev Stack
Cline Dev Stack with GitHub
GitHub is the default here: the largest pull-request ecosystem, and the platform Cline's own GitHub Actions samples target, where the headless CLI reviews pull requests and answers issues that mention it.
Cline Dev Stack with GitLab
GitLab bundles source control, merge requests, and CI/CD in one self-hostable platform, the pick when code has to stay on your own infrastructure. Cline only needs git for local work, so everyday sessions are the same on either host.
Cline Dev Stack Add-ons
Each addition below extends this stack with a capability the base stack works fine without. None are required: include the ones your product actually needs when building this stack, and skip the rest.
Server Add-ons
Add a server when you want the agent to keep running somewhere other than your own laptop, reachable at any time and not tied to your machine staying on. Some agents also offer their own managed cloud sessions as an alternative to self-hosting; check the stack's own description for details.
Cline Dev Stack with Hetzner
Hetzner is the default here: its smallest shared plan, CX23, has 4 GB of RAM for about €5.49/mo. Cline documents no memory minimum and the models run at the provider, so 4 GB leaves room for builds and tests next to the agent. A plain VPS billed by the hour up to a monthly cap.
Cline Dev Stack with DigitalOcean
DigitalOcean's Basic Droplet with 4 GB of RAM and 2 vCPUs costs $24/mo, billed per second up to that cap, with snapshots before risky agent runs. It has no Cline-specific image, so this is a plain Linux box for the CLI or the desktop app's SSH remote.
Cline Dev Stack with Hostinger
Hostinger's KVM 1 has 4 GB of RAM at $6.49/mo introductory, renewing at $11.99/mo, comfortably enough for Cline with the models served remotely. A budget pick on a plain Linux image; Hostinger's agent templates target other tools, not Cline.
Cline Dev Stack with Raspberry Pi
A Raspberry Pi 5 is a one-time hardware cost instead of a monthly bill. Cline Desktop's SSH mode supports 64-bit ARM Linux but not 32-bit Raspberry Pi OS, and a 4 GB board is enough with the models served remotely; 8 GB leaves room for builds.
These are highlighted picks. To see all the tools, check the Hosting & Cloud category.
Remote Access Add-ons
Add remote access when you want to reach an agent running on another machine — a VPS or a home server — without exposing it to anyone but you.
Cline Dev Stack with Tailscale
Add Tailscale alongside a server to reach it privately: SSH into the Cline CLI or connect Cline Desktop's remote mode from a laptop, or open the Kanban board in a phone browser, which Cline's own docs recommend Tailscale for. The personal tier is free.
Session Persistence Add-ons
Add session persistence when the agent runs on a server or over SSH: a terminal multiplexer keeps the session working after the connection drops or the laptop closes, and you reattach from any machine to pick up where it left off.
Cline Dev Stack with tmux
Add tmux when the Cline CLI runs on a server: an interactive session otherwise ends with the SSH connection, while tmux keeps it working and lets you reattach from any machine. It also keeps a messaging connector or the Kanban board running after you log out.
Cline Dev Stack with Zellij
Add Zellij for the same keep-running sessions with friendlier defaults: shortcuts stay on screen, floating panes suit a test watcher beside the Cline CLI, and layouts come back after a reboot, though the running agent doesn't. Its web client reaches the terminal from a browser.
Terminal Add-ons
Add a terminal when you want a faster, more configurable place to run the agent than your OS default — most agent CLIs live here all day.
Cline Dev Stack with Ghostty
A GPU-accelerated terminal with native macOS and Linux integration, a solid default for keeping Cline's terminal interface open all day and scrolling through long command output quickly.
Cline Dev Stack with Alacritty
A minimal, GPU-accelerated terminal that does little beyond drawing text fast; pick it when a multiplexer or window manager already handles tabs and splits around the Cline CLI.
Cline Dev Stack with WezTerm
A GPU-accelerated terminal with built-in tabs, splits, and multiplexing configured in Lua, able to hold several Cline CLI sessions side by side without a separate multiplexer.
Cline Dev Stack with Kitty
A GPU-accelerated terminal with its own graphics protocol and a scripting layer called kittens, for developers who want deep control over how the Cline CLI and its neighbors are laid out.
Cline Dev Stack with iTerm2
The long-standing free macOS terminal, with split panes, profiles, triggers, and tmux integration. The familiar pick for Mac users who want the Cline CLI in the terminal they already know.
Code Review Add-ons
Add code review when you want an AI reading every pull request before it merges: it comments on the diff so bugs, security issues, and inconsistencies surface before a human has to catch them.
Cline Dev Stack with CodeRabbit
Add CodeRabbit when you want an AI reviewer on every pull request Cline opens: it installs as a GitHub or GitLab app, summarizes the diff, and leaves line-level comments before anyone merges, with a free tier for open-source repos.
Cline Dev Stack with Greptile
Add Greptile when review should read the whole repository rather than just the diff: it indexes the codebase so its GitHub and GitLab comments carry wider context, and it can be self-hosted alongside your own models.
Cline Dev Stack with Cursor Bugbot
Add Cursor Bugbot when a bug-focused reviewer is enough: it reviews GitHub or GitLab pull requests whatever wrote the code, though it bills through a Cursor account and plan rather than its own subscription.
Model Aggregator Add-ons
Add a model aggregator when you want one API key and one bill for models from many providers, with automatic fallback when one of them is down, instead of setting up each provider separately.
Cline Dev Stack with OpenRouter
Add OpenRouter when you want one key and one credit balance that also works outside Cline, with automatic fallback to another host when one is down. Cline lists it as a built-in provider; it charges provider prices plus 5.5% on credit purchases, with a few free models.
Cline Dev Stack with LiteLLM
Add LiteLLM when you'd rather run the gateway yourself: an MIT-licensed proxy that puts GLM, Kimi, DeepSeek, and local models behind one OpenAI-compatible endpoint, with per-key budgets and spend logs. Cline connects to it as an OpenAI-compatible provider, and self-hosting it is free.
These are highlighted picks. To see all the tools, check the AI Model Aggregators category.
CI/CD Add-ons
Add CI/CD when you want a dedicated pipeline for running tests, linting, or multi-stage builds before a deploy goes out. Many hosting platforms already redeploy automatically on every push on their own — a CI/CD tool adds the most value on top of that by gating the deploy on a passing test suite, and matters even more when the hosting choice does not auto-deploy at all, such as a self-hosted server.
Cline Dev Stack with GitHub Actions
Add GitHub Actions when the repo lives on GitHub and every push should run the tests. It's also where Cline's headless CLI runs in its official samples, reviewing pull requests and answering issues that mention it.
Cline Dev Stack with GitLab CI/CD
Add GitLab CI/CD when the project is on GitLab and needs automated tests on every push, defined in a .gitlab-ci.yml file that can run entirely on your own runners, with the headless Cline CLI as one more job if you want it.
These are highlighted picks. To see all the tools, check the CI/CD Pipelines category.
Containerization Add-ons
Add containerization when you want the app packaged the same way across local development, staging, and production, or need to deploy somewhere that isn't a managed serverless platform.
Cline Dev Stack with Docker
Add Docker when Cline should work in a reproducible, disposable environment, or when the project needs the same setup locally, on a server, and in CI. Cline's Kanban board also runs in a container on a server.
These are highlighted picks. To see all the tools, check the Containerization category.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cline Dev Stack
Can Cline keep working when my computer is off?
Not on Cline's own infrastructure: unlike Claude Code or Codex, it has no hosted cloud sessions and no mobile app. The closest thing is the headless CLI in GitHub Actions, which reviews pull requests or answers issues on a GitHub runner with your machine off. For interactive work away from the desk, the computer running Cline has to stay on and online, and you reach it through a messaging connector such as Telegram or Slack, or the Kanban board in a phone browser. Developers who want sessions running around the clock put the CLI on a VPS or home server, kept alive by tmux, or point Cline Desktop at that server over SSH.
Can I use my Claude or ChatGPT subscription instead of paying per token?
Yes, both. Cline can run on a Claude Pro or Max plan by calling the Claude Code CLI installed on the same machine, which spends that plan's limits instead of API credit, though streaming, image uploads, and prompt caching are limited in that mode. For GPT models it signs in with a ChatGPT account. Everything else goes through ClinePass for the open-weight models, Cline's own pay-as-you-go provider, or a key from any provider. A common split keeps a cheap open-weight model for Plan mode and routine edits and a subscription model for the hardest changes.
How does Cline compare to OpenCode?
Both are free, open-source, model-agnostic agents that run in the terminal and a desktop app, with a flat-rate plan for open-weight models: ClinePass at $9.99 a month and OpenCode Go at $10. Cline leans on human approval, with Plan mode and a confirmation at each step unless auto-approve is on. Cline can use an existing Claude Pro or Max plan, which OpenCode can't, and its desktop app does SSH remote development and scheduled tasks. OpenCode's desktop app has been out longer, runs on Linux, and has a built-in web interface for phones.
Is ClinePass enough, or should I pay per token?
ClinePass suits steady daily use of open-weight models: it gives two to five times what the same money buys at standard API rates, metered over a five-hour window, a week, and a month. When a limit runs out, you can switch to another provider until it resets. It doesn't cover Claude or GPT, so heavy use of those means an Anthropic or OpenAI bill or an existing subscription. Occasional use is often cheaper per token through Cline's own provider, a lab's API, or OpenRouter. The Pricing section has the current figures.
Is it safe to turn on auto-approve when Cline runs on a server?
Only with limits in place. Auto-approve lets Cline edit files and run commands without asking, which is what makes unattended runs and messaging connectors useful, and also what lets a mistaken command reach the whole machine. A messaging connector needs the most care: Cline's docs warn that by default anyone who finds the bot can have it run tasks on your machine, so limit it to your own account. The safer setups keep auto-approve for a disposable container or a dedicated server user and leave approval on for your own laptop.
Stacks Related to Cline Dev Stack
Scores
Popularity2/5
Cline is widely used as a VS Code extension, but its standalone CLI and desktop app are newer and far less adopted than the extension or than Claude Code and Codex.
Learning Curve3/5
A first task runs within minutes and the approval flow is easy to follow, but choosing models, a way to pay for them, and between the CLI, desktop app, and extension takes more setup than an agent with one vendor's model built in.
Flexibility5/5
Dozens of providers, local models, and existing Claude or ChatGPT plans, with a CLI, a desktop app, messaging connectors, plugins, MCP, and an SDK for building on the agent.
Performance3/5
Results track the chosen model, step-by-step approval slows unattended work, and the desktop app is an early release, with no hosted cloud to run tasks off the local machine.
Portability5/5
Apache-2.0 licensed, runs on any machine or server, keeps sessions locally, and every model underneath can move to another provider or to your own hardware.
Tools in the Cline Dev Stack Stack
Cline Dev Stack Pricing
Cline is free and open source, so the bill is the models. ClinePass covers the open-weight lineup for $9.99/month; otherwise each provider bills per token, or an existing Claude or ChatGPT plan covers those models. GLM's own Coding Plan starts at $18/month. OpenRouter adds 5.5% on credit purchases. GitHub or GitLab are free for individuals, and an optional server runs about €5.49–24/month.
Apache-2.0 CLI, desktop app, and VS Code extension; Enterprise (SSO, centralized billing) is priced on request.
ClinePass $9.99/mo for open-weight models; Cline's pay-as-you-go provider or any provider's API per token (GLM-5.3 $1.40/M input, DeepSeek V4.1-Flash from $0.15/M off-peak); GLM Coding Plan from $18/mo; existing Claude Pro/Max or ChatGPT plans also work.
Free tier covers individual devs; GitHub Team is $4/mo, GitLab Premium is $29/mo for more seats.
OpenRouter charges provider prices plus 5.5% on credit purchases; LiteLLM is free to self-host.
Tailscale's personal tier is free for up to 100 devices.
4 GB leaves room for builds next to the agent: about €5.49 at Hetzner, $6.49 intro at Hostinger ($11.99 renewal), $24 at DigitalOcean; or a Raspberry Pi as a one-time cost.