Cline
FreemiumThe Open Coding Agent.
Published 27 September 2026
Scores
Popularity4/5
66K+ GitHub stars and 8M+ installs make it one of the largest independent (non single-vendor) coding agents, though still behind OpenCode's scale and well behind GitHub Copilot's installed base.
Learning Curve2/5
Installs as a familiar VS Code sidebar extension and the Plan/Act toggle maps to an intuitive review-then-execute mental model; getting productive requires only an API key.
Flexibility5/5
Bring-your-own-key across 10+ providers, `.clinerules` customization, MCP support, and an SDK for embedding agent behavior into other workflows give it very open-ended extensibility.
Performance4/5
Output quality tracks the underlying model selected rather than a fixed baseline, and the default step-by-step approval workflow favors accuracy and reviewability over raw autonomous throughput compared to fully autonomous cloud agents.
Portability5/5
Apache-2.0 licensed, model-agnostic, and available across VS Code, JetBrains, Cursor, Windsurf, and a standalone CLI — no single-editor or single-provider lock-in.
About Cline
Cline is an open-source, Apache-2.0-licensed autonomous coding agent that began as a VS Code sidebar extension (originally shipped as "Claude Dev") and has grown into one of the most widely used open-source coding agents. It reads and writes project files, executes terminal commands with live output, and uses the browser for research, with full visibility into every action and configurable human approval at each step.
Its defining workflow is the Plan/Act toggle: Plan mode analyzes a request and proposes an approach without touching any files, and Act mode then executes it, editing code, running commands, and completing multi-step tasks. Custom behavior can be defined via .clinerules files, and the project has expanded into multi-agent coordination, cron-scheduled tasks, and integrations with Slack, Linear, Discord, Telegram, and CI/CD pipelines through an SDK and MCP support.
Cline is model-agnostic and bring-your-own-key by design, connecting to Claude, GPT, Gemini, Ollama, and 10+ other providers. Beyond the original VS Code extension, it runs inside Cursor and Windsurf and as a cross-platform CLI for macOS, Windows, and Linux. For developers who don't want to manage provider billing, the optional ClinePass subscription ($9.99/month) gives a flat-rate allotment of usage on popular open-weight models, and an Enterprise plan adds a JetBrains extension, SSO, centralized billing, role-based access, and audit logs.
Key Features
- Plan/Act workflow — propose an approach with no file changes, then execute it
- Multi-file edits with coordinated changes across a project
- Terminal command execution with live output the agent reacts to
- Browser use for research and verification
- Custom rules and skills via `.clinerules` files
- Model-agnostic, bring-your-own-key across Claude, GPT, Gemini, Ollama, and 10+ providers
- Multi-agent coordination, cron scheduling, and CI/CD/Slack/Linear/Discord integrations via SDK and MCP
- VS Code extension, CLI, and embeddable SDK, plus a JetBrains extension on Enterprise
Pros
- Step-by-step human approval by default gives high visibility and control over agent actions
- Model-agnostic BYOK design avoids lock-in to a single provider's pricing or roadmap
- Large, mature open-source community with an active plugin and SDK ecosystem
- Optional ClinePass gives a predictable flat-rate option without forcing it on every user
- Wide editor reach: VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, and the CLI, with JetBrains on Enterprise
Cons
- No bundled subscription covers premium closed models — usage-based inference cost still applies for most providers and can reach $100+/month for heavy use
- Step-by-step approval, while safer, is slower for developers who want a fully autonomous cloud-agent workflow
- JetBrains support is limited to the Enterprise plan
- Younger CLI/SDK surfaces than the original extension, so parity across platforms is still catching up
Cline Pricing
Freemium- · Free, open-source agent — bring your own API key for any supported provider
- · Usage-based inference cost depends on the provider and model chosen
- · Optional flat-rate subscription for popular open-weight models
- · 2-5x the usage of standard API-rate pricing on included models
- · Not required to use Cline; works alongside any other provider
- · JetBrains extension, SSO/OIDC, and centralized billing
- · Team management, role-based access, and audit logs
- · Contact sales for pricing
Tech Stacks with Cline
VS Code AI Dev Stack
DeveloperVS Code as the editor, with your choice of AI extension (GitHub Copilot by default, or Cline, Kilo Code, Claude Code, or Codex) and your pick of GitHub or GitLab for version control.
Development
Tools Related to Cline
Works well with Cline(3)
OpenRouter is a first-class provider in Cline's settings, with a dedicated docs page and provider dropdown entry.
Cline documents DeepSeek as one of its cloud providers with dedicated setup docs.
Cline documents Alibaba Qwen among its cloud providers, via the Model Studio endpoint.
Integrates with Cline(1)
Cline is published and maintained as an official extension on the Visual Studio Code Marketplace — its original and still-primary distribution surface, providing the full sidebar agent UI, Plan/Act workflow, and file/terminal access inside the editor.
Alternatives to Cline(12)
Cline is an open-source, bring-your-own-key coding agent that started as a VS Code extension; Claude Code is Anthropic's terminal-first agentic CLI — both are frequently compared by developers choosing between an open, model-agnostic agent and a first-party single-vendor one.
Cline bolts an open-source, bring-your-own-key agent onto an existing editor (primarily VS Code); Cursor is a dedicated, proprietary AI-first IDE forked from VS Code — a common comparison for developers deciding between staying in their current editor or switching to an AI-native fork.
Cline and OpenCode are the two largest independent, open-source, model-agnostic coding agents in the subcategory — Cline is VS-Code-extension-first with a distinctive Plan/Act approval workflow, while OpenCode is terminal-first with broader native multi-editor/desktop reach.
Cline is an open-source bring-your-own-key agent for VS Code and the CLI; ZCode is Z.ai's free desktop agent built around its own GLM models. Cline wins on model choice, ZCode on zero cost with GLM bundled.
Cline and Kilo Code are both open-source, model-agnostic agents that started as VS Code extensions and now span CLI/JetBrains too — Cline is built around a simpler Plan/Act approval loop, while Kilo differentiates with an Orchestrator mode, cloud agents, and zero-markup Gateway pricing.
Cline is an open-source, bring-your-own-key VS Code extension with a small, community-run team; GitHub Copilot is GitHub's proprietary, natively-integrated assistant with the largest installed base in the category — alternatives representing opposite ends of the openness/scale trade-off.
Learning Resources
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