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Cline

AI coding agent that reads your project, edits code and runs commands to help build software.

AI Coding Tools4.4(0)Freemium
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What is Cline?

Cline is an AI coding agent that works inside your editor to understand project files, edit code across multiple files, run terminal commands and assist with software development tasks. It can plan changes, apply edits and execute commands with your approval, making it suited to feature work, refactoring and debugging. It is used as a VS Code extension with usage tied to your own model API keys.

How Cline works

Cline runs as a VS Code extension. You give it a task and it reads the relevant project files, proposes a plan, applies edits across files and can run terminal commands to test the result. You approve each step, and it uses your own model API keys for inference.

Cline use cases

  • Feature development

    Describe a feature and let the agent plan and apply edits across multiple files.

  • Refactoring

    Safely restructure code with the agent reading context across your project.

  • Debugging

    Run commands and inspect output to track down and fix issues faster.

  • Boilerplate and setup

    Generate scaffolding and configure tooling with approval-based command execution.

Best for

  • Developers
  • Engineers
  • Teams building software
  • Power users

Key features

  • Project-aware code edits
  • Multi-file changes
  • Terminal command execution
  • Plan-then-act workflow
  • Browser preview
  • Bring-your-own API key
  • MCP tool support

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Agentic multi-file editing
  • Can run and verify commands
  • Works with your own model keys
  • Transparent, approval-based actions

Cons

  • Requires your own model API keys (usage costs apply)
  • Needs review of agent-proposed changes
  • Less polished than full IDE products

Pricing

Pricing type: Freemium. A free plan is available. Always confirm current prices on the tool's own website.

PlanPriceNotes
Current pricingSee official websitePlans and prices change often - confirm on the vendor site.

Integrations and platforms

Platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux · API: Not available

VS CodeOpenAIAnthropicGoogleMCP

Cline frequently asked questions

Cline is an AI coding agent that runs as a VS Code extension, reads your project, edits code across files and runs terminal commands with your approval.

Cline itself is free to install, but it uses your own model API keys for inference, so you pay the model provider for usage. See the official website for details.

Copilot focuses on inline suggestions and chat, while Cline acts as an agent that plans changes, edits multiple files and runs commands to complete a task.

Cline works with API keys from providers such as OpenAI, Anthropic and Google. Confirm current supported providers on the official website.

Cursor is an AI-first code editor, GitHub Copilot offers inline suggestions and chat, Windsurf is an agentic editor from Codeium, and Aider is a terminal-based coding agent.

Try Cline

Check current plans and limits directly on the vendor site before you commit.

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