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Cline
Summary
Cline is an open-source VS Code agent that executes coding tasks with human approval at each step, supporting 30+ LLM providers including local models.
Cline runs as a VS Code extension that breaks down development tasks into discrete actions—file edits, terminal commands, web searches—and pauses for human review before executing each one. It sits in the autonomous coding space but inverts the typical risk model: instead of shipping opaque AI decisions, it trades speed for transparency and control. You can route requests through OpenAI, Claude, local Ollama instances, or any of dozens of other LLM providers; cost and quality depend entirely on which model you choose and how well you prompt it. The MIT license means no vendor lock-in. The catch is real: managing API keys across providers, tuning prompts to avoid wasted compute, and staying vigilant against hallucinations all fall on you.
Bottom line: *Use when auditability and control outweigh speed; avoid if you need a single unified bill or hands-off automation.*
Pricing Plans
Free- Free Tier
- Tool itself is free; costs only apply to LLM API calls you configure (e.g., Anthropic, OpenAI) or zero if using local models
Open Source
Full open-source tool with bring-your-own API keys or local models
- VS Code extension and CLI
- All core features (file editing, terminal, browser, MCP)
- Multi-provider support
- Local model support
- Plan/Act modes
View full pricing on cline.dev →
Pricing may have changed since last verified. Check the official site for current plans.
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Pros
Sign in to edit- Fully open-source with MIT license and zero vendor lock-in
- Supports 30+ LLM providers including local models (Ollama, LM Studio)
- Human-in-the-loop design gives explicit control over each action
- Integrates seamlessly with developer tools via MCP extensibility
- Works across multiple IDEs and editors (VS Code, JetBrains, Zed, Neovim)
Cons
Sign in to edit- Requires managing separate API keys and billing for each LLM provider
- Quality and cost of results heavily dependent on underlying LLM model choice
- Requires developer oversight and effective prompting to avoid inefficiencies or errors
About
- Platforms
- VS Code, JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm), Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, Neovim, CLI (macOS/Linux), VSCodium
- Languages
- TypeScript (codebase)supports any language via LLM backend
- API Available
- Yes
- Self-Hosted
- Yes
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-07T13:16:17.147Z
Best For
Who it's for
- Individual developers in VS Code wanting autonomous task execution
- Teams needing transparent, auditable AI-assisted coding workflows
- Developers requiring local-model or self-hosted LLM support
- CI/CD automation and programmatic code reviews
- Complex multi-file refactoring requiring planning and verification
What it does well
- Multi-file code refactoring and architectural improvements
- Feature development with iterative refinement and testing
- Bug fixing with automatic error detection and correction
- Codebase migration and modernization tasks
- API integration and database schema updates
Integrations
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Sign Up to ContributeFrequently Asked Questions
- Is Cline free?
- Yes — Cline is fully free to use. There is no paid tier.
- Is Cline open source?
- Yes. Cline is open source — the source repository is at https://github.com/cline/cline.
- Does Cline have an API?
- Yes. Cline exposes a developer API. See the official documentation at https://cline.dev for details.
- Can I self-host Cline?
- Yes. Cline supports self-hosting on your own infrastructure.
- When was Cline released?
- Cline was first released in 2024.
- What platforms does Cline support?
- Cline is available on: VS Code, JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm), Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, Neovim, CLI (macOS/Linux), VSCodium.
Curated lists that include this category
Cline is an open-source VS Code agent that executes coding tasks with human approval at each step, supporting 30+ LLM providers including local models.
Cline runs as a VS Code extension that breaks down development tasks into discrete actions—file edits, terminal commands, web searches—and pauses for human review before executing each one. It sits in the autonomous coding space but inverts the typical risk model: instead of shipping opaque AI decisions, it trades speed for transparency and control. You can route requests through OpenAI, Claude, local Ollama instances, or any of dozens of other LLM providers; cost and quality depend entirely on which model you choose and how well you prompt it. The MIT license means no vendor lock-in. The catch is real: managing API keys across providers, tuning prompts to avoid wasted compute, and staying vigilant against hallucinations all fall on you.
*Use when auditability and control outweigh speed; avoid if you need a single unified bill or hands-off automation.*