Cline
Open-source autonomous AI coding agent for VS Code with plan-and-act workflows
Our Review
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that runs as a VS Code extension. It offers plan-and-act workflows: you can analyze requests and propose approaches without modifying files, or execute changes with explicit approval at each step. That makes it well-suited to teams who want agentic automation but need guardrails against unintended edits.
Strengths: Cline reads codebases, edits files, runs terminal commands, and can automate browser interactions. It supports any LLM provider—Claude, GPT, Gemini, Bedrock, Azure, Ollama, LM Studio—so you are not locked into one vendor. MCP support lets you plug in custom tools. Checkpoints allow snapshot and restore, and the Apache 2.0 license keeps it free and self-hostable.
Tradeoffs: You manage API keys and pay for model usage yourself. Agent workflows require approval at each step, which can slow down rapid iteration if you prefer a more hands-off mode. There is no built-in SSO or enterprise billing; it is built for individual and small teams.
Best for: Developers who want open-source agent automation in VS Code, need multi-model flexibility, or prefer local or BYO model options for privacy.
Final verdict: Cline is a strong open-source alternative to Cursor or Claude Code for VS Code users who value control, plan-before-act workflows, and no vendor lock-in. Compare with Continue or Cursor depending on whether you need agentic automation or simpler completion and chat.
Review updated February 28, 2026.
About
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that runs as a VS Code extension. Originally released as Claude Dev, it reads codebases, creates and edits files, runs terminal commands, and can automate browser interactions with user approval at each step. Cline supports plan mode for analysis without changes and act mode for executing edits. It works with any LLM provider including Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, Google Gemini, AWS Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, and local models via Ollama or LM Studio, with deep MCP support for custom tools.
Key Features
- ✓Plan mode: analyze requests and propose approaches without modifying files
- ✓Act mode: execute changes with approval to prevent unintended rewrites
- ✓Reads codebase, edits files, runs terminal commands, automates browser
- ✓Multi-model support: Claude, GPT, Gemini, Bedrock, Azure, Ollama, LM Studio
- ✓MCP support for custom tools and context injection
- ✓Checkpoints for snapshot and restore
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Open-source with no license cost
- Free tier available
- Open-source and self-hostable
Cons
- Pricing and limits vary by plan
- Vendor-specific limitations may apply
Use Cases
- →Autonomous coding with approval gates at each step
- →Planning refactors before applying changes
- →Multi-file editing with terminal and browser automation
- →Using local or self-hosted models for privacy
Technical Details
Languages
AI Models
Integrations
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cline?
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that runs as a VS Code extension. Originally released as Claude Dev, it reads codebases, creates and edits files, runs terminal commands, and can automate browser interactions with user approval at each step. Cline supports plan mode for analysis without changes and act mode for executing edits. It works with any LLM provider including Anthropic Claude, OpenAI, Google Gemini, AWS Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, and local models via Ollama or LM Studio, with deep MCP support for custom tools.
Is Cline free?
Yes, Cline is open source and free to use. Apache 2.0 licensed, BYO API keys for any supported LLM, Plan and Act modes
What programming languages does Cline support?
Cline supports 1+ programming languages including All languages supported by chosen model.
What AI models does Cline use?
Cline is powered by Claude, GPT, Gemini, AWS Bedrock, Azure OpenAI, Ollama, LM Studio, Any OpenAI-compatible API.
What platforms does Cline support?
Cline is available on macOS, Linux, Windows.
What can Cline do?
Cline provides code completion, code generation, debugging, AI chat, agentic/autonomous mode. Key features include: Plan mode: analyze requests and propose approaches without modifying files, Act mode: execute changes with approval to prevent unintended rewrites, Reads codebase, edits files, runs terminal commands, automates browser.
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Pricing and features change frequently—confirm on the vendor site.
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Pricing
Free (Open Source)
$0
- Apache 2.0 licensed
- BYO API keys for any supported LLM
- Plan and Act modes
- MCP support
- Checkpoints and auto-approve for read-only ops
Company
- Name
- Cline (open source)
- Founded
- 2024
- Location
Links
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