What is Cline? - Cline

Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that runs in your editor. It gives you direct, transparent access to frontier AI with no limits, no surprises, and no model ecosystem lock-in. See every decision. Choose any model. Control your costs.

<Tip> **New to coding agents?** Watch [What is a Coding Agent?](https://youtu.be/CYIteJeNcuw) to see how Cline works in action. </Tip>

Get Started

<Steps> <Step title="Install Cline"> Add Cline to VS Code, Cursor, or JetBrains from the extension marketplace; or download Cline CLI to work in the terminal.

[Install Guide →](/getting-started/installing-cline)

</Step> <Step title="Pick Your Model"> Connect your API key from Anthropic, OpenRouter, or any supported provider.

[Model Setup →](/getting-started/authorizing-with-cline)

</Step> <Step title="Start Building"> Open Cline from the sidebar and describe what you want to build.

[Your First Project →](/getting-started/your-first-project)

</Step> </Steps>

What Cline Can Do

Cline operates directly in your codebase with your permission:

Read and write files - Navigate your codebase, create new files, and make targeted edits. You approve every change before it happens.
Run terminal commands - Execute shell commands, run tests, install packages, and debug errors in real-time.
Use a browser - Launch a browser to test web apps, capture screenshots, and interact with pages.
Connect external tools - Extend capabilities with MCP servers for databases, APIs, and documentation.
Run from the command line - Use the Cline CLI for headless automation, CI/CD pipelines, and shell workflows.

Core Workflows

These are the patterns you'll use daily with Cline:

Workflow	What It Does
Plan & Act	Think first, then build. Plan mode explores your codebase without making changes. Act mode implements the solution.
Task Management	Start tasks, resume previous work, and manage long-running sessions.
Working with Files	Use @ mentions to reference files, folders, URLs, and terminal output in your prompts.
Commands	Keyboard shortcuts, slash commands, and terminal integration.
Checkpoints	Automatic snapshots of your project. Restore to any previous state instantly.

Why Cline

Transparent by default - Watch every file read, every decision considered, every token used. No black box.
Any model, any provider - Use Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, DeepSeek, or local models. Switch instantly as new models launch.
Zero trust architecture - Your code never touches our servers. Cline runs entirely client-side with your API keys.
Open source - Every line of code on GitHub. 50k+ stars from developers who use it daily.