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Apache-2.0 · Agents

Cline

Open-source autonomous coding agent for VS Code that creates and edits files, executes commands, and uses a browser — all with human approval at every step.

GitHub Open repository
59K stars 5.1K forks Apache-2.0 license 2026-06-04 verified
bash
$Open VS Code → Extensions → Search 'Cline' → Install
Open sourceMCP
Overview

What is Cline?

Cline is an open-source autonomous coding agent that runs as a VS Code extension with 5M+ installs and 58K+ GitHub stars. It can create and edit files, execute terminal commands, use a headless browser for testing, and integrate with MCP tools. Every action requires human approval, keeping developers in control while automating complex development workflows.

Human-in-the-loop design

Every file edit, terminal command, and browser action requires explicit human approval with visible diff previews before execution.

Developers maintain full control and audit trail over AI actions, making Cline suitable for production codebases where mistakes are costly.

Plan/Act mode separation

Cline separates planning from execution — Plan mode researches and proposes changes, Act mode executes with approval. This reduces errors and keeps the developer in the loop.

Planning before acting prevents the agent from making premature or incorrect changes, especially on complex multi-file tasks.

Browser automation built in

Cline can launch a headless browser to test web applications, capture screenshots, verify UI changes, and debug frontend issues.

Full-stack developers can test visual changes without leaving their editor, closing the loop between code and verification.

MCP marketplace

Access a growing marketplace of Model Context Protocol servers for custom tools, integrations, and extended capabilities.

Teams can extend Cline with custom MCP servers for their specific stack without modifying the core agent.
Install

One command to start

$ Open VS Code → Extensions → Search 'Cline' → Install
Use cases

What teams use it for

Multi-file refactoring with safety

Use Cline's Plan mode to research architecture and propose changes, then Act mode to execute with per-file approval.

Visual UI testing and debugging

Ask Cline to launch a browser, navigate to your app, and verify that UI changes look correct after code edits.

Onboarding and codebase exploration

Let Cline read and explain unfamiliar codebases, then make targeted improvements with full approval control.

Ecosystem

Tags & capabilities

agentopen sourcemcpbrowser automationworkflow orchestrationopen sourcemcp compatible
Integrations
agentsmodels
Comparison

How it stacks up

Choose Cline for governance and control

vs Claude Code

Cline offers step-by-step approval, browser automation, and a rich MCP marketplace. Claude Code has deeper codebase reasoning but less granular action control.

FAQ

Questions

What should I check before using Cline?

Start with one safe workflow for Cline. Inspect official setup instructions, required credentials, execution logs, approval points, and failure recovery before expanding from a sandbox task into production automation.

Is Cline open source?

Cline is listed with Apache-2.0 based on the official source links in this profile. Re-check the repository, model card, or docs before production use.

Who should evaluate Cline?

Cline is most worth evaluating for developers who want step-by-step approval control over AI coding actions.

What editors does Cline support?

Cline started as a VS Code extension and has since expanded to support JetBrains, Cursor, Windsurf, Zed, Neovim, and a preview CLI.