AI ERP with agents inside the systems you run
AI phone and voice agents for real calls
LLM.coPrivate, self-hosted LLM deployments
Legal AI infrastructure for firms
AI RFP discovery and response drafting
Automatic.coBusiness process automation
CyberAttack.aiThreat detection and defense
Secure AI virtual data roomscline
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent available as a CLI tool, VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, and SDK. It automates code editing, command execution, and project planning with support for multiple AI providers and extensibility via plugins and MCP servers.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | cline/cline |
| Owner | cline |
| Primary language | TypeScript |
| License | Apache-2.0 — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 64.4k |
| Forks | 6.9k |
| Open issues | 1.2k |
| Latest release | cli-v3.0.38 (2026-07-07) |
| Last updated | 2026-07-08 |
| Source | https://github.com/cline/cline |
What cline is
TypeScript-based autonomous agent framework featuring multi-model support (Claude, GPT, Gemini, etc.), real-time code diff tracking, bash command execution with output monitoring, plugin/MCP server extensibility, and multi-agent coordination. Provides both interactive and headless modes for CI/CD integration.
Get the cline source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/cline/cline.gitcd cline# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Requires API key configuration for at least one AI provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, or self-hosted) before first use.
- Project-specific rules via `.clinerules` files enable guided behavior, but setup requires clear documentation of coding standards and architecture.
- Approval workflows (Plan → Act mode, auto-approve toggle) must align with team risk tolerance and code review processes.
- Multi-agent setups and scheduled automation add operational complexity; monitor agent state and logs for unexpected behavior.
- MCP server setup and custom plugin development require TypeScript and familiarity with the Cline SDK API surface.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- Offline-Only Requirements — Cline requires API access to external AI providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, etc.) or a local model setup (Ollama/LM Studio). No built-in model included.
- Black-Box Deployment Need — Cline requires human approval for file edits and commands by default. If fully autonomous operation without review is required, extensive configuration is needed.
- Non-JavaScript Ecosystem Lock-In — SDK and CLI are TypeScript/Node.js. Extensions exist for VS Code and JetBrains, but custom integrations demand JavaScript/TS investment.
- Mission-Critical Zero-Error Tolerance — Agent output quality depends on model choice and prompt clarity. No formal guarantees on correctness; human review is essential for production code.
License & commercial use
Licensed under Apache License 2.0 (Apache-2.0), an OSI-approved permissive license permitting commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution and liability disclaimer.
Apache-2.0 is a permissive OSI license that permits commercial use without restriction. However, commercial deployment should account for: (1) API costs for external AI providers (not covered by Cline's license), (2) dependency licenses (SDK pulls in transitive deps; review required), (3) no warranty or liability from Cline authors (Apache-2.0 provides no indemnification). Verify all dependencies' commercial compatibility.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Moderate |
| DEV.co fit | Strong |
| Assessment confidence | High |
API key management required for external providers; no guidance visible on secure credential handling. Approval workflows (default-on) mitigate autonomous code execution risk. Terminal command execution is real-time; consider sandbox isolation in untrusted environments. MCP servers and plugins execute custom code; vet third-party extensions. No formal security audit, vulnerability disclosure policy, or penetration test data visible.
Alternatives to consider
GitHub Copilot / Copilot Workspace
Proprietary, integrated with GitHub, model locked to GPT-4. Simpler onboarding but less control and higher vendor lock-in.
Cursor IDE
Closed-source AI code editor with native Claude integration. Familiar UX but not extensible and limited to Cursor's environment.
Aider
Open-source CLI agent (Python-based) for code editing and git workflows. Lighter weight but narrower scope (no IDE extensions, limited multi-agent support).
Build on cline with DEV.co software developers
Explore Cline's SDK, IDE extensions, and headless CLI to automate code generation, testing, and deployment. Start with npm install or review docs.cline.bot.
Talk to DEV.coRelated open-source tools
Surfaced by semantic similarity across the DEV.co open-source index.
Related on DEV.co
Explore the category and the services that help you build with it.
cline FAQ
Can Cline work offline?
Does Cline ship with a built-in model?
Can I use Cline in production CI/CD without human approval?
Is there a commercial or enterprise license?
Custom software development services
Need help beyond evaluating cline? DEV.co is a software development agency building custom software, web applications, APIs, and ai coding agents integrations — and maintaining them long-term.
Build AI-Powered Development Workflows
Explore Cline's SDK, IDE extensions, and headless CLI to automate code generation, testing, and deployment. Start with npm install or review docs.cline.bot.