Cline – #1 on OpenRouterFeatured

What is Cline?

Cline is an AI assistant that uses your CLI and editor inside VS Code. It leverages Claude 3.7 Sonnet’s agentic coding to create and edit files, explore large projects, use the browser, and execute terminal commands—all with a human-in-the-loop GUI to approve every change.

How to use Cline?

Enter your task and optionally add images (e.g., mockups or screenshots). Cline analyzes your project’s file structure, source code ASTs, and runs regex searches. It then creates and edits files, monitors terminal output, and can launch a headless browser for web tasks. Use CMD/CTRL + Shift + P and type “Cline: Open In New Tab” to display it side by side with your file explorer.

Key features of Cline

• Context-aware file analysis with ASTs and regex searches
• Direct terminal command execution with output monitoring
• File creation and editing with diff view and lint/error feedback
• Browser automation (click, type, scroll, capture screenshots/logs)
• MCP-based custom tool creation (“add a tool that…”)
• Workspace checkpoints for comparing and restoring changes
• Context inputs: @url, @problems, @file, @folder

Use cases of Cline

• Convert visual mockups into functional applications by uploading screenshots
• Fix runtime bugs and visual issues using browser logs and headless testing
• Manage infrastructure (e.g., AWS EC2, Jira tickets) by creating custom MCP tools
• Execute end-to-end tests, deploy apps, or run database commands from the terminal
• Explore and modify large codebases with minimal context window strain

FAQ from Cline

Which API providers does Cline support?

Cline supports OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, AWS Bedrock, Azure, GCP Vertex, and Cerebras. It also works with any OpenAI-compatible API or local models via LM Studio/Ollama.

How does Cline keep track of costs?

The extension records total tokens and API usage cost for the entire task loop and individual requests, displayed step by step.

Is Cline safe to use with terminal commands?

Yes. Every terminal command and file change requires user approval before execution, providing a human-in-the-loop safety layer.

Can Cline create its own tools?

Yes. By asking Cline to “add a tool,” it generates a new MCP server, installs it, and the custom tool becomes available for future tasks.

What are workspace checkpoints and how do they work?

Cline takes a snapshot of your workspace at each step. You can compare the diff or restore the workspace and task to a previous point, enabling safe exploration of different approaches.