Cline is an open-source coding agent that reads a project's structure, makes coordinated multi-file edits, and runs terminal commands, reacting to linter, compiler, and command output as it works. One agent engine sits behind a VS Code extension, a JetBrains plugin, a CLI with interactive and headless modes, a native desktop app for macOS and Windows, and a Node.js SDK.
Work follows a Plan and Act split. In Plan mode the agent explores the codebase, asks clarifying questions, and proposes a strategy. In Act mode it carries out the plan, with every file edit and command requiring approval unless auto-approve is switched on. In the editors each change appears as a diff that can be reviewed, modified, or reverted, with checkpoints along the way.
Project rules in .clinerules files carry coding standards, architecture, and deployment conventions, and skills let the model load specific rules when needed. Through the SDK, plugins register custom tools and lifecycle hooks, and MCP servers connect the agent to databases, APIs, and infrastructure.
Beyond the editor, a coordinator agent can split work among specialist agents whose team state persists across sessions, agents can run on cron schedules, and conversations can come in from Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, WhatsApp, or Linear. The headless CLI pipes input and emits JSON for scripts and CI pipelines.
| Provider | Models |
|---|---|
| Anthropic | Claude Opus, Sonnet, Haiku |
| OpenAI | GPT series |
| Gemini series | |
| OpenRouter | 200+ models |
| Vercel AI Gateway | Many providers through one gateway |
| AWS Bedrock | Claude, Llama, and others |
| Azure, GCP Vertex | Hosted models |
| Cerebras, Groq | Fast inference models |
| Ollama, LM Studio | Local models |
| OpenAI-compatible API | Self-hosted or third-party endpoints |
Features
- Multi-file edits: coordinated changes that fix missing imports, type mismatches, and syntax errors from linter and compiler feedback
- Terminal commands: runs builds, tests, and deploys, and keeps watching long-running processes such as dev servers
- Plan and Act: a planning mode for strategy and an execution mode with per-step approval or auto-approve
- Diffs and checkpoints: every edit can be reviewed, modified, or reverted
- Rules and skills: project rule files picked up by the CLI and both editor plugins
- SDK plugins: custom tools and lifecycle hooks for logging, auditing, and policy enforcement
- MCP servers: connects to databases, APIs, and cloud infrastructure through MCP
- Multi-agent teams: a coordinator delegates subtasks to specialists, with team state kept across sessions
- Scheduled agents: cron-scheduled runs for PR summaries, dependency checks, and health reports
- Messaging connectors: Telegram, Slack, Discord, Google Chat, WhatsApp, and Linear, with access control
- Headless CLI: piped input and JSON output for scripting and CI/CD
