Cline · Setup guide
How to set up Cline
Install Cline Desktop or the IDE extension, connect a model provider, open a safe folder, and start with a read-only explanation before allowing file edits. Includes Mac and Windows click-paths for the IDE extension.
Cline
editor plugin · checked October 2, 2026
The “Open Cline” link goes to the vendor site. It is not an affiliate-tracked link on this page — no commission is claimed for that click. Affiliate disclosure.
Before you begin
- VS Code, Cursor, or another supported editor already installed.
- For the separate Cline Desktop app, use macOS or Windows (Windows is currently beta).
- Check the current extension listing for its supported editor version; an old minimum does not establish compatibility with the latest release.
- An internet connection for the Marketplace download.
- A Cline account or your own model API key (Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, and others).
- A project folder you are allowed to experiment on.
Authentication
Cline Provider sign-in, ClinePass, or bring-your-own API key
Account: Cline account and/or a model provider API key
Choose usage-billed Cline Provider, $9.99/month ClinePass or your own provider/local runtime deliberately. Pass operational docs include GLM 5.3/Flash, Kimi K3, DeepSeek V4 Pro/V4.1 Flash, MiMo V2.5/Pro, MiniMax M3, Muse Spark 1.3 Contributor and current Qwen options. They deprecate GLM 5.2, Kimi K2.6/K2.7 Code and DeepSeek V4 Flash despite the marketing page still listing them. Check the operational menu/dashboard. No current $4.99 first-month offer is established. Local runtimes need no API key; confirm the configured endpoint and model. See https://docs.cline.bot/getting-started/clinepass.
Install or open it
1. Get the harness ready
These steps are written for beginners. On Mac, Terminal is the black/white text window where you type commands. On Windows, use PowerShell or Terminal. Use the OS tabs to hide steps that are not for your computer, then copy one command at a time.
- 01
Optional: use Cline Desktop instead of an editor extension
Cline also offers a native desktop app for macOS and Windows (Windows is in beta). Download it from the official Cline site, then choose a provider and model in the app. Skip this step if you want the IDE extension or CLI.
Installing Cline - 02
Open VS Code or Cursor
Launch the editor from Applications (Mac) or the Start menu (Windows). You need the editor open before you can install the Cline extension.
- 03
Open the Extensions panel
MacPress Command (⌘) + Shift + X, or click the Extensions icon (four squares) in the left activity bar. A search box appears at the top of the sidebar.
- 04
Open the Extensions panel
WindowsPress Ctrl + Shift + X, or click the Extensions icon in the left activity bar. A search box appears at the top of the sidebar.
- 05
Install Cline
Type Cline in the search box. Choose the official Cline extension (publisher Cline / saoudrizwan.claude-dev on VS Code Marketplace). Click Install. If the editor asks to trust or reload, allow it.
Installing Cline - 06
Optional: install the CLI too
For the separate CLI, use Node.js 22+ and confirm node --version. The install guide says 20+ with 22 recommended, while the CLI product page asks for 22+; choosing 22+ satisfies both. Skip this for the editor-only path.
bashnpm install -g clineYou should see: The installer finishes without an error. Open a new terminal before the verify step so PATH updates apply.
Cline CLIIf this fails
- The install command errors, or the next verify step says “command not found”. Re-run the official install command with network access, then open a brand-new terminal window before verifying.
- 07
Authenticate the CLI before first use
After a global CLI install, run cline auth (alias: cline a) and complete sign-in before sending tasks from the terminal.
bashcline authYou should see: The shell accepts the command with no error so the next step can use the credentials or provider.
Cline CLIIf this fails
- Auth fails, the key is rejected, or the provider list is empty. Confirm the key/account is active, that you pasted the whole value, and that you are using the shell syntax for your OS (export vs $env:).
- 08
Verify the CLI (optional)
Only if you installed the global CLI. Open a new terminal after npm install -g cline, then confirm the binary responds before the first task.
bashcline --versionYou should see: A version string. Open a new terminal if the command is missing.
Cline CLIIf this fails
- cline: command not found after npm install -g cline. Open a new terminal. Do not force sudo casually — fix npm’s global prefix to a user-owned directory, or use a Node version manager, then retry.
- 09
JetBrains path (Enterprise)
The pricing page lists JetBrains under Enterprise; the install docs describe Settings → Plugins → Marketplace → Cline, then View → Tool Windows → Cline. Confirm account eligibility before choosing it. The repository states that the JetBrains client is not currently open-sourced.
Cline JetBrains - 10
Optional: ACP editor bridge (advanced)
Some editors expose an Agent Client Protocol surface; Cline documents cline --acp for that path. Treat it as a low-priority advanced integration — the Marketplace extension is the default starting point.
Cline CLI
Repository or project
2. Start in the right place
Keep the first repository small, clean, and easy to roll back while you learn the harness’s permissions and context model.
- 01
Open your project folder
Use File → Open Folder and choose a disposable or non-production repository. Wait until the folder tree appears in the sidebar.
- 02
Open the Cline panel
Open Cline from the extension sidebar, then choose and authenticate the intended provider in Cline settings before the first task.
Authorizing with Cline
First run
Map the repo before edits
Use this task to test the workflow before handing over a larger repository or production responsibility.
- 01Ask Cline to explain the repository entry points and how to run tests — without editing files.
- 02Review every proposed tool use and deny shell commands you do not understand.
- 03Only after the explanation looks right, allow a documentation-only or test-only change on a new branch.
Why this is safe: Cline can run commands and edit files; the first task should prove you understand the approval loop before any broad rewrite.
Stop and review if
- Cline asks to run destructive git or filesystem commands on the first prompt.
- API keys or .env files appear in the proposed context without you intending it.
- You cannot see which files would change before approving.
The operating boundary
Privacy, data, and cost
The setup is incomplete until you know what the harness can see, what account pays for it, and who approves a risky action.
Privacy
BYOK and Cline-hosted provider routes have different data boundaries. Cline’s privacy notice says some model providers may train on content unless you opt out where offered. Check both Cline and the selected provider/model terms; free client licensing or a Pass subscription does not establish no training or retention. Muse Contributor has a different data-sharing boundary from a no-training route (https://cline.bot/privacy).
Training on code: tier dependent
Depends on Cline plan and the upstream model provider you connect.
Sensitive repos: Start with a sanitized clone and remove secrets. .clineignore is being deprecated and only filters automatic context; explicit mentions and shell commands can still access ignored files. It is not access control: https://docs.cline.bot/customization/clineignore.
Pricing
The open-source client is free; hosted Provider inference is pay-as-you-go. ClinePass is $9.99/month, with possible processing fees and a changing supported-model menu. BYOK follows provider billing; local inference has hardware/operation costs.
Model: hybrid
Watch out: Pass has rolling five-hour, calendar-week and calendar-month quotas. Published token rates are reference rates for measuring quota, not separate per-token Pass charges. The vendor’s 2–5x quota comparison is not a speed guarantee. Confirm the dashboard and operational docs rather than old promotions.
When setup goes wrong
The Cline icon never appears after install.
Reload the window (Command Palette → Developer: Reload Window). Confirm you installed the official Cline extension, not a similarly named fork.
Extension not found in Windsurf, VSCodium, or Open VSX.
Search for the same extension id (saoudrizwan.claude-dev) in your editor’s Marketplace or Open VSX registry. Feature parity with VS Code is not guaranteed.
Provider auth fails or every request 401s.
Re-open Cline settings, re-enter the key or re-authorize Cline Provider at app.cline.bot, and confirm the key has billing credits at the provider console.
Local Ollama or LM Studio never connects.
Confirm the intended local server is running at the configured endpoint and that its model supports the tool calls and context needed by this task. Set effective context within the runtime/model and memory limits; increasing it is not a universal fix.
Local models look “dumb,” skip tools, or refuse file edits.
Check the selected model’s tool-calling support, runtime configuration, effective context and memory budget with a small task. Continue also has agent workflows; the client’s name or a model’s parameter count does not prove why a tool call failed.
npm install -g cline fails with permission errors.
Use a supported Node.js 22+ installation and a user-owned npm global directory or version manager. Confirm npm’s reported install path and PATH rather than forcing a privileged install.
Next steps
After the first successful run
Keep the pilot small, then compare surfaces and budget before a team rollout.
Setup details change quickly. The page was checked October 2, 2026; use the official source below before installing in a managed or production environment.