Cline · Setup guide
How to set up Cline
Install Cline in VS Code (or Cursor), 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 people who have never installed an extension.
Cline
editor plugin · checked August 9, 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.
- The VS Code Marketplace listing often requires a recent VS Code or Cursor build (commonly 1.101+; check the extension page before installing on older editors).
- 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
Sign in at app.cline.bot for Cline Provider billing, or bring your own API keys. Cline may offer free or trial models on the Provider path — confirm what is live before relying on it. ClinePass is a flat pass (~$9.99/mo, with a $4.99 first-month promo) with a rotating model menu — check the live ClinePass model list; third-party families such as GLM, Kimi, DeepSeek, or Qwen-class models may appear. For local inference, point Cline at Ollama (default http://127.0.0.1:11434) or LM Studio (default http://127.0.0.1:1234). Pay-as-you-go Provider, flat ClinePass, and BYOK are different billing paths — pick one deliberately before sending private code.
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
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.
- 02
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.
- 03
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.
- 04
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 - 05
Optional: install the CLI too
If you also want Cline in the terminal, open Terminal, confirm Node.js 20+ with node --version (Cline docs often recommend Node 22 for the CLI). Skip this if you only want the editor panel.
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.
- 06
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:).
- 07
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.
- 08
JetBrains path (optional)
In IntelliJ/PyCharm: Settings → Plugins → Marketplace → search Cline (plugin id 28247-cline). After install, open Tool Windows → Cline. Feature depth can differ from VS Code.
Cline JetBrains - 09
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
Click the Cline icon in the activity bar, or open the Command Palette (⌘/Ctrl + Shift + P) and run “Cline: Open In New Tab”. Complete provider setup 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
Cline does not train its own models on your code. BYOK sends prompts to your provider; Cline-hosted keys pass through Cline to providers that may train unless you opt out there.
Training on code: no
Depends on Cline plan and the upstream model provider you connect.
Sensitive repos: Start with a sanitized clone, add .clineignore / ignore patterns for secrets, and do not paste production credentials into chat.
Pricing
Cline Provider is pay-as-you-go; ClinePass is about $9.99/mo (often $4.99 for the first month — confirm live) with a rotating model list; BYOK bills your provider only. The extension itself is free.
Model: hybrid
Watch out: Long agent loops and large context windows can spend far more than the first prompt suggests — Pass is not unlimited.
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.
Start ollama serve (port 11434) or LM Studio’s local server (port 1234), confirm the base URL in Cline settings, and raise context length for agent loops (often 16–32k+).
Local models look “dumb,” skip tools, or refuse file edits.
Most agent loops need a long context (often 16–32k+). Raise Ollama num_ctx (or LM Studio equivalent) and confirm you installed an agent (Cline/Kilo), not chat-only autocomplete (Continue). Small 7B scaffolds often fail tool chains that frontier models hide.
npm install -g cline fails with permission errors.
Do not force sudo casually. Fix npm’s global prefix to a user-owned directory, or use a Node version manager (Node 22 is often recommended for the CLI), then retry.
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 August 9, 2026; use the official source below before installing in a managed or production environment.