Cline

One line: Cline (70k+ stars on GitHub) is an open-source coding agent for VS Code — it edits files, runs commands and browses the web for you, but asks for your approval at every step: more control than one-click generation, less typing than doing it all yourself.

What you get

• An always-visible AI pair programmer in the sidebar: Plan (design first) and Act (execute) modes
• Reads your project, edits multiple files, runs terminal commands, watches lint errors — every change arrives as a reviewable diff with a checkpoint you can roll back
• Bring your own model: Cline's cloud models, a ClinePass subscription, or your own Anthropic / OpenAI / OpenRouter / local Ollama key

Before you start (2 minutes)

• Visual Studio Code 1.101 or newer (hard requirement from the official VSIX; install VS Code first if you don't have it — that's the manual-route prerequisite)
• One model source: Cline cloud / ClinePass / your own key (any one of them)
• macOS, if you want the CLI route: run Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH from VS Code's Command Palette once
• Not needed: administrator rights, Docker, Node.js (the extension runs inside VS Code's bundled runtime)

Install

Route A: install with AiBOX (recommended)

1. Open AiBOX → app directory → Cline → Install
2. AiBOX downloads the official release VSIX (sha256-verified, CN traffic auto-uses the accelerated channel) and installs it through VS Code's own code --install-extension — the same channel the Marketplace uses, zero admin rights
3. The Cline icon appearing in the sidebar means it's installed

Route B: manual install (official channels)

• Marketplace: VS Code → Extensions (Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + X) → search Cline → Install

(direct page)

• CLI: code --install-extension saoudrizwan.claude-dev
• VSCodium / Windsurf install from Open VSX — same flow (official docs)
• Also available: a native desktop app (cline.bot/desktop) and a terminal CLI (npm i -g cline)

Configuration (pick a model source)

1. Click the Cline icon in the sidebar → API Configuration
2. Choose one:

• Cline Provider: official cloud models, pay-as-you-go — sign in and go
• ClinePass: flat monthly subscription
• Your own key: Anthropic / OpenAI / OpenRouter (paste the key), or Ollama for free local models

1. Put project-specific rules in a .clinerules file at your repo root (coding standards, build commands) — Cline picks it up automatically

Verification: what "works" looks like

1. The Cline panel opens and the model list loads in API Configuration
2. Open any small project and type "add unit tests for this function" → a Plan appears → you approve → edits start flowing
3. Every change shows as a diff; nothing lands until you Accept; the checkpoint control rolls back instantly
4. Optional terminal check:

code --list-extensions --show-versions | grep saoudrizwan
# should print something like [email protected]

FAQ

• code is not recognized: macOS — run the Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH command from

VS Code's Command Palette, then reopen your terminal; Windows — reinstall VS Code with "Add to PATH" checked

• Where do my keys live: inside VS Code's credential store (SecretStorage, OS-level encryption) — never in a plaintext config file
• Errors / quota: check the usage and error toasts inside the Cline panel; switching model or key usually fixes it
• Updates: click Update in the Extensions panel, or reinstall the newer VSIX through AiBOX (--force overwrites)
• Keep it on a leash: stay in Plan mode, or tighten the Auto-approve checkboxes while in Act mode

Uninstall

• Extensions panel → Cline → Uninstall (or code --uninstall-extension saoudrizwan.claude-dev)
• Leftovers: ~/.vscode/extensions/saoudrizwan.claude-dev-* (VSCodium: ~/.vscode-oss/extensions) —

delete only that subdirectory, never the whole extensions folder

• ⚠️ Task history, checkpoints and extension settings go with it, and stored keys are released — back up first if you need them

More: installing docs · Cline docs · cline rules