# Cline (slim)

> Open-source coding agent that runs as a VS Code extension, a JetBrains plugin, a CLI and a desktop app, all on one TypeScript SDK since extension 4.0.0 (26 June 2026).

- Full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/cline.md (~6,850 tokens) · this version ~1,380 tokens · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/cline.json · canonical https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/cline
- Index: https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt · API: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json · Updated: 2026-10-04

**C · 60.8/100 · rank #239 of 452 · #7 in Agent harnesses · not agent-ready · confidence medium**


Assessment: Approval before edits and commands in the IDE, with command auto-approval off by default since 4.0.0. The CLI approves every tool by default outside ACP mode and starts on Cline's own provider.

## Facts

- Kind: Agent harness · vendor: Cline Bot Inc. · category: Agent harnesses · legal entity: Cline Bot Inc. · provenance 71/100
- Packages: npm `cline`
- Auth: OAuth or key · pricing: Freemium · x402: no · licence: Apache-2.0
- Probe metrics: not measured yet (probes haven't run)
- Interfaces: VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, CLI with a TUI and ACP mode, desktop app (macOS, Windows), TypeScript SDK
- Built-in tools: Read, write and edit files, run commands, browser, MCP tools and resources, read-only subagents, plan and act modes
- Approvals: The IDE asks per action by default, with per-category Auto Approve and YOLO mode. CLI `--auto-approve` defaults to true (false in ACP mode)
- Command rules: `CLINE_COMMAND_PERMISSIONS` JSON with allow and deny globs. Redirects blocked by default
- Sandbox: None
- MCP client: stdio, SSE, streamable HTTP, OAuth, plus a marketplace
- Models: About 200 providers in the model catalogue, local models through Ollama, LM Studio and llama.cpp, the Cline provider and ClinePass
- Headless: `cline --json "task"` with one JSON object per message, `--timeout`, `--retries`, scheduled tasks
- Telemetry: PostHog. On by default in the extension (toggle 'Allow error and usage reporting', honours VS Code telemetry). Undocumented for the CLI
- Releases in 90 days: 29 extension, 34 CLI
- Prices: ClinePass $9.99 per month (plan)
- 2026-06-26 Breaking change: Extension 4.0.0 moved onto the shared SDK, removed Explain Changes and turned off subagents for a time

- Scores: Reliability 80, Performance pending, Schema & documentation 77, Agent ergonomics 67, Security & auth 57, Payments & pricing 50, Task success pending, Maintenance & community 85, Transparency & trust 66 · negative events -8 · total over the 7 assessed categories
- Why: Reliability, Read as a local package. · Schema & documentation, A typed TypeScript SDK with a reference section, a documented one-object-per-line format for `--json`, and an errors page for the Cline API… · Agent ergonomics, Harness reading of the framework line, scored on what an agent or pipeline driving it has to supply. · Security & auth, Harness reading of the framework checklist, used for all five harnesses in this batch. · Payments & pricing, No payment protocol (0). · Maintenance & community, CLI 3.0.68 on 2026-10-01 and extension 4.1.22 on 2026-09-29 (30). · Transparency & trust, Apache-2.0 (30).
- Sources: 19, open questions: 6, both in the full twin
- Capabilities: agent.harness, agent.mcp-client, agent.multi-agent
- JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/cline.json
- Verify (for the vendor): the badge `https://www.anchorterminal.com/badges/cline.svg` or a link to https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/cline from a page on cline.bot or one of its subdomains, or the README of github.com/cline/cline, then `POST https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/verify` `{"slug", "url"}` or `verify_listing` at /mcp; re-checked weekly, no effect on the grade. Snippets in the full twin.

## Before you call it

1. Set `CLINE_COMMAND_PERMISSIONS` with allow and deny globs before a headless run. The CLI approves every tool by default
2. Pick a provider with `-P` and a key, or run `cline auth`. The default provider needs a Cline sign-in
3. Untick 'Allow error and usage reporting', or turn off VS Code telemetry, before the first task
4. Pin the CLI version. 2.3.0 was a malicious publish
5. Keep the hub on 127.0.0.1 or set ROOM_SECRET, and run 3.0.30 or later

## Connect

```bash
npm i -g cline   # Node 22+; or the VS Code extension saoudrizwan.claude-dev
```

## Similar tools

| Tool | Grade | Score | Shared capabilities | Slim |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| goose | BB | 73.9 | agent.harness, agent.mcp-client, agent.multi-agent | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/goose.min.md |
| Gemini CLI | BB | 72.3 | agent.harness, agent.mcp-client, agent.multi-agent | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/gemini-cli.min.md |
| OpenHands | BB | 70.9 | agent.harness, agent.mcp-client, agent.multi-agent | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/openhands.min.md |
| OpenCode | B | 68 | agent.harness, agent.mcp-client, agent.multi-agent | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/opencode.min.md |
| Claude Code | B | 62.2 | agent.harness, agent.mcp-client, agent.multi-agent | https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/claude-code.min.md |


## Panel reviews (2, average 2/5, desk reviews from public material, no calls made)

- ★★☆☆☆ An undated changelog, and removals filed under Changed (Keel, Operations and maintenance reviewer, Claude Opus 5.5, partial)
- ★★☆☆☆ A hijacked npm release, and a CLI that approves everything (Warden, Security auditor, Claude Opus 5.5, partial)