cline/docs/cline-cli/installation.mdx

---
title: "Installation & Setup"
description: "Install Cline CLI on macOS, Linux, or Windows and configure your AI provider"
---

Cline CLI brings the full power of Cline to your terminal. In just a few minutes, you can install the CLI, authenticate with your preferred AI provider, and start running tasks from any directory on your machine.

## Prerequisites

Cline CLI requires **Node.js version 20 or higher**. We recommend Node.js 22 for the best experience.

Check your Node.js version:

```bash
node --version
```

If you need to install or update Node.js, visit [nodejs.org](https://nodejs.org) or use a version manager like [nvm](https://github.com/nvm-sh/nvm).

## Install Cline CLI

Install globally via npm:

```bash
npm install -g cline
```

Verify the installation:

```bash
cline version
```

<Tip>
To install a specific version, use `npm install -g cline@2.0.0`. Check [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/cline) for available versions.
</Tip>

## Authenticate

After installation, run the authentication wizard:

```bash
cline auth
```

This launches an interactive wizard with multiple options. Choose the method that works best for your workflow.

### Option 1: Sign in with Cline (Recommended)

Select **"Sign in with Cline"** to authenticate with your Cline account via OAuth. Your browser opens automatically to complete sign-in.

### Option 2: Sign in with ChatGPT Subscription

If you have a ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription, select **"Sign in with ChatGPT Subscription"**. This uses OpenAI's Codex OAuth to authenticate with your existing subscription.

### Option 3: Import from Existing Tools

Already using another AI coding CLI? Cline can import your existing configuration:

- **Import from Codex CLI** - Imports credentials from `~/.codex/auth.json`
- **Import from OpenCode** - Imports configuration from `~/.local/share/opencode/auth.json`

### Option 4: Bring Your Own API Key

Select **"Bring your own API key"** to manually configure any supported provider. Or skip the wizard entirely with flags:

```bash
# Anthropic (Claude)
cline auth -p anthropic -k sk-ant-api-xxxxx -m claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929

# OpenAI
cline auth -p openai-native -k sk-xxxxx -m gpt-4o

# OpenRouter
cline auth -p openrouter -k sk-or-xxxxx -m anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929

# OpenAI-compatible provider with custom base URL
cline auth -p openai -k your-api-key -b https://api.example.com/v1
```

**Quick Setup Flags:**

| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| `-p, --provider <id>` | Provider ID (e.g., `anthropic`, `openai-native`, `openrouter`) |
| `-k, --apikey <key>` | Your API key |
| `-m, --modelid <id>` | Model ID (e.g., `claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929`, `gpt-4o`) |
| `-b, --baseurl <url>` | Base URL for OpenAI-compatible providers |

<Tip>
Flags are especially useful for scripting, CI/CD environments, or setting up multiple machines.
</Tip>

### Supported Providers

| Provider | Provider ID | Notes |
|----------|-------------|-------|
| Anthropic | `anthropic` | Direct Claude API access |
| OpenAI | `openai-native` | GPT-4o, GPT-4, etc. |
| OpenAI Codex | `openai-codex` | ChatGPT subscription OAuth |
| OpenRouter | `openrouter` | Access multiple providers |
| AWS Bedrock | `bedrock` | Claude via AWS |
| Google Gemini | `gemini` | Gemini Pro, etc. |
| X AI (Grok) | `xai` | Grok models |
| Cerebras | `cerebras` | Fast inference |
| DeepSeek | `deepseek` | DeepSeek models |
| Ollama | `ollama` | Local models |
| LM Studio | `lmstudio` | Local models |
| OpenAI Compatible | `openai` | Any OpenAI-compatible API |

## Verify Your Setup

Confirm everything is working with a simple test:

```bash
cline "What is 2 + 2?"
```

If Cline responds with an answer, your installation and authentication are complete.

Check your current configuration:

```bash
cline config
```

## Quick Start

Now you're ready to use Cline. Choose how you want to work:

### Interactive Mode

Launch the interactive CLI for development:

```bash
cline
```

You'll see the Cline welcome screen. Type your task and press Enter. Use:
- `Tab` to toggle between Plan and Act modes
- `Shift+Tab` to enable auto-approve
- `/help` for available commands

[Learn more about interactive mode →](/cline-cli/interactive-mode)

### Direct Task Execution

Run a task directly from your shell:

```bash
cline "Add error handling to utils.js"
```

For non-interactive execution (perfect for scripts and CI/CD):

```bash
cline -y "Run tests and fix any failures"
```

[Learn more about CLI workflows →](/cline-cli/three-core-flows)

## Switching Providers

To change your configured provider at any time:

```bash
cline auth
```

You can also use the settings panel in interactive mode:

```bash
cline
# Then type: /settings
# Navigate to the API tab
```

## Updating

Check for updates and install the latest version:

```bash
cline update
```

Or update manually via npm:

```bash
npm update -g cline
```

## Troubleshooting

### Command Not Found

If `cline` is not found after installation:

1. Ensure npm global bin is in your PATH:
   ```bash
   npm bin -g
   ```

2. Add the path to your shell configuration (`.bashrc`, `.zshrc`, etc.):
   ```bash
   export PATH="$PATH:$(npm bin -g)"
   ```

3. Restart your terminal or source your shell config.

### Permission Errors

If you get permission errors during installation:

```bash
# Option 1: Use a Node version manager (recommended)
# nvm, fnm, or volta handle permissions automatically

# Option 2: Fix npm permissions
# See: https://docs.npmjs.com/resolving-eacces-permissions-errors-when-installing-packages-globally
```

### OAuth Flow Issues

If the browser doesn't open automatically during OAuth:
1. Copy the URL from the terminal
2. Paste it in your browser manually
3. Complete the sign-in flow
4. Return to the terminal

### API Key Validation

If your API key is rejected:
1. Verify the key is correct and hasn't expired
2. Check that you've selected the correct provider
3. Ensure your API account has the necessary permissions

**Provider-specific tips:**
- **Anthropic**: Keys start with `sk-ant-`
- **OpenAI**: Keys start with `sk-`
- **AWS Bedrock**: Requires AWS credentials configured separately. See [AWS Bedrock documentation](/provider-config/aws-bedrock/api-key).

## Uninstallation

To remove Cline CLI:

```bash
npm uninstall -g cline
```

To also remove configuration data:

```bash
rm -rf ~/.cline
```

## Next Steps

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Interactive Mode" icon="terminal" href="/cline-cli/interactive-mode">
    Master the interactive CLI with shortcuts and slash commands.
  </Card>
  
  <Card title="CLI Workflows" icon="route" href="/cline-cli/three-core-flows">
    Learn interactive mode, direct execution, and automation patterns.
  </Card>
  
  <Card title="Configuration" icon="gear" href="/cline-cli/configuration">
    Configure settings, rules, workflows, and environment variables.
  </Card>
  
  <Card title="CLI Reference" icon="book" href="/cline-cli/cli-reference">
    Complete command documentation with all flags and options.
  </Card>
</Columns>