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73 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
---
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title: "What is Cline?"
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description: "An introduction to Cline, your AI-powered development assistant in VS Code."
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---
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Cline is an open source AI coding agent that brings frontier AI models directly to your VS Code editor. Unlike autocomplete tools, Cline is a true coding agent that can understand entire codebases, plan complex changes, and execute multi-step tasks.
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## Open Source AI Coding, Uncompromised
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Cline gives you direct, transparent access to frontier AI with no limits, no surprises, and no model ecosystem lock-in. See every decision. Choose any model. Control your costs.
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### Complete Transparency
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Watch in real-time as Cline reads files, considers approaches, and proposes changes. Every decision is visible, every edit reviewable before it's made. This isn't just "explainable AI" - it's complete transparency.
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### Your Models, Your Control
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Use Claude for complex reasoning, Gemini for massive contexts, or Qwen3 Coder for efficiency. Switch instantly as new models launch. Your API keys, your choice. No gatekeeping innovation.
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### Built for Real Engineering
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Cline can:
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- **Read and write files** across your entire codebase
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- **Execute terminal commands** and debug errors
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- **Plan complex features** before writing code
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- **Connect to external systems** through MCP servers
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- **Understand large codebases** with intelligent context management
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## Plan & Act Mode
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Cline explores your codebase and works with you to create comprehensive plans before writing a single line of code, ensuring it understands the full context of your project.
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**Plan Mode** for complex tasks - Cline explores, asks questions, and creates detailed implementation plans.
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**Act Mode** for execution - Cline implements the plan with full transparency and control.
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## Zero Trust by Design
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Your code never touches our servers. Cline runs entirely client-side with your API keys, making it the only option for enterprises with strict security requirements.
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**Open source** means your security team can review every line. See exactly how Cline works, what it sends to AI providers, and how decisions are made.
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## Key Features
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### Focus Chain
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Automatic todo list management with real-time progress tracking throughout your tasks. Keeps Cline on track across long projects.
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### Auto Compact
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When conversations get long, Cline automatically summarizes to preserve context while freeing up space to continue working.
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### Deep Planning
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For complex features, Cline investigates your codebase, asks clarifying questions, and creates comprehensive implementation plans.
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### MCP Integration
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Connect to databases, APIs, and documentation through the Model Context Protocol. Cline becomes your bridge to any external system.
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### .clinerules
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Define project-specific instructions that Cline follows including coding standards, architecture patterns, or team conventions.
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## Why Developers Choose Cline
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**100% Open Source** - Every line of code on GitHub. 48k+ stars from developers who've read it, improved it, and trust it with their work.
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**No Inference Games** - We don't profit from AI usage. While others limit context or route to cheaper models, we give you unrestricted access to any model's full capabilities.
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**Future-Proof by Design** - New model released? Use it immediately. Cline works with any AI provider, any model.
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**True Visibility** - See every file read, every decision considered, every token used.
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## Getting Started
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Ready to experience AI coding without limits? [Install Cline](/getting-started/installing-cline) and start with our [Model Selection Guide](/getting-started/model-selection-guide) to choose the right AI model for your needs.
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