Cline - AI Code Assistants Tool

Overview

Cline is an agentic AI coding assistant that runs inside editors (VS Code and JetBrains) and as a standalone CLI. It can read and modify files with a user‑visible diff and timeline, run shell commands and watch their output, drive a headless browser (click/scroll/type, capture screenshots and console logs), and extend itself by installing Model Context Protocol (MCP) tools — all while keeping a human in the loop for approvals. According to the project README, Cline emphasizes step‑by‑step agent workflows and explicit approval for file edits and terminal commands to reduce unsafe autonomous behavior. ([github.com](https://github.com/cline/cline)) Cline is multi‑provider and multi‑platform: the extension and CLI support cloud LLMs (Anthropic/Claude, OpenAI GPT, Google Gemini, AWS Bedrock, etc.), OpenRouter, and local model runtimes (Ollama/LM Studio). The CLI targets macOS, Linux, and Windows and is distributed via npm; the extension is published on the VS Code Marketplace. Cline also exposes automation primitives (checkpoints, restore/compare snapshots, and scripted CLI workflows) designed for CI/CD and large codebases. ([docs.cline.bot](https://docs.cline.bot/cline-cli/installation?utm_source=openai))

GitHub Statistics

• Stars: 58,565
• Forks: 5,879
• Contributors: 276
• License: Apache-2.0
• Primary Language: TypeScript
• Last Updated: 2026-03-03T00:22:39Z
• Latest Release: v3.69.0

The project is high‑traffic and actively maintained: the repository shows ~58.6k stars, ~5.9k forks, ~4,900 commits, 200+ releases, and roughly 300 contributors, indicating a large external contributor base and fast iteration. Recent activity includes a release on Mar 3, 2026 (v3.69.0) and a substantial commit history and issue/PR activity, which points to an engaged community but also a busy issue queue that maintainers must manage. The repository includes extensive docs, a security policy, and a changelog. ([github.com](https://github.com/cline/cline))

Installation

Install via npm:

npm install -g cline

cline --version

cline auth

code --install-extension saoudrizwan.claude-dev  (install VS Code extension from Marketplace)

If you prefer VSIX: code --install-extension <path-to-cline>.vsix

Key Features

• Create and edit files with a side‑by‑side diff and recorded Timeline for easy review. ([github.com](https://github.com/cline/cline))
• Execute shell commands in your terminal, monitor real‑time output, and continue tasks while processes run. ([github.com](https://github.com/cline/cline))
• Headless browser automation for visual debugging: click, type, capture screenshots and console logs. ([github.com](https://github.com/cline/cline))
• Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration: install or create custom MCP tools to extend agent capabilities. ([web2llm.dev](https://web2llm.dev/docs/a4a69e41-3f63-4268-9874-6d86475fa3b6/view?utm_source=openai))
• Checkpoints and workspace snapshots to Compare and Restore states during multi‑step tasks. ([github.com](https://github.com/cline/cline))

Community

Cline has a large, active community (tens of thousands of stars on GitHub, a Discord server, and a public subreddit) and many contributors, which accelerates feature development and ecosystem tooling. At the same time, recent supply‑chain and security incidents (npm publish compromise on Feb 17, 2026 and related prompt‑injection concerns reported by security outlets) have driven active security advisories, a public post‑mortem, and publishing process changes (OIDC provenance) from the maintainers — evidence of responsive maintainer action but also an increased need for cautious adoption in automated environments. Users and orgs should follow the project’s security guidance, pin versions, and audit installs for CI/pipeline use. ([github.com](https://github.com/cline/cline))

Key Information

• Category: Code Assistants
• Type: AI Code Assistants Tool