Cline
Overview
An open-source, autonomous AI coding agent that lives in your VS Code sidebar. Cline can create/edit files, run terminal commands, and use the browser while requiring human approval for every action.
Cline is an open-source autonomous agent that runs in the VS Code sidebar and follows a transparent plan-then-act loop, asking for your approval before each file edit or terminal command. That human-in-the-loop design gives you the power of an autonomous agent without surrendering control. It is model-agnostic, supports MCP tools, and shows exactly what it intends to do at every step.
Key Features
- Plan-then-act workflow with per-action approval
- Creates and edits files, runs commands, and uses the browser
- Model-agnostic, including local and frontier models
- MCP support to extend the agent with custom tools
- Fully open-source and inspectable
Best For
Developers who want an autonomous VS Code agent but insist on reviewing every action.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- High transparency and trust via explicit approvals
- Open-source and model-flexible
- Powerful agentic capabilities inside familiar VS Code
Cons
- Approving each step can be slower than fully autonomous tools
- You pay separately for model API usage
Pulse Verdict
Editorial review by SEODataPulse
This is an editorial assessment, not an average of customer ratings.
“The ultimate power-user's extension. Cline turns VS Code into an autonomous workspace, providing a high-trust 'plan-then-act' workflow that's fully transparent.”
Pricing
Free and open-source; you supply your own model API keys.
Pricing changes often — confirm current plans on the official site.