Cline

Cline is a powerful AI assistant designed for developers, seamlessly operating within both command-line interfaces (CLI) and code editors. Leveraging the proxy-based coding capabilities of Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Cline can tackle complex software development tasks step by step. From creating and editing files to exploring large projects, executing terminal commands (with user authorization), and even using browsers, Cline goes beyond being just a code completion tool—it’s more like a comprehensive development assistant.

In addition, Cline supports the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for creating new tools and extending its capabilities. Building on AI scripts that run in traditional sandbox environments, Cline introduces a "human-in-the-loop" approach where users can approve file changes and terminal commands through a visual interface, ensuring both flexibility and safety.

Key Features

1. Efficient Task Management

By analyzing file structures, abstract syntax trees (AST) of source code, and performing regex searches, Cline quickly adapts to complex projects. Its precise context management allows it to assist effectively with large-scale projects without causing context overflow.

2. File Creation and Editing

Cline enables direct file creation and editing within your editor, providing a diff view to display changes. Users can modify or undo Cline's changes directly in the diff view or offer feedback via the chat interface until the results meet expectations. Cline also automatically detects and resolves issues like syntax errors or missing imports. All changes are tracked in a file timeline, making it easy to review or revert modifications.

3. Terminal Command Execution

With the new terminal integration update in VSCode v1.93, Cline can execute commands directly in the terminal and monitor outputs. This includes installing dependencies, running build scripts, deploying applications, managing databases, and performing tests. For long-running tasks (e.g., development servers), Cline continues handling other steps while adjusting its strategies dynamically based on new terminal outputs.

4. Browser Automation

Cline features browser automation capabilities, allowing it to launch browsers and perform interactive tasks like clicking, typing, scrolling, and more. It can also capture screenshots and console logs. This makes Cline capable of independently handling debugging, end-to-end testing, and even fixing visual or runtime errors. For instance, you can assign Cline to "test the application," and it will launch the development server, open a browser, and execute a series of tests.

5. Model and API Support

Cline supports various APIs and models, including OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, and local models (e.g., via LM Studio or Ollama). Through OpenRouter, you can even access the latest models in real time, staying at the forefront of technology.

Cline tracks every step of a task, including token usage and API costs, ensuring that users are always informed of their spending.

6. Expandable Toolset

Using the MCP protocol, Cline can tailor tools to your workflow. Whether it’s retrieving Jira tickets, managing AWS EC2 instances, or extracting PagerDuty events, Cline can quickly develop, install, and integrate new tools.

7. Workspace Snapshots and Restoration

During task execution, Cline records snapshots of the workspace at every stage. Users can use the "Compare" button to view differences between the current workspace and snapshots or use the "Restore" button to roll back to any stage. This ensures safe exploration of different solutions without losing progress.

8. Context Augmentation

Cline offers various ways to quickly enhance task context:

• Use @url to provide a link, and Cline will automatically fetch and convert the content into a Markdown document.
• Use @problems to add errors and warnings from the workspace for Cline to fix.
• Use @file or @folder to include file or folder content, speeding up workflows.

Quick Start and Usage Tips

• Parallel Work Mode: Use the shortcut CMD/CTRL + Shift + P to open the command palette and select “Cline: Open In New Tab” to view the extension as a tab alongside the file explorer, keeping workspace changes clear.
• Instant Results Preview: After completing tasks, Cline provides terminal commands (e.g., open -a "Google Chrome" index.html) for one-click execution and result viewing.