Cline is an AI assistant that works alongside your command line and code editor. It uses agent-style programming powered by large language models to break complex development tasks into steps and execute them in a controlled way.
Cline supports the following capabilities:
- Create and edit files, and browse large projects with model-driven actions.
- Use the browser and run terminal commands, with your confirmation before each action.
- Extend its capabilities through the Model Context Protocol (MCP), including custom tools.
- Unlike sandboxed scripts, Cline provides a visual interface and asks for confirmation before each file change or terminal command, helping keep AI-assisted development safe and controlled.
Common Cline use cases include:
- Completing multi-step refactoring or feature implementation tasks.
- Exploring and modifying codebases with natural-language instructions.
- Automating repetitive development workflows, such as generating tests or updating configuration files, while keeping human approval in the loop.
The steps below use Cline 3.20.1 in VS Code as a reference. Newer versions may differ slightly.
1. Install the extension
Open VS Code, or another supported editor, and install the Cline extension from the marketplace.
In Cline settings, fill in the following fields. Adjust other model parameters as needed.
If you use a reasoning model such as Qwen/Qwen3-32B, enable “Enable R1 messages format” or the equivalent option in Model configuration so the client sends the correct message format.
For complex code-editing or long-running tasks, choose a model with sufficient context length. If applicable, also check whether the model supports reasoning.
Verify
After saving the configuration, submit a task to Cline in natural language. Cline calls the ScitiX Model Inference API and executes file or terminal actions after your confirmation.
FAQ
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Cannot use checkpoints in Desktop directory
Cline does not allow checkpoints when the workspace is under the Desktop folder. Open your project from another directory, such as
~/Code, ~/Projects, or another development folder, to avoid this error.