Cline

Tested with

Last verified: 2026-10-06 · Current stable extension · official docs https://docs.cline.bot/

No specific version is pinned; the steps follow the official docs and may differ across releases.

An open-source AI coding assistant used as a VS Code extension and a desktop app. It reaches any compatible gateway through an OpenAI Compatible provider.

This page uses KunCode as an example. Replace the addresses, keys and model names with your own service's values. See placeholder conventions. Cline is a graphical tool: everything is configured in the extension's settings panel, with no config file to edit.

• Website: https://cline.bot/
• Docs: https://docs.cline.bot/
• Repository: https://github.com/cline/cline

1. Install

Cline is an editor extension. Install it from the VS Code Marketplace rather than the command line:

1. Open VS Code
2. Open the Extensions panel
3. Search for Cline
4. Click Install

Cline also offers a standalone desktop app, downloadable from the website.

Other editors

Cline primarily targets VS Code. Check the website for support in other editors.

After installing, a Cline icon appears in the VS Code sidebar. Click it to open the panel.

2. Prepare an API key

See Prepare an API key. Note two things:

• API key - usually looks like sk-...; use whatever format your provider issues
• Base URL - your service address, e.g. https://kuncode.120403.xyz/v1

3. Configure the provider

Open the Cline panel, go to Settings, and choose OpenAI Compatible as the API Provider.

Then fill in three fields:

Field	Value
Base URL	Your service address, e.g. https://kuncode.120403.xyz/v1
API Key	Your key, e.g. sk-xxxxxxxx
Model ID	The model ID to use, e.g. deepseek-flash

Use the full Base URL

The OpenAI Compatible provider expects a full Base URL that can be requested directly. If your service requires /v1, include it, e.g. https://kuncode.120403.xyz/v1.

The Model ID must be a real model ID

The Model ID must exactly match the ID the API returns. List them with:

curl https://kuncode.120403.xyz/v1/models \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-xxxxxxxx"

Field names and locations can change between versions; refer to the current extension UI.

4. Verify

Once saved, type a simple message in the Cline panel, for example:

print hello

A normal reply means the setup works. Then ask it to read a file or run a command to confirm tool calls work too.

5. Common settings

Switch models

Change the Model ID in settings to another available model. You do not need to reconfigure the Base URL or key.

Adjust context and output

Cline lets you set a context window and maximum output length per model. If you hit context limits or truncated output, adjust these two values; refer to the current extension UI.

Multiple providers

Cline can store several provider profiles and switch between them from the top of the panel. For team setups, never put the key in a file that gets committed.

6. Troubleshooting

For a systematic walkthrough by status code, see Errors and troubleshooting.

Symptom	Cause	Fix
401 Unauthorized	Wrong or expired API key	Paste the full key again; make sure there is no extra whitespace
404 Not Found	Wrong Base URL	Use the full address; include /v1 if your service needs it
Model not found / unavailable	Wrong Model ID, or the model is not on your service	Re-enter the ID from /v1/models
Request timeout	Request too large or service slow	Reduce the request, raise the timeout, or retry later
Tool calls fail	Model lacks tool-call support	Switch to a model that supports tool calls

Advanced: use the Anthropic or Responses API

Cline's OpenAI Compatible provider uses the Chat Completions API. If your service or model works better with another API, choose the matching provider type under API Provider. The list of providers Cline supports changes between versions; refer to the current extension UI.

Never commit your key

If you export or share your Cline configuration, strip the API key first. Mask it in screenshots too.

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