Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about installing, using, and getting the most out of Cline. View full documentation →

Getting Started

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Click the Extensions icon in the Activity Bar
  3. Search for "Cline" and click Install
  4. Once installed:
    • Click the Cline icon OR
    • Use CMD/CTRL + Shift + P and type "Cline: Open In New Tab"
  5. Add an API key to start using Cline

For detailed instructions, check out our documentation.

Cline works with several providers through OpenRouter:

  • Anthropic Claude 3.5-Sonnet (recommended for coding)
  • DeepSeek Chat (cost-effective alternative)
  • Google Gemini 2.0 Flash (free)
  • Any other model available directly through Cline or OpenRouter
  1. Get an API key from OpenRouter or your chosen LLM
  2. In Cline, click the settings button
  3. Paste your API key
  4. Select your preferred model

Using Cline

  1. Open Cline in VS Code:
    • Via the Cline icon OR
    • Use CMD/CTRL + Shift + P -> "Cline: Open In New Tab"
  2. Type your request in natural language—Cline understands plain English
  3. For complex tasks, use this pattern:
    • Start with your goal: "I want to build..."
    • Provide context: "Here's what I have so far..."
    • Ask for specific actions: "Can you help me..."

Tell Cline which file(s) you want to edit:

  • Use path: "Please edit /{RELATIVE-PATH-TO}/index.js"
  • OR use @: "@index.js"

Cline will ask for confirmation before making changes (unless auto-approve settings are enabled)

Yes! Cline will confirm before running sensitive commands (like downloading large packages)

Prompting Cline

Custom instructions are Cline's baseline programming - they influence all interactions.

Setup steps:

  1. Open VSCode
  2. Click Cline extension settings
  3. Find "Custom Instructions" field
  4. Add your instructions

Common uses:

  • Enforce coding standards
  • Set quality requirements
  • Define error handling preferences
  • Establish documentation practices

.clinerules are project-specific instructions in your root directory:

  1. Create .clinerules in your project root
  2. Add project-specific guidelines:
    • Documentation requirements
    • Code standards
    • Testing rules
  3. Cline will automatically follow these rules

Troubleshooting

With Claude 3.5 Sonnet:

  • You may hit concurrent connection limits
  • Consider switching to OpenRouter for unlimited usage if on a tiered plan from an LLM provider
  • Break large tasks into smaller chunks

With free models (Gemini):

  • Expect frequent rate limits
  • Consider paid options for production
  • Try DeepSeek for cost-effective alternative

Pro tip: "Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast"

Quick fixes:

  • Check files are in your workspace root folder
  • Try closing and reopening the file

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

MCP servers are like plugins that extend Cline's powers, letting it:

  • Connect to web services (like GitHub)
  • Control browsers
  • Access databases
  • Automate tasks
  • Handle project management
  1. Find a server:
  2. Add with Cline:
    • Just say: "Cline, add the MCP server from [GitHub URL]"
    • Cline handles the rest (cloning, building, config)