Cline

The most popular open-source VS Code agent with 5M+ installs

AgentRanks Score: 41/100 Open Source Extension Free + BYOK Updated June 2026

Overview

Cline is the most popular open-source AI coding agent for VS Code with 5M+ installs. Apache 2.0 license, full agent loop with plan/act modes, browser automation, and zero markup on API costs.

Specs at a Glance

Architecture
41
VS Code Installs
5M+
Open Source
Apache 2.0
MCP Support
Yes

Key Features

Plan/Act Modes: Separate exploration and execution phases. Browser Automation: Built-in headless browser. Cost Tracking: Real-time token counting. Model Flexibility: OpenRouter, Anthropic, OpenAI, local via Ollama.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • 5M+ installs
  • Plan/Act modes
  • Browser automation
  • Zero markup pricing

Cons

  • VS Code only
  • Heavier than CLI agents
  • Limited sub-agents

Verdict: Cline is the best open-source coding agent for VS Code users. 5M+ installs and Apache 2.0 license make it enterprise-friendly.