Standalone workspace
Open a workspace directly in the native app. Cline displays the workspace name and Git branch while the agent reads, edits, and runs code without an attached VS Code window.
Cline for Desktop
Cline for Desktop is a native macOS and Windows app for coding without an editor, with flexible AI models, queued instructions, and revisable sessions.
AI coding agent for standalone workspaces
Cline for Desktop is a native desktop application for the Cline open-source coding agent. It lets developers open a workspace, communicate with the agent, and have it read, edit, and run code without keeping an editor such as VS Code open.
The desktop app keeps the Cline workflow outside the editor while retaining provider flexibility and session controls. Users can bring their own API key or sign in with a Cline account, switch models during a project, queue follow-up messages, and revise earlier prompts by forking a session and rewinding the workspace to a checkpoint.
Desktop features
Provider and model choice
Use the same Cline agent across the desktop app, IDE, and CLI, with connections for providers such as Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, open-weight models, and local endpoints.
Queued messages
Add follow-up instructions while a task is running. Queued messages can be edited, reordered, sent immediately, or deleted from the composer area.
Fork and edit sessions
Edit an earlier prompt to fork the conversation, rewind the workspace to that checkpoint, and rerun the task from the revised instruction.
Cross-surface session history
View sessions from the desktop app, CLI, extension, and scheduled runs in one sidebar. Sessions can be favorited and filtered by their source.
Practical use cases
Editor-free coding sessions
Open a repository or other coding workspace in the desktop app and let the agent inspect files, make changes, and run code without launching an editor.
Iterative task direction
Continue a long-running task by entering follow-up instructions while the agent is still working, then reorder the queued requests as priorities change.
Provider experimentation
Test a different model or provider during an active project by switching connections while keeping the Cline harness and workspace workflow.
Revising agent decisions
Correct an earlier instruction without starting from scratch: edit the message, fork the session, restore the workspace checkpoint, and rerun the task.
Cross-tool session review
Review and organize work across surfaces by favoriting sessions and filtering the history to distinguish desktop, CLI, extension, and scheduled-run activity.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Native macOS and Windows desktop application with no editor required.
- Supports multiple external and local model-provider options, including bring-your-own API keys.
- Queued messages and fork-and-edit controls support iterative agent workflows.
- Session history can combine activity from the desktop app, CLI, extension, and scheduled runs.
- Cline is open source and its individual-developer offering uses usage-based AI inference rather than subscriptions or seat fees.
Cons
- The desktop app is in beta, and the site warns that frequent new builds may include rough edges.
- The available desktop evidence covers core standalone workflows but does not establish a complete set of team administration or security capabilities for this app.
FAQ
Which platforms does Cline for Desktop support?
Cline for Desktop is a native beta application for macOS and Windows. Download links are provided for both platforms, and release v0.0.26 is listed for Apple Silicon and Intel Macs as well as Windows.
How do I connect an AI model?
You can bring your own API key or sign in with a Cline account. The desktop app can connect to providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, open-weight models, and local endpoints, subject to the provider setup you choose.
Do I need an editor such as VS Code?
No. The desktop app is designed as a standalone application, so you can open a workspace and use the agent without a VS Code window or another editor attached.
Is Cline for Desktop production-ready?
The app is currently labeled beta, and Cline says new builds ship frequently and users should expect rough edges. The listed desktop release is v0.0.26.
How is Cline priced?
Cline is free for individual developers, with AI inference billed on a usage basis rather than through a subscription or seat fee. Users can also bring their own provider API keys. Enterprise features and pricing are handled through contact sales.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Developer Tool; AI Coding Agent
- Platforms
- macOS and Windows
- App status
- Beta
- Desktop release
- v0.0.26
- Workflow
- Standalone workspace with agent-driven code reading, editing, and execution
- Pricing model
- Free for individual developers; AI inference is usage-based, with BYOK supported
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