Cline Kanban

What is Cline Kanban?

Cline Kanban is an AI coding workflow view that helps you coordinate agents while planning and executing work. Instead of focusing on terminal output, it lets you manage tasks from a board-style interface and observe agent actions alongside a real-time view of code changes.

The core purpose is to support human–agent coordination for breaking down a large project or backlog into tasks, linking work items, and running steps in a chosen sequence.

Key Features

• Task board sidebar for managing work: Add, edit, link, and start tasks from a sidebar agent to keep planning and execution in one place.
• Real-time diff while agents run: Watch agents working with a real-time diff of changes, and leave comments as if you were reviewing a pull request.
• Plan/Act-style orchestration (sequence control): Set up your workflow to run in the sequence you want, or let Cline handle the sequence.
• Dependent tasks with optional automation: Chain dependent tasks either manually or automatically so later steps can proceed only after prerequisites.
• Linear MCP ticket integration: Connect to Linear MCP to add and operate on tickets using the same board-style task flow.
• Auto-commit and parallelization for project breakdowns: When breaking down a project, Cline uses auto-commit and links work while applying max parallelization (as described on the page).
• Works with multiple agents through one UI: Cline Kanban is positioned as compatible with agents you already use, including Claude Code, Codex, and Cline, with additional agents expected.

How to Use Cline Kanban

1. Get Kanban set up using the install instructions in the product documentation.
2. Create or import tasks by breaking down a project/backlog through a prompt and managing them from the board sidebar.
3. Connect to Linear via MCP (optional) if you want tickets to be reflected and handled through the same workflow.
4. Run your workflow in the sequence you want—either by defining the order or by letting Cline orchestrate it.
5. Review agent execution using the real-time diff view and add comments during the run.

Use Cases

• Plan a large project from a backlog: Use one prompt to break down a big project into tasks, then use the board sidebar to add, edit, and start those tasks.
• Review and coordinate multi-step coding work: While agents execute, monitor the real-time diff and leave PR-style comments to guide changes.
• Manage Linear-based ticket workflows: Connect to Linear MCP so the board can operate on your Linear tickets similarly to how it manages tasks.
• Orchestrate dependent changes safely: Chain tasks so prerequisite work is completed before dependent steps begin, either manually or automatically.
• Speed up breakdowns with parallel execution: When Cline breaks a project into multiple items, use auto-commit and max parallelization to handle work concurrently and link results.

FAQ

Is Cline Kanban only for one specific coding agent?

No. The page states that Cline Kanban works with the agents you already use and mentions compatibility with Claude Code, Codex, and Cline.

Can I connect Kanban to Linear tickets?

Yes. The page says you can connect to Linear MCP to do the same with your tickets.

Can I see what changes the agents make while they work?

Yes. The page describes a real-time diff of changes that runs alongside agent execution.

Does Kanban support running tasks in order?

Yes. The workflow can be set up in the sequence you want, and it can also run with automatic sequencing as described.

Where can I find installation instructions?

The page points readers to the documentation for install instructions and feature details.

Alternatives

• Terminal-first agent workflows: Use an AI coding agent directly in a terminal without a board view; you typically lose the task orchestration and real-time PR-style review context described for Kanban.
• Issue/ticket-based project management with manual agent runs: Manage work in a tracker (e.g., ticketing tools) and run agents per item manually; this can mimic ticket organization but doesn’t provide the same board-driven task linking and agent execution diff view.
• Generic multi-agent orchestration UIs: Use other UIs designed for coordinating multiple agents; the difference is whether they offer a Kanban-style task board, Linear MCP ticket integration, and real-time diff/commenting during execution.
• Pull-request-centric review workflows: Rely on code review processes after agent runs complete; this differs from Kanban’s described ability to comment and observe changes while agents are executing.