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Cline needs a connection to an AI model before it can do any work. You have two paths:

Cline account

Sign in with Google, GitHub, or email. No API keys to manage. Access models from Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and more through a single account with built-in billing.Best for: Most users, fastest setup.

Bring your own key (BYOK)

Paste an API key from any supported provider: Anthropic, OpenRouter, OpenAI, Google Gemini, AWS Bedrock, and more. Run models locally with Ollama or LM Studio for full privacy.Best for: Enterprise, custom billing, local models.

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Sign in with a Cline account

The Cline account gives you access to multiple AI models through a single login — no separate API keys required.
1

Open the Cline panel

Click the Cline icon in the Activity Bar (VS Code/Cursor) or go to View → Tool Windows → Cline (JetBrains).
2

Click Sign Up

In the Cline panel, click Sign Up. Your browser opens to app.cline.bot.
3

Authenticate

Choose Google, GitHub, or email to complete authentication.
4

Return to your editor

After authentication, you are redirected back to your editor. Cline stores your session token in your IDE’s native secret storage (VS Code Secrets or JetBrains Credential Store). Your credentials are never sent to Cline’s servers.
5

Select a model

Open Cline settings (gear icon in the Cline panel). Under API Provider, make sure Cline is selected. Then choose a model from the Model dropdown.To find no-cost options, search for free in the model selector — free models are labeled FREE.
6

Verify

Send any message in the Cline chat. If Cline responds, you are ready to go.
Adding credits: Click Add Credits in Cline settings or visit your account dashboard. Credits work across all available models.

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Bring your own API key (BYOK)

If you prefer to use your own API keys — for specific billing arrangements, higher rate limits, or access to beta models — select your provider in Cline settings and paste your key.
1

Open Cline settings

Click the gear icon in the top-right of the Cline panel.
2

Choose a provider

Select a provider from the API Provider dropdown.
3

Paste your API key

Enter your API key in the field provided. Keys are stored in your system’s credential manager and sent only to your selected provider — never to Cline’s servers.
4

Select a model and verify

Choose a model from the Model dropdown, then send a message to confirm the connection works.

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Provider setup

Anthropic provides direct access to Claude models including Claude Sonnet and Claude Opus.Get an API key:
  1. Go to console.anthropic.com.
  2. Sign in or create an account.
  3. Navigate to API Keys and click Create Key.
  4. Copy the key — it starts with sk-ant-.
Configure in Cline:
  • API Provider: Anthropic
  • API Key: Paste your key
  • Model: Choose from available Claude models (Claude Sonnet 4 is recommended for reliability)
Claude Sonnet 4 offers the best balance of capability and speed for most coding tasks. Use Claude Opus for complex multi-step reasoning tasks.

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Local models

Run models on your own hardware for complete privacy and zero per-request cost.

Ollama

Easy setup with a wide model selection. Supports Llama, Qwen, Mistral, and many others. Run ollama serve and select Ollama in Cline settings.

LM Studio

GUI-based model management and download. Start the local server in LM Studio and select LM Studio as your provider in Cline settings.
Local models require sufficient hardware, particularly GPU memory. Smaller models (7B–14B parameters) work on consumer hardware; larger models need more RAM or a GPU. See the running models locally guide for requirements.

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Choosing a model

PriorityRecommended model
Best overall reliabilityClaude Sonnet 4
Best valueQwen3 Coder
Fastest responsesCerebras GLM 4.6
Full privacyAny Ollama or LM Studio model
Existing Claude subscriptionClaude Code (Max/Pro plan)

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CLI authentication

If you use the Cline CLI, authenticate from your terminal: 
cline auth
This opens a browser for OAuth authentication, the same flow as the IDE extension. Your session persists until you sign out.

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Troubleshooting

IssueFix
”Unauthorized: Please sign in”Session expired. Click Sign In in Cline settings to re-authenticate.
Browser doesn’t open for OAuthCheck your default browser settings. Copy the URL from the Cline output panel and open it manually.
Frequent re-authenticationEnsure you are not clearing IDE secrets. Try a full sign-out and sign-in.
API key not acceptedVerify the key is active and has not expired. Confirm you selected the matching provider in Cline settings.
Can’t access organizationVerify membership at app.cline.bot and ask your admin about permissions. Sign out and sign in again.

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Next steps

Your first project

Build a working todo app with Cline to practice the core workflow.

Model selection guide

Compare models across speed, cost, and context window size to find the best fit for your tasks.

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

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