> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cline.bot/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Config

> Understand where Cline stores configuration and how global and project config work together.

Cline configuration lives in two scopes:

* **Global configuration** in `~/.cline/` (applies globally across all Cline applications, including IDE, CLI, and SDK)
* **Project configuration** in `.cline/` (applies only to the current workspace)

## Configuration Directory Layout

Cline stores shared configuration across a few well-known locations. The primary root is `~/.cline/`, with structured app state under `~/.cline/data/`:

```text theme={"system"}
~/.cline/
  data/
    settings/
      providers.json           # API keys and provider configuration
      global-settings.json     # Global settings
      cline_mcp_settings.json  # MCP settings
    teams/                     # Team state
    sessions/                  # Session data
    db/                        # SQLite databases (for example cron.db)
    workflows/                 # Global workflows
  rules/                       # Global rules
  hooks/                       # Global hooks
  skills/                      # Global skills
  agents/                      # Global agent definitions
  plugins/                     # Global plugins (.js, .ts)
  cron/                        # Global cron specs
```

Additional global search paths supported by the code:

```text theme={"system"}
~/Documents/Cline/
  Rules/                       # Additional global rules
  Hooks/                       # Additional global hooks
  Plugins/                     # Additional global plugins
  Workflows/                   # Additional global workflows
```

Project-level configuration lives in `.cline/` at your repository root:

```text theme={"system"}
.cline/
  rules/                       # Project rules
  skills/                      # Project skills
  hooks/                       # Lifecycle hooks
  agents/                      # Project agent definitions
  plugins/                     # Project plugins
  cron/                        # Workspace cron specs
```

Notes:

* Global provider settings, global settings, and MCP settings are stored under `~/.cline/data/settings/`.
* Global workflows resolve from `~/.cline/data/workflows/`.
* Global rules, hooks, skills, agents, plugins, and cron specs resolve directly under `~/.cline/`.
* Rules, hooks, plugins, and workflows may also be discovered from `~/Documents/Cline/` for compatibility.

## What Goes Where?

* Use **global (`~/.cline/`)** for defaults shared across all Cline applications (IDE, CLI, SDK) on your machine.
* Use **project (`.cline/`)** for team-shared behavior that should travel with the repo.

Commit `.cline/` files you want to share with your team. Keep secrets out of the repo.

## Configure Through the CLI

Use the interactive config UI:

```bash theme={"system"}
cline config
```

From there, you can view/edit:

* Settings (global + workspace)
* Rules
* Skills
* Hooks

## Useful Configuration Commands

Use a custom configuration directory:

```bash theme={"system"}
cline --config /path/to/custom/config "your task"
```

Or via environment variable:

```bash theme={"system"}
export CLINE_DATA_DIR=/custom/path/to/cline
cline "your task"
```

View CLI logs when troubleshooting:

```bash theme={"system"}
cline dev log
```

## Environment Variables

| Variable                     | Description                                           |
| ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| `CLINE_DATA_DIR`             | Custom data directory (replaces `~/.cline/data/`)     |
| `CLINE_HUB_ADDRESS`          | Override hub address (default: `127.0.0.1:25463`)     |
| `CLINE_SESSION_BACKEND_MODE` | Force backend mode (`local`, `hub`, `remote`, `auto`) |
| `CLINE_SANDBOX`              | Enable sandbox mode                                   |
| `CLINE_SANDBOX_DATA_DIR`     | Sandbox session storage directory                     |
| `CLINE_HOOKS_DIR`            | Additional hooks directory                            |
| `CLINE_COMMAND_PERMISSIONS`  | JSON policy restricting shell commands                |

### CLINE\_DATA\_DIR

```bash theme={"system"}
export CLINE_DATA_DIR=/custom/path/to/cline
cline "your task"
```

### CLINE\_COMMAND\_PERMISSIONS

Restrict which shell commands Cline can execute:

```bash theme={"system"}
export CLINE_COMMAND_PERMISSIONS='{"allow": ["npm *", "git *"], "deny": ["rm -rf *"]}'
```

Format:

```json theme={"system"}
{
  "allow": ["pattern1", "pattern2"],
  "deny": ["pattern3"],
  "allowRedirects": true
}
```

Rules:

* `deny` overrides `allow`
* If `allow` is set, commands not matching `allow` are denied
* `allowRedirects` controls shell redirects (`>`, `>>`, `<`), default `false`

## Related Docs

* [CLI Configuration](/cli/configuration)
* [Rules](/customization/cline-rules)
* [Skills](/customization/skills)
* [Hooks](/customization/hooks)
* [Plugins](/customization/plugins)
* [.clineignore](/customization/clineignore)

## Security Notes

<Warning>
  Only use rules, hooks, skills, and plugins from sources you trust.
</Warning>

Hooks and plugins can execute code. Review them like any other executable artifact before adding them globally or to a project.