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Cline needs an AI model to understand your requests and write code. Think of it like choosing which expert to work with - different models have different strengths and costs.

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Quick Start: Choose Your Provider

The easiest way to get started is with Cline as your provider:
  1. Open Cline Settings: Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-right corner of Cline’s chat
  2. Select “Cline” from the API Provider dropdown
  3. Choose a model from the dropdown - we recommend starting with Claude Sonnet 4.5 or DeepSeek V3
Select Cline Provider
That’s it! No API keys to manage, and you’ll get access to multiple models.
Free models available: Cline occasionally offers free inferencing through partner providers. When available, you’ll see these options in your model dropdown.

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Alternative: Use Another Provider

If you prefer to use your own accounts or API keys, you have several options: The easiest way to use OpenAI models is with OpenAI Codex—no API keys needed:
  1. Select “OpenAI Codex” from the API Provider dropdown
  2. Click “Sign in with OpenAI”
  3. Authorize Cline in your browser
  4. Choose your model

OpenAI Codex Setup Guide

See the full setup guide with screenshots and troubleshooting tips.

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Other Providers

You can also use API keys with these providers:
  • OpenRouter - Great value, multiple models
  • Anthropic - Direct access to Claude models
  • OpenAI - Access to GPT models via API key
  • Google Gemini - Google’s AI models
  • Ollama - Run models locally on your computer
After selecting a provider, you’ll need to:
  1. Get an API key from their website
  2. Paste it into the API Key field in Cline settings
  3. Choose your model
Most providers require payment information before generating API keys.

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Which Model Should I Choose?

If you’re just getting started, we recommend:
Your PriorityChoose This ModelWhy
ReliabilityClaude Sonnet 4.5Most reliable for coding tasks
ValueDeepSeek V3Great performance at low cost
SpeedQwen3 CoderFast responses
PrivacyAny Ollama modelRuns on your computer
You can switch models anytime without losing your conversation.

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Next Steps

With your model configured, you’re all set! In the next section, we’ll walk you through completing your first task with Cline and show you how to interact with the AI to write, debug, and refactor code.

Deep Dive: Model Selection Guide

Want to understand model pricing, context windows, and advanced selection strategies? Check out our comprehensive Model Selection Guide.