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If you’re working behind a corporate proxy or firewall, you’ll need to configure proxy settings for Cline to connect to AI providers. The configuration varies depending on which version of Cline you’re using.

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VSCode Extension

The VSCode extension automatically uses VSCode’s built-in proxy settings. See Network Connections in Visual Studio Code, Proxy server support for instructions on how to set up proxies in VSCode. No additional configuration is needed for Cline itself.

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CLI

The Cline CLI uses standard HTTP proxy environment variables. Configure these before running cline commands.

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Basic Configuration

Windows (Command Prompt) 
set https_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
set http_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
cline start
Windows (PowerShell) 
$env:https_proxy="http://proxy.company.com:8080"
$env:http_proxy="http://proxy.company.com:8080"
cline start
macOS/Linux 
export https_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
export http_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
cline start

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Proxy with Authentication

If your proxy requires authentication, include credentials in the URL: 
export https_proxy=http://username:password@proxy.company.com:8080
export http_proxy=http://username:password@proxy.company.com:8080
Storing credentials in environment variables can be a security risk.

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Bypass Proxy for Localhost

To prevent localhost traffic from going through the proxy, set the no_proxy environment variable: Windows 
set no_proxy=localhost,127.0.0.1,.local
macOS/Linux 
export no_proxy=localhost,127.0.0.1,.local

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Custom Certificate Authority

If your proxy uses a custom CA certificate: Windows 
set NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS=C:\path\to\ca-certificate.crt
cline start
macOS/Linux 
export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS=/path/to/ca-certificate.pem
cline start

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Permanent Configuration

To avoid setting these variables every time, add them to your shell profile or system environment variables. macOS/Linux (add to ~/.bashrc, ~/.zshrc, or ~/.profile): 
# Proxy configuration
export https_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
export http_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
export no_proxy=localhost,127.0.0.1,.local
export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS=/path/to/ca-certificate.pem
Windows (System Environment Variables):
  1. Search for “Environment Variables” in Windows Settings
  2. Add the variables under “User variables” or “System variables”
  3. Restart your terminal or IDE

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Known Limitations

Cline CLI only supports HTTP proxies. It does not support SOCKS proxies, proxy autoconfiguration (PAC) scripts, or HTTP proxies which require authentication beyond a basic username and password.

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JetBrains IDEs

The JetBrains plugin uses the IDE’s HTTP proxy settings.

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Configure JetBrains Proxy

  1. Open Settings/Preferences:
    • Windows/Linux: File > Settings
    • macOS: IntelliJ IDEA > Preferences
    • Or press Ctrl+Alt+S (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+, (macOS)
  2. Navigate to: 
    Appearance & Behavior > System Settings > HTTP Proxy
  3. Select “Manual proxy configuration”
  4. Configure your proxy:
    • Host name: proxy.company.com
    • Port number: 8080
    • No proxy for: localhost,127.0.0.1
    • Check “Proxy authentication” if required
    • Enter your username and password
  5. Click “Check connection” to verify the settings
  6. Click “OK” to apply
  7. Restart the IDE

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Test Connection

After configuring the proxy, test that Cline can connect to your AI provider:
  1. Open the Cline panel
  2. Try sending a simple message
  3. If connection fails, check the IDE’s Event Log for error messages

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Custom Certificate Authority

If your proxy uses a custom CA:
  1. Add the certificate to your system’s trust store, or
  2. Import it into the JetBrains IDE:
    • Settings > Tools > Server Certificates
    • Click ”+” to add your certificate

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Known Limitations

Cline in JetBrains only supports HTTP proxies. It does not support SOCKS proxies, proxy autoconfiguration (PAC) scripts, or HTTP proxies which require authentication beyond a basic username and password. Cline does not pick up changed proxy settings dynamically. After changing proxy settings, restart the IDE for Cline to use the new settings.

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Troubleshooting

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Connection Timeouts

If you’re experiencing connection timeouts:
  1. Verify your proxy address and port are correct
  2. Check if the proxy requires authentication
  3. Ensure the AI provider’s API endpoints aren’t blocked by your firewall

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SSL/TLS Certificate Errors

If you see certificate-related errors:
  1. Check that NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS points to the correct certificate file
  2. Ensure the certificate file is in PEM format
  3. Use curl to verify the certificate works, for example, curl -x proxy.corp.example:8080 --cacert /path/to/ca-cert.pem -o - -vv https://api.cline.bot/
  4. Consider disabling http.proxyStrictSSL in VSCode (not recommended for production)

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Testing Proxy Configuration

If you encounter problems with Cline networking, first verify your proxy configuration works using curl: 
# Linux/macOS
export https_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
curl -vv https://api.anthropic.com

# Windows PowerShell
$env:https_proxy="http://proxy.company.com:8080"
curl.exe -vv https://api.anthropic.com
Use --cacert $NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS to specify a certificate if necessary. Next, check ~/.cline/cline-core-service.log (CLI, JetBrains) for log messages confirming your proxy configuration and any network-related errors.

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Common Proxy Patterns

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Authenticated HTTPS Proxy

export https_proxy=http://username:password@proxy.company.com:8080
export NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS=/path/to/ca-cert.pem

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Proxy with No Authentication

export https_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
export http_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080

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Proxy with Bypass Rules

export https_proxy=http://proxy.company.com:8080
export no_proxy=localhost,127.0.0.1,.company.local,192.168.0.0/16