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.
Prerequisites
Quick Start
# Interactive session
cline
# Run one task immediately
cline "refactor this module to use async/await"
# Structured output for scripts
cline --json "list TODO comments"
Headless mode
Use headless mode for scripts/automation and processable output.
Headless is triggered when using flags like --json, when stdin is piped, or when output is redirected.
When headless activates
| Invocation | Reason |
|---|
cline --json "task" | JSON output mode |
cat file | cline "task" | stdin is piped |
cline "task" > output.txt | stdout is redirected |
# CI/script style execution
git diff | cline "review these changes"
# JSON for parsing
cline --json "summarize this changelog" | jq -r '.text'
Autonomous execution
For fully unattended runs, use auto-approval:
cline --auto-approve true "run tests and fix failures"
# plan-first
cline -p "design migration plan"
# act immediately (default)
cline "apply migration"
Autonomous execution can modify files and run commands without further prompts. Use a clean branch and review results.
High-Value Commands
cline --help
cline <command> --help
| Command | Purpose |
|---|
cline | Start interactive mode or run a prompt |
cline auth | Authenticate and set provider/model |
cline config | Open the interactive config view |
cline mcp | Manage MCP servers |
cline doctor | Diagnose/fix configuration issues |
cline history | Show and manage task history |
cline schedule | Manage scheduled tasks |
cline hub | Manage local hub daemon |
cline kanban | Launch Kanban app |
Most-Used Global Flags
Source of truth: CLI Reference
| Flag | Purpose |
|---|
-p, --plan | Start in Plan mode |
--auto-approve <boolean> | Global tool auto-approval (true/false, default true) |
-m, --model <model> | Override model for this run |
-P, --provider <id> | Override provider for this run |
-c, --cwd <path> | Set working directory |
--config <dir> | Use config directory |
--data-dir <dir> | Use isolated local state |
--json | Output newline-delimited JSON messages |
--thinking <level> | Set reasoning effort: none|low|medium|high|xhigh (default medium) |
-t, --timeout <seconds> | Set task timeout |
Automation Patterns
Pipe context in
cat README.md | cline "summarize key setup steps"
git diff | cline "review for potential regressions"
Chain tasks
git diff | cline "explain these changes" | cline "write a commit message"
Restrict command execution
export CLINE_COMMAND_PERMISSIONS='{"allow": ["npm *", "git *"], "deny": ["rm -rf *", "sudo *"]}'
Include images in tasks
cline -i "fix the layout issue shown in @./screenshot.png"
# or reference inline
cline "fix the UI shown in @./design-mockup.png"
Set execution timeout
cline --timeout 600 "run full test suite"
JSON Output Schema
When using --json, each line is a JSON message object.
{"type":"say","text":"I'll create the file now.","ts":1760501486669,"say":"text"}
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|
type | "ask" or "say" | Message category |
text | string | Message content |
ts | number | Unix timestamp in milliseconds |
say | string | Subtype when type is "say" |
ask | string | Subtype when type is "ask" |
reasoning | string | Optional model reasoning |
partial | boolean | Streaming flag |
Next Steps
