When is it worth asking Cline to plan first?
Imagine your contact form shows “Sent,” but you never receive the message. Ask Cline to follow what happens after the person clicks Send. In Plan mode it can read and search the project without editing it or running commands.
Ask where the app decides the message went through, and whether it can tell an accepted submission from a failed email request. That’s more useful than “Fix my contact form,” which can lead to replacing the whole thing before you know where it broke.
What do you need before opening the project in Cline?
If you already use an editor such as VS Code, install Cline there and open the folder that contains the app. Cline also offers separate desktop and terminal options. Choose an AI service or an available local model before the task.
Before trying the form, confirm that it can only send to an inbox you control. Reproduce what’s wrong there. If you can’t tell where a test message would go, ask Cline to explain the code in Plan without running it.
When do you switch from Plan to Act?
Switch when you understand what Cline is about to change and how you’ll check it. Plan lets you agree on the approach; Act can edit files and run commands using that conversation.
For the contact form, ask it to keep the current design, show success only when the email service accepts the request, and retain the typed message if sending fails. Then try a valid send and a simulated failure. Acceptance by an email service and delivery to the inbox are different checks, so look for the sample message as well.
- Watch How to Use Plan & Act Modes in ClineCline’s walkthrough of separating planning from the editing step.
How much can Cline do without asking you?
Auto Approve can allow categories of actions without stopping at each one. Review which reads, edits, commands and connected tools it covers in the client you use. Where offered, YOLO Mode removes approval prompts; don’t start there while learning the project.
For a first edit, keep the commands reviewable. If Cline proposes sending an email, ask which address it will go to. If it proposes deleting files, ask which files and whether the change can be undone. The fact that a button lets you allow something isn’t a reason to allow it.
Is the Cline extension free to use with any AI model?
The availability of Cline’s source code and the cost of AI processing are separate. Cline can charge through usage credits or ClinePass; if you connect your own paid AI account, that provider can charge you directly. A model running on your computer needs enough memory and computing power.
A model is the system that reads your request and produces a response. Metered accounts can charge for pieces of text and code it processes, so reading several project folders can use more than changing one line. Start with a small task and see which balance changed.
| Choice | Check before starting |
|---|---|
| Cline usage credits | Which models can use credits and how paid usage is measured. |
| ClinePass | Optional at the listed $9.99/month, with selected models and five-hour, weekly and monthly limits. Check currency, fees and client support. |
| Your own AI service | Which account owns the key, the private credential that can spend its balance. |
| Model on your computer | Hardware requirements and whether the client supports it. Cloud Agents support a narrower set of payment and model choices. |
Can you undo the files but keep the conversation?
Yes, when checkpoints are enabled. You can compare changed project files and restore files, the conversation or both. If an edit went wrong but the explanation was useful, review the file changes and restore just the files.
Keep a lasting copy in Git as well. A checkpoint won’t pull back an email that was sent or restore a database on another service. Ask what was changed outside the project folder before relying on a file restore.
What stays with you if you stop using Cline?
The app’s files and code history can stay where you already keep them. What you’ll have to reconnect depends on the project: for the contact form, the replacement still needs a safe way to send email and to test that it arrived.
Cline’s public repository is Apache-2.0 licensed; its README distinguishes the JetBrains client from that source release. Judge the exact client and any paid or hosted service you need before choosing on the basis of the license.
When should you add rules or let Cline work in the cloud?
Add a project rule when the same instruction keeps coming up, such as “Use the test inbox for every send.” Put the guidance in a place your client loads. Use separate credentials to enforce the boundary.
Cloud Agents work on a selected GitHub repository, a home for project files and history, and save changes to their own branch for review. Browser Cloud Agents don’t load local rules, skills or connected tools. Check what the cloud session needs and set it up separately before moving a task.
Where can you learn the next steps?
- AGENTS.md Guide with Examples Your Coding Agent Can UseWrite concise project guidance and verify the chosen client’s file support.
- Use a release checklist before going liveCheck customer access, failed actions and saved information after an app change.