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Cline (VS Code)

Cline (formerly Claude Dev) is the most popular AI-agent extension in VS Code, with file read/write, terminal, and browser tool calls.

⚠️ Important: Cline is agentic — it loops model calls automatically. Always give it a dedicated key with a daily limit. A stuck agent can burn tens of dollars in an hour. Do not reuse your everyday key here.

Install

Search Cline in the VS Code extension marketplace and install it.

Configure (OpenAI-compatible, recommended)

  1. Open the Cline panel (robot icon in the activity bar)
  2. Gear icon (top right) → Settings
  3. API Provider → OpenAI Compatible
  4. Fill in:
FieldValue
Base URLhttps://api.tokensmart.ai/v1
API Keypk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Model IDclaude-sonnet-4-6
  1. Save and type your task into the chat.

Configure (Anthropic mode)

For the native Anthropic protocol (richest Claude support):

  • API Provider: Anthropic
  • Anthropic Base URL: https://api.tokensmart.ai (no /v1)
  • API Key: pk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Recommended models

Cline is agentic — it needs long context and solid tool-use. Recommended:

  • claude-sonnet-4-6 — best value
  • claude-opus-4-8 — complex tasks
  • gpt-5.4 — OpenAI side

Tokensmart tips

  • Daily limit is mandatory, not optional: create a Cline-dedicated key on API Keys with a daily limit of $3–$10 depending on project size. This is the first line of defense against runaway agent loops.
  • Hard-lock the model allowlist: tick only claude-sonnet-4-6 / claude-opus-4-8 under Allowed Models. Any accidental switch to an unauthorized model returns 403 MODEL_ACCESS_DENIED at the edge, with no billing impact.
  • Anthropic mode + prompt caching = big savings: Cline's system prompt is huge (tool definitions + mode instructions often exceed 5k tokens) and replays every turn. Use Anthropic mode with cache_control and total cost typically drops to 1/3–1/5 of baseline.
  • Automatic failover: a Cline task fires dozens of calls in a row — one flaky service node would be painful. Tokensmart automatically retries on backups behind the scenes, so Cline never sees the blip.
  • Per-session forensics: every call shows up in API Logs with timestamp, token breakdown, and dollar cost — sort by time to reconstruct a full Cline run and find the expensive turn.

Troubleshooting

  • Tool calls failing — make sure the model supports tool use (all three above do)
  • Context overflow — Cline auto-trims; if your workspace is huge, disable "index entire workspace"
  • Burning credits fast — agent tasks loop many times. Create a dedicated API key with a daily limit on the API Keys page