Cline vs OpenCode
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted self-hosted ai options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Cline | OpenCode |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | ≈5-minute setup |
| Health score | 100 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Self-Hosted AI | Self-Hosted AI |
| License | Apache-2.0 | free |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | source, binary | docker, one-click |
| GitHub stars | ★ 69,188 | ★ 209,710 |
| First released | 2024 | 2022 |
| Replaces | GitHub Copilot, Cursor | Claude Code, Cursor |
What are Cline and OpenCode?
Cline
Cline is an open-source AI coding agent that runs inside VS Code and can read, edit, and execute code with your approval. It can be pointed at self-hosted or local model endpoints so no code leaves your infrastructure.
- Agentic edits with approval
- Works with local LLM endpoints
- Terminal command execution
- Model Context Protocol support
OpenCode
OpenCode is an open source AI coding agent designed to enhance your development workflow across terminal, IDE, and desktop environments. Use it to chat about code, generate changes, and execute sophisticated multi-session workflows across your projects. Key features include support for multiple AI model providers (including Claude, GPT-4, and local models), intelligent context-aware code suggestions via LSP integration, and the ability to perform complex refactoring tasks. OpenCode can help you write new features, debug issues, refactor code, and explain complex codebases in natural language. .
- Terminal-first coding agent
- Provider-agnostic model support
- LSP-aware code context
- Multi-session parallel agents
Cline vs OpenCode: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Licensing differs — Apache-2.0 for Cline versus free for OpenCode. OpenCode is the more established project (first released 2022), while Cline arrived in 2024. OpenCode has the considerably larger community, at 209,710 GitHub stars versus 69,188. OpenCode lists first-class Docker deployment; Cline does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Cline if…
- Human-approved edits
- Works with local models
- Free and open source
Watch out for
- VS Code only
- API costs add up
Choose OpenCode if…
- Works with many providers
- LSP-aware code context
- Terminal and IDE support
Watch out for
- API costs add up
- Fast-moving young project
Frequently asked questions
Is Cline or OpenCode better?
Neither is universally better. OpenCode has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Cline and OpenCode free and open-source?
Yes. Cline is licensed under Apache-2.0 and OpenCode under free. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Cline and OpenCode with Docker?
Cline: check the project docs for container support. OpenCode: yes.