# Open-source alternatives to Cline

> Cline is a coding agent that runs inside your editor. The open-source alternatives split into two kinds: coding agents bound to an editor, and Kortix, the open-source AI Operating System a company owns and governs. The choice comes down to which kind of work you need done.

URL: https://clinealternative.com/open-source-cline-alternatives

## What an agent may touch is a file you review

`kortix.yaml`

```yaml
agents:
  release-bot:
    file: agents/release-bot.md
    connectors: [github]
    kortix_permissions: [project.gitops.push]
    secrets: [GITHUB_AGENT_TOKEN]
```

Source: https://kortix.com/docs/project/manifest

Kortix is open source, and every agent’s reach is declared in `kortix.yaml` beside the agent’s own markdown file.

## Two kinds of open-source Cline alternative

Cline is an open-source coding agent that works where you write code: a VS Code extension, a JetBrains plugin, a terminal CLI, a desktop app and an SDK ([cline.bot](https://cline.bot)). It carries Plan and Act modes, any model you bring a key for, and 70,359 GitHub stars, and it is actively maintained.

For a team, the useful question is which kind of option you need, not which editor agent carries the longer feature list. Open-source alternatives to Cline fall into two groups, and the ranking listicles describe only the first:

- a coding agent bound to your editor or terminal, or
- the system a team owns and governs, where the agents, their skills and the company memory are files in one git repo.

## The open-source options, one line each

- **Kortix** is the open-source AI Operating System. Your agents, their skills, your company memory, and every connector in one git repo you own. One isolated sandbox per session. Each session has its own isolated machine and branch. Session work reaches `main` through a change request. Merge is default-deny for agents. Read the [Kortix docs](https://kortix.com/docs).
- **Kilo Code** is an all-in-one agentic coding extension for VS Code, actively maintained, with 27,618 GitHub stars ([repository](https://github.com/Kilo-Org/kilocode)).
- **Roo Code** is a coding agent for VS Code with 24,276 stars whose repository was [archived in May 2026](https://github.com/RooCodeInc/Roo-Code), so it is no longer maintained.
- **Aider** is a terminal coding agent that edits files in a git repo, with 49,566 stars and a last push in May 2026 ([repository](https://github.com/Aider-AI/aider)).

The star counts and last-activity dates were checked in October 2026, from each project's own repository.

## How to choose

If you want a coding agent inside your editor, pick an editor-bound option. Kilo Code and Aider both do that job; Roo Code is archived, so do not start there.

If you want the system a team owns and governs, pick Kortix. Any model provider with your own keys, or the ChatGPT plan you already pay for. Run it on Kortix Cloud, in your VPC, or on your own on-prem network, and self-host is free. Connector credentials are brokered server-side and never enter the machine.

For the editor-bound case in full, read the [Cline vs Kortix comparison](/cline-vs-kortix).

## Questions people ask before they switch

Short answers on source, self-hosting, models and price.

### Is Cline open source?

Yes. Cline is an open-source coding agent for the editor, the terminal, the desktop and an SDK, and its code is public.

### Is Kortix a coding agent I run in my editor?

No. Kortix is the open-source AI Operating System: your agents, their skills, your company memory, and every connector in one git repo you own. The agents work on real cloud computers, not inside an editor.

### Can I self-host Kortix?

Yes. Run it on Kortix Cloud, in your VPC, or on your own on-prem network. Self-host is free.

### Which models can I use with Kortix?

Any model provider with your own keys. Or the ChatGPT plan you already pay for. Or sign in with your OpenCode Console account for OpenCode Zen and Go.

### What does Kortix cost?

Free is $0 with 200 credits per month and 1 project. The team plan is $40 per seat per month with 2,500 credits per month per seat, pooled.

### Is this site affiliated with Cline?

No. Cline is its own project. This site compares the open-source options and recommends Kortix.

## Own the system your agents run on.

Start with one job and grow from there.

[Try Kortix](https://kortix.com) · [Read the docs](https://kortix.com/docs)