Cline vs Roo Code
A side-by-side comparison of two open-source tools to help you choose the right one.
| Feature | CL | RC |
|---|---|---|
| Summary | An autonomous coding agent inside VS Code. | Agentic AI coding inside VS Code. |
| GitHub stars | 47K | 16.5K |
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Pricing | Free & Open Source | Free & Open Source |
| Self-hostable | ||
| Replaces | Claude Code, GitHub Copilot | Claude Code, GitHub Copilot |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
Cline features
- Plan Mode reviews changes before they're applied
- Edits files and runs commands autonomously
- Model Context Protocol (MCP) tool integration
- Bring your own keys — no vendor lock-in
- Works with frontier and local models
Roo Code features
- Multi-file, project-wide editing
- Custom modes for code, architecture, and debugging
- Use any model provider
- Agentic task automation
- Open source with an active community