Cline or opencode: an agent in VS Code or in the terminal

Cline and opencode often land in the same roundup because both read your project, edit files and run commands on request. The query "cline vs opencode" usually means one question: which to install. The answer depends not on "quality" but on where you work and how you want to control the agent. Below is a comparison by scenarios, context control, connecting your own models and cost. Feature descriptions were checked against the documentation of both tools on October 18, 2026, but details change between versions, so look at their current docs before configuring.

What Cline is and what opencode is

Cline in this comparison is the VS Code extension (the project also has a CLI and a desktop app, but here we mean work in the editor). The agent panel sits inside the editor, edits appear in your files, and commands run in the editor's terminal. Main ideas from its documentation: Plan mode (reads and discusses but does not change files) and Act mode (changes and executes), checkpoints (file snapshots you can return to), configurable auto-approval of actions, and project rules.

opencode is a terminal agent with an interface right in the console. It runs apart from the editor, so it starts the same way locally, on a server over ssh and next to any IDE. Its documentation describes two built-in primary agents: Build (all tools enabled) and Plan (restricted, for analysis without edits), switched with the Tab key; the /init command creates an AGENTS.md file, /compact compresses history, /undo reverts a message.

Comparison by scenario

This is not a ranking. One person can keep Cline for IDE work and opencode for server tasks.

Context and spend control

Token spend in agents is set by how much context goes into each request, and context grows with every step. So the tools for managing it matter.

In Cline:

• Plan mode lets you first study the project and draft a plan, then switch to Act with the history preserved;
• project rules live in markdown files (.clinerules/, .cline/rules/), and Cline also understands AGENTS.md;
• auto-approval is configured by action category: reads, edits, commands;
• checkpoints let you roll back files without losing the conversation.

In opencode:

• a Plan agent for reading and analysis, Build for edits;
• AGENTS.md in the project root, and global rules can go in ~/.config/opencode/AGENTS.md;
• /compact compresses history when a session has grown;
• /undo and /redo for messages.

The general advice is the same: short tasks, one question per session, a project rules file instead of repeated explanations.

Connecting your own models through Zukko

Both tools work with your own key. But they use different API formats, which affects the base URL.

Cline: OpenAI Compatible

In Cline settings: API Provider → OpenAI Compatible, then three fields.

Base URL: https://api.zukko.pro/v1
API Key:  fetch_your_key
Model ID: claude-sonnet-5

You can substitute any ID from GET /v1/models, for example gpt-6.1-sol or glm-5.3-flash. If the settings have a context size field, the Zukko docs advise 1000000 for Claude and GPT and 128000 for GLM. Step by step: VS Code extensions↗.

opencode: the Anthropic provider

opencode connects through the anthropic provider, and the address here has /v1 (without it requests go to the wrong path and return 404). The file is ~/.config/opencode/opencode.json or opencode.json in the project root:

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "provider": {
    "anthropic": {
      "options": {
        "baseURL": "https://api.zukko.pro/v1",
        "apiKey": "fetch_your_key"
      },
      "models": {
        "claude-opus-5-5": {},
        "claude-sonnet-5": {}
      }
    }
  }
}

After launching opencode, open /models and pick a model. Details: the opencode docs↗.

Cost: the tool does not change the token price, but it changes the format

The main expense in both cases is model tokens. The price depends on the model and the context volume. But there is a nuance visible in Zukko's numbers: for Claude, the cache discount comes only from the Anthropic format (/v1/messages); in the OpenAI format all input is billed at the input price. Cline, per the instructions above, connects as OpenAI Compatible, opencode as Anthropic.

An illustration on claude-sonnet-5-5 (prices on October 18, 2026: input 0.4, output 2, cache read 0.05, cache write 0.5 per 1M). Assumption: a session of 30 requests, each with about 50,000 input tokens and 1,500 output tokens.

• Without cache: input 30 × 50,000 = 1,500,000 × 0.4 / 1,000,000 = $0.60; output 30 × 1,500 = 45,000 × 2 / 1,000,000 = $0.09; total $0.69.
• With cache in the Anthropic format, if of 1.5M input 1.35M is read from cache, 0.1M is written and 0.05M is fresh: read 1.35 × 0.05 = $0.0675, write 0.1 × 0.5 = $0.05, fresh input 0.05 × 0.4 = $0.02, output $0.09; total about $0.23.

The cache share in a real session depends on the tool (whether it sets cache markers) and on agent behavior, so the figures above only show the mechanics. Check real charges in the "Usage" section of the dashboard. For GPT models, cache reads are visible in both formats. An explanation of what happens to cache with different formats: Claude via /v1/messages or /v1/chat/completions↗.

How to choose

1. You work in VS Code and want to see edits in files: start with Cline.
2. You work in a terminal, on a server or outside VS Code: start with opencode.
3. You need to test both: both connect to one Zukko key, so you do not pay twice. Put a daily limit on the key and run the same small task in both.

Do not pick a tool by hearsay. Your task and habits decide, and result quality depends on the model you pick, so test it on your own project.

FAQ

Can Cline and opencode be used together?

Yes. They are independent programs and can share one key and one balance. Just do not run them on the same files at the same time.

Which is cheaper to work with?

Price is set by the model and context size, not by the tool itself. Compare on the same task and the same model in the "Usage" section of the dashboard.

Why does opencode use /v1 in the address while Claude Code does not?

Different clients assemble the request path differently. The AI SDK in opencode appends only /messages, so you must put /v1 in the address yourself, while Claude Code appends the whole /v1/messages. The rules: Base URL with or without /v1↗.

How do I connect?

Create a key in the dashboard, set a limit on it and paste it into the chosen tool's settings using the examples above.