I wrote about what I learned from extensive use of Claude Code and Cline(kylekukshtel.com)
kylekukshtel.com
I wrote about what I learned from extensive use of Claude Code and Cline
https://kylekukshtel.com/vibecoding-claude-code-cline-sonnet-ai-programming-gpt-mood
3 comments
What is your overall impression of Cline? Why does it stick out as being on the SOTA track compared to the others trying to replace VS Code entirely?
I really liked Cline until I tried Claude Code. CC being sort of "closer to the metal" in terms of API access to Claude and effectivelly no mediating interface really introduced a major philosophical change in how I think about AI coding.
For Cline though, I think what it got right is realizing you can use the VS Code API and smart prompting in order to basically bootstrap an "agentic" tool. Cursor and Windsurf I think had these features a bit ago, but were also sort of hamstrung at the time by the models themselves. Cline benefited from smart prompting by its developers in confluence with model advances, making the value prop be really murky as to why I would use something like Cursor/Windsurf. However, VS Code now directly supports Cline-type behavior without Cline [0] so IMO I think a lot of these tools that are basicaly glamorized prompt wrappers aren't long for the world.
[0] https://github.blog/news-insights/product-news/github-copilo...
For Cline though, I think what it got right is realizing you can use the VS Code API and smart prompting in order to basically bootstrap an "agentic" tool. Cursor and Windsurf I think had these features a bit ago, but were also sort of hamstrung at the time by the models themselves. Cline benefited from smart prompting by its developers in confluence with model advances, making the value prop be really murky as to why I would use something like Cursor/Windsurf. However, VS Code now directly supports Cline-type behavior without Cline [0] so IMO I think a lot of these tools that are basicaly glamorized prompt wrappers aren't long for the world.
[0] https://github.blog/news-insights/product-news/github-copilo...
I make a photo gallery website called mood.site. I made it initially as a test to see how far along I could build something with ChatGPT circa early 2024. A year since release the site has garnered a fair number of users, so I used it as a moment to re-evalutate the SOTA for AI-assisted coding with Cline and Claude Code.
I used both extensively to first migrate the application to Svelte, then used Claude Code exclusively to "vibecode" (before I knew what vibecoding was!) the premium feature set I've since released. The site works and people are now paying for it, so I took some time to write nearly 8000 words about the whole process!
Hope you enjoy and happy to answer any questions!