Quick Verdict
Decision Matrix (Feb 2026)
- Choose Roo Code if: You want custom AI personas, diff-based editing for lower token costs, and a Mode Gallery for pre-built configurations
- Choose Cline if: You want the largest ecosystem (5M+ installs), pioneering MCP integration, and a more established community with better documentation
- Either works if: You need a free, open-source AI coding agent in VS Code. Both share the same core architecture and support the same model providers.
These tools share ~80% of their codebase. The comparison is about the 20% that differs. Roo Code added custom modes, diff-based editing, and a cloud layer for remote agent management. Cline invested in MCP marketplace integration, browser automation, and a CLI 2.0 for terminal-first workflows.
If you are cost-sensitive and want specialized agent personas, Roo Code is the better pick. If you value the largest community, the most mature MCP ecosystem, and browser automation, Cline is stronger. Both are free. Both are open source. The switching cost between them is near zero.
Fork History
Cline launched in 2024 as an open-source VS Code extension, originally called "Claude Dev." It pioneered the agentic coding pattern: an AI that creates files, edits code, runs terminal commands, and uses the browser with human approval at each step.
By September 2024, Cline had 5,000 GitHub stars. By early 2025, it passed 40,000 stars and 1 million installs. The rapid growth attracted forks. Roo Code (originally "Roo Cline") forked to focus on reliability, customization, and cost efficiency. It added custom modes, diff-based editing, and multi-agent personas.
Kilo Code then forked Roo Code in late 2025, raising $8M in seed funding to build an "agentic engineering platform." The three tools now form a family tree: Cline (original) → Roo Code (first major fork) → Kilo Code (fork of the fork).
As of February 2026: Cline has 58K+ stars and 5M+ installs. Roo Code has 22K+ stars and 1.2M installs. Both have active development and growing communities. Neither is abandoned. The fork is healthy competition, not a split.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Roo Code | Cline |
|---|---|---|
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 |
| GitHub Stars | 22K+ | 58K+ |
| VS Code Installs | 1.2M | 5M+ |
| Custom Modes | 5 built-in + Mode Gallery | No (Plan/Act toggle only) |
| File Editing | Diff-based (changed lines only) | Full file rewrite |
| MCP Support | Yes | Yes (built-in marketplace) |
| Browser Automation | Limited | Yes (Computer Use) |
| CLI Tool | No | Yes (CLI 2.0) |
| Cloud Features | Roomote Control, task sharing | No |
| Model Providers | Same (BYOK) | Same (BYOK) |
| Context Management | Enhanced context condensing | Context progress bar, auto-spawn |
| Auto-Approve | Yes (configurable) | Yes (granular + YOLO mode) |
| Profiles | Multiple model profiles with dropdown | Single model selection |
| Community Extensions | Mode Gallery | MCP Marketplace |
Pricing and Token Costs
Both extensions are free. The real cost is API token consumption, and this is where Roo Code and Cline diverge significantly.
Cline: Full File Rewrite
When Cline makes a change, it rewrites the entire file and shows you a diff view. This is safer (you see the complete file in context) but consumes more output tokens. For a 500-line file where you change 10 lines, Cline outputs all 500 lines. With Claude Sonnet 4 at $15/million output tokens, that adds up on large files.
Roo Code: Diff-Based Editing
Roo Code's apply_diff tool only outputs the changed lines. For that same 500-line file with 10 changed lines, Roo Code outputs ~10-20 lines. Independent testing shows approximately 30% savings on API costs compared to Cline. One user reported reducing token usage from 150,000 to 15,000-20,000 tokens per activity by combining diff editing with Roo Code's planning modes.
Token Cost Comparison
Editing a 500-line TypeScript file (10 lines changed), using Claude Sonnet 4:
- Cline: ~500 output lines ($0.0075 per edit at $15/M output tokens)
- Roo Code: ~20 output lines ($0.0003 per edit)
On 100 edits/day across large files, that's $0.75 vs $0.03. Over a month: $22.50 vs $0.90. The savings compound with file size.
Cloud Pricing (Roo Code Only)
Roo Code offers optional cloud features:
- Cloud Free: Token tracking, task following, task sharing, early access to free AI models
- Pro ($20/month + $5/hour cloud tasks): Cloud agents (PR Reviewer), Roomote Control for remote agent management
- Team ($99/month + $5/hour): Unlimited team members, no per-seat charges
Cline has no equivalent cloud layer. Its Teams plan (free through Q1 2026, then $20/month with 10 free seats) covers shared billing but not remote agent management.
Agent Capabilities
Roo Code: Custom Modes + Personas
Custom Modes is Roo Code's differentiating feature. You define specialized AI personas with tailored instructions and scoped tool permissions. Each mode can restrict which tools the agent can use, preventing accidental file changes during planning or analysis.
Built-in modes:
- Code: Full tool access for implementation tasks
- Architect: Planning-focused with restricted write access
- Ask: Read-only analysis and explanation
- Debug: Diagnostic mode with terminal and log access
- Custom: Template for building your own modes
The Mode Gallery is a community marketplace where developers publish pre-tested configurations. Modes for React development, documentation writing, testing, security review, and more are available. You install modes with a click.
Cline: Plan/Act + MCP Marketplace
Cline's approach is simpler: a binary Plan/Act toggle. Plan mode gathers information without modifying files. Act mode executes changes with approval at each step. There are no specialized personas, but the human-in-the-loop design means you control exactly what the agent does at every step.
Cline's MCP Marketplace is more established than Roo Code's Mode Gallery. You can ask Cline to "add a tool" and it creates, configures, and installs an MCP server automatically. Community tools cover databases, deployment, monitoring, and more.
Browser automation via Computer Use is a Cline strength. The agent can launch a browser, interact with web pages, capture screenshots, and use that information for debugging and testing. Roo Code's browser capabilities are more limited.
Roo Code: Custom Modes
5 built-in modes + community Mode Gallery. Scoped tool permissions per persona. Security reviewer mode can't write files. Architect mode can't run commands.
Cline: MCP Marketplace
Community-built tools for databases, deployment, monitoring. Ask Cline to 'add a tool' and it auto-creates and installs MCP servers. Browser automation built in.
Editing Approach: Diff vs Full Rewrite
This is the most consequential technical difference between the two tools.
Cline: Full File Rewrite
Cline rewrites the entire file for every change. The agent outputs the complete new file content, and you see a diff view showing what changed. This approach is safer: you always see the full context of changes. But it consumes more output tokens and is slower on large files.
Roo Code: Diff-Based Editing
Roo Code's apply_diff tool outputs only the changed lines with surrounding context. This is faster and cheaper, but introduces a failure mode: if the diff context doesn't match the file exactly (whitespace differences, line number drift), the edit can fail or apply incorrectly.
| Editing Aspect | Roo Code (Diff) | Cline (Full Rewrite) |
|---|---|---|
| Token Usage | Low (changed lines only) | High (full file output) |
| Speed | Faster on large files | Slower on large files |
| Safety | Can fail on context mismatch | Always applies correctly |
| Cost (500-line file, 10 changes) | ~$0.0003/edit | ~$0.0075/edit |
| Best For | Cost-sensitive workflows, large files | Safety-critical changes, small files |
Practical Impact
For small files (under 100 lines), the difference is negligible. Both approaches are fast and cheap. The gap grows with file size. On 1,000+ line files with small edits, Roo Code's diff approach saves meaningful money. On the flip side, Cline's full rewrite never fails due to context mismatch, which matters for automated pipelines.
When Roo Code Wins
Token Budget Constraints
Diff-based editing saves ~30% on API costs. Paired with DeepSeek R1, Roo Code is the most cost-efficient coding agent available. Essential for teams on tight API budgets.
Specialized Workflows
Custom modes let you define AI personas with scoped permissions. A security reviewer mode that can't write files. An architect mode that can't run commands. Mode Gallery for community configs.
Team Collaboration
Roomote Control lets you manage agents remotely. Task sharing lets teammates see and continue AI sessions. No per-seat charges on the Team plan.
Multiple Model Profiles
Quickly switch between model/provider profiles via dropdown. Use Claude for complex tasks, DeepSeek for routine edits, Gemini for prototyping. Cline requires manual model switching.
When Cline Wins
Largest Community
58K+ GitHub stars, 5M+ installs. More tutorials, more Stack Overflow answers, more third-party integrations. When you hit a problem, someone has solved it before.
MCP Ecosystem
The most mature MCP marketplace in the VS Code agent space. Auto-install MCP servers by asking Cline to 'add a tool.' Community tools cover databases, CI/CD, monitoring, and more.
Browser Automation
Full Computer Use support. Cline launches browsers, clicks elements, types text, captures screenshots. Useful for end-to-end testing, interactive debugging, and web scraping tasks.
CLI 2.0
Terminal-first interface with real-time task planning, Plan/Act toggle via Tab, and auto-approve via Shift+Tab. Run with -y for YOLO mode. No equivalent in Roo Code.
Decision Framework
| Priority | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest API cost | Roo Code | Diff-based editing saves ~30% on output tokens |
| Largest community | Cline | 58K+ stars, 5M+ installs, more resources |
| Custom AI personas | Roo Code | 5 built-in modes + community Mode Gallery |
| MCP tool ecosystem | Cline | Built-in marketplace, auto-install MCP servers |
| Browser automation | Cline | Full Computer Use support |
| Team collaboration | Roo Code | Roomote Control, task sharing, no per-seat charges |
| Edit safety | Cline | Full file rewrite never fails on context mismatch |
| Model profile switching | Roo Code | Dropdown profile selector for quick model changes |
| Terminal workflow | Cline | CLI 2.0 with Plan/Act toggle and YOLO mode |
Both tools are good enough for any individual developer. The choice matters more at team scale. If your team needs specialized agent personas with cost control, Roo Code's custom modes and diff editing deliver measurable savings. If your team values the safest possible edit workflow with the deepest tool ecosystem, Cline's full-rewrite approach and MCP marketplace are the stronger foundation.
For the code transformations themselves, Morph Compact Attention improves long-context edit accuracy regardless of which agent generates the instructions. And WarpGrep adds fast semantic codebase search that works as an MCP tool with either extension.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roo Code a fork of Cline?
Yes. Roo Code (formerly Roo Cline) forked from Cline to add custom modes, diff-based editing, and multi-agent personas. Both share the same core architecture and are free and open source under Apache 2.0.
Which saves more on API costs?
Roo Code saves approximately 30% through diff-based editing that only outputs changed lines. Some users report 75% savings when combining diff editing with planning modes. Cline rewrites entire files, which is safer but uses more output tokens on large files.
What are Roo Code custom modes?
Specialized AI personas with scoped tool permissions. Five built-in modes (Code, Architect, Ask, Debug, Custom) plus a community Mode Gallery. A security reviewer mode can read code but not write files. An architect mode can plan but not execute commands.
Which has more community support?
Cline has more total installs (5M+ vs 1.2M) and GitHub stars (58K+ vs 22K+). Cline's MCP marketplace is more established. Roo Code has 300 contributors and a growing Mode Gallery. Both have active communities.
Can I switch between them?
Yes. Both support the same model providers and use similar configuration patterns. API keys and VS Code setup work with either tool. Avoid running both extensions simultaneously in the same VS Code instance to prevent conflicts.
What is Kilo Code?
Kilo Code is a fork of Roo Code (which forked Cline), backed by $8M in seed funding from December 2025. It adds a polished UI and aggressive feature development. All three tools share the same core architecture: Cline (original) → Roo Code (fork) → Kilo Code (fork of fork).
Related Comparisons
Fast Code Edits for Any VS Code Agent
Morph Fast Apply processes 10,500+ tokens/sec with 98% accuracy. Works as an MCP tool with Cline, Roo Code, or any VS Code agent.