Keep Cline.
Give it your machines.

AI Commander is not an alternative to Cline, Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Windsurf, or Continue. It is the remote-machine harness those tools plug into over MCP: outbound-only shell, detached jobs that outlive the chat, and file transfer on hardware you already own.

Positioning in one line: Cline stays the brain; AI Commander is the hands on the box — servers, GPU rigs, NAS, laptops — with no inbound ports and no exposed SSH.

Sibling harness pages: Cursor · Continue · Windsurf · Claude Code · Grok · Codex · ChatGPT · Gemini.

Connect Cline (MCP settings)

Cline is the popular VS Code / Cursor agent extension. It talks to AI Commander through the same stdio MCP bridge as Cursor and Windsurf. Add this under mcpServers in Cline’s MCP settings (open Cline → MCP Servers, or edit the cline_mcp_settings.json file Cline manages):

cline_mcp_settings.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aicommander": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@aicommander/mcp"],
      "env": {
        "AICOMMANDER_SERVER": "https://aicommander.dev"
      }
    }
  }
}

The config shape matches Cursor and other IDE MCP clients; only the settings path differs. Full client matrix (Cline, Cursor, Continue, Windsurf, Claude Code, Codex, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, REST): Connect your AI client.

First connect may open a one-time browser sign-in (OAuth Dynamic Client Registration). For a code-only first hour without that flow, append ?anonymous=1 to the MCP URL where your client supports it.

What you get that the chat alone cannot

Remote shell on Linux, macOS, and Windows — by session code or saved alias.
Detached jobs for builds, training, and headless agents on the box that has the repo.
Fleet list + GPU facts so Cline picks the right machine before it burns an hour.
File courier (Pro) for checkpoints and diffs up to 100 MiB.

Not a replacement — a multiplier

You already use	AI Commander adds
Cline	Cline MCP settings / `cline_mcp_settings.json` + `npx @aicommander/mcp`
Continue	`~/.continue/config.yaml` / `.continue/mcpServers/` + stdio bridge
Cursor	`npx @aicommander/mcp` stdio bridge → remote exec + jobs
Windsurf	`~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json` + stdio bridge
Claude Code	MCP remote exec + jobs on your fleet
Codex / ChatGPT	Same MCP endpoint or REST `/api/v1/exec`
Gemini / Grok	`gemini mcp add` / `grok mcp add --transport http …`

FAQ

Is AI Commander an alternative to Cline?

No. AI Commander is a remote-machine harness. You keep Cline (or Cursor, Claude Code, Codex, ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok, Windsurf, Continue) as the AI. AI Commander gives those tools secure remote shell, detached jobs, and file transfer on machines you own — over MCP or REST.

How do I connect Cline to AI Commander?

Add the stdio bridge in Cline’s MCP settings (VS Code / Cursor: open Cline → MCP Servers, or edit the cline_mcp_settings.json Cline manages) with npx -y @aicommander/mcp and AICOMMANDER_SERVER=https://aicommander.dev. First connect may open a one-time browser sign-in (DCR). Use ?anonymous=1 for a code-only first hour. See /howto/ for the full matrix.

How is this different from Cline running locally only?

Local Cline is the brain in your editor. AI Commander adds hands on servers, GPU rigs, NAS, and other laptops you own — outbound-only, no inbound ports, no exposed SSH — so Cline can run shell, detached jobs, and file transfer on those machines over MCP.

Next steps

Install the agent on a machine you control, connect Cline via MCP settings, then ask for a real task on a remote box.

Install the agent Setup guides Remote coding agents

Keep Cline.Give it your machines.