Forget "Model Context Protocol" - Just Think of These as Extra Tools for Cline

Yesterday, I asked a developer if he was using MCP in Cline.

"I still don't understand what Model Context Protocol is," he said.

I had to smile. Here was a developer missing out on powerful tools because he was getting caught up in confusing technical jargon. It's like developers are leaving features on the table because the name sounds too complicated.

"Forget Model Context Protocol - that's just distracting you from what matters," I told him. "Think of these as extra tools you can give to Cline. That's it."

You don't need to understand the technical architecture behind it, just like you don't need to understand the HTTP protocol to use a REST API. What matters is what these tools let you do: work seamlessly with your favorite services without constantly switching contexts and tabs.Let Me Show You What I Mean

Here's something you've probably done before:

Without tools:

"Check what's in the latest PR"

switches to browser

opens GitHub

finds repository

checks PR

switches back to editor

tries to remember what they were doing

With GitHub tools in Cline:

"Check what's in the latest PR"

"The latest PR adds user authentication. Here are the main changes..."

Cline already knows which repository you're working in and what you're building. No context switching needed.

These Tools Make Cline More Powerful

Think of Cline's capabilities like a toolbox:

• Out of the box, Cline can read files, write code, run commands, etc.
• But you can add more tools to help with specific tasks
• Each tool lets Cline do something new without you leaving your editor

Why Context Matters: The Perplexity Example

This is where things get interesting. Let's say you're deep into building a feature and need to research something. Here's what usually happens:

Without tools, using Perplexity means:

1. Open a new tab
2. Go to Perplexity
3. Explain your ENTIRE project context again
4. "I'm working on a Next.js app with TypeScript, using Supabase for auth..."
5. Make your query
6. Come back to editor and paste in the result
7. Need another answer? Repeat the whole process

But when Perplexity is available as a tool for Cline, something magical happens. Cline already knows:

• What project you're working on
• Your tech stack
• Your current task
• Previous research you've done
• Your team's preferences

So when you ask a question, Cline can make a focused, contextual query to Perplexity without you having to re-explain everything. It's like having a senior developer who's been working on your project the whole time. Check it out here 👇

Here's What This Looks Like in Practice

Let's see a complete workflow in action when implementing authentication:

Without tools:

"Implement Supabase user authentication"

opens Notion to check team standards

searches through meeting notes

opens Supabase docs in browser

creates feature branch manually

switches between windows constantly

remembers to update Linear ticket

With tools in Cline:

"Implement Supabase user authentication"

"I'll check our team's Notion first for our auth patterns..."

"Found recent discussions about auth requirements in the team meetings..."

"Let me research Supabase auth best practices..."

"I'll create a feature branch and update the Linear ticket to track progress..."

"Here's the implementation plan. Would you like me to proceed?"

Each step flows naturally into the next, with Cline maintaining context about your project, team preferences, and requirements throughout the entire process.

What Tools Are Available?

Our marketplace has hundreds of ready-to-use tools. Here are some popular ones:

Daily Development:

• GitHub for managing repositories and PRs
• Notion for checking team documentation
• Linear for tracking tasks

Research & Documentation:

• Perplexity Research for smart documentation search
• WolframAlpha for complex computations
• Supabase for database patterns

Debugging:

• Sentry for error tracking
• Raygun for crash reporting
• Kubernetes Observer for cluster monitoring

"But Is This Complicated to Set Up?"

Nope. Most tools just need:

1. Click "Install" in Cline
2. Add an API key if the plugin needs one
3. That's it

Start Small

Pick ONE tool you use frequently - maybe GitHub or Notion (or Perplexity – my favorite). Add it to Cline and try it for a week.

You'll be surprised how quickly "let me switch to my browser" becomes "Cline, can you check that for me?"

This blog was written by Nick Baumann, Product Marketing at Cline. Follow us @cline for more insights into the future of development.

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