Cline MCP [BETA]

Wire Chutes into Cline through its MCP settings.

Cline uses a global MCP settings file, not VS Code settings.json. The toolkit generates the snippet and keeps CHUTES_API_KEY in the environment.
Open source guideConnect quickstarts
Cline setupMCP server READMEMCP tool map
Status
MCP read tools active; write tools [BETA]
Base URL
https://llm.chutes.ai/v1
Live model example
Qwen/Qwen3-32B-TEE
Catalog checked
Jun 25, 2026; context 40K

Full setup walkthrough

Everything you need is on this page — no need to leave for the toolkit. Each step is copy-paste runnable and uses a live model id from the catalog.

  1. 01

    Install the Chutes MCP server

    uv tool install
    bash
    uv tool install chutes-mcp-server \
  --from plugins/chutes-ai/skills/chutes-mcp-portability/mcp-server
  2. 02

    Generate and merge the Cline config

    Run the generator with --target cline, then merge the snippet through Cline's MCP Servers → Configure MCP Servers UI:
    generate + cline_mcp_settings.json
    json
    python plugins/chutes-ai/skills/chutes-mcp-portability/scripts/generate_agent_config.py \
  --target cline --out ~/tmp/cline

# Merge cline-mcp-snippet.json through Cline's MCP Servers UI:
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "chutes": {
      "command": "chutes-mcp-server",
      "env": { "CHUTES_API_KEY": "${env:CHUTES_API_KEY}" },
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}
    Cline uses a global cline_mcp_settings.json under VS Code's globalStorage — not VS Code settings.json. That is the one thing people get wrong.
  3. 03

    Provide the API key

    Store your cpk_ key as CHUTES_API_KEY in the environment or a secret store. Send it as Authorization: Bearer — never X-API-Key, which inference ignores.
    bash
    export CHUTES_API_KEY=cpk_...
    VS Code inherits env from the shell that launched it. Launch with code . from a terminal — a macOS Finder launch skips ~/.zshrc, so the export is not seen.
  4. 04

    Reload the panel and verify

    Reload the Cline panel and ask it to "list Chutes models with limit 1" — it should call chutes_list_models and return a model id.

MCP tool boundary

Read tools
Model discovery, quota, aliases, usage, discounts, chutes, and API key reads.
Status
Active through the MCP server.
Write tools
Any action that mutates account or compute state.
Status
[BETA] and should require explicit user confirmation.

Troubleshooting

Symptom
The model ID fails
Likely cause
The catalog changed or the client cached model metadata.
Fix
Refresh /v1/models and update the config.
Symptom
Auth falls into anonymous limits
Likely cause
The key is missing or not sent as Bearer auth.
Fix
Export CHUTES_API_KEY=cpk_... and send Authorization: Bearer.
Symptom
Routing aliases fail
Likely cause
Saved default aliases need a dashboard Model Routing pool.
Fix
Use a concrete model ID or an inline comma-separated pool first.