Cline

Cline Integration

Give Cline live web access with CrawlForge MCP. One mcpServers entry in Cline's MCP settings file adds the server, and autoApprove skips the per-call prompt for tools you trust.

Prerequisites

Cline

Install from the VS Code Marketplace

Required

Node.js 18+

Install from nodejs.org

Required

API Key

Get from dashboard

Free

Get a CrawlForge API Key

The config below starts the server through npx, so nothing needs a global install—only a key.

Sign in from the terminal: the CLI opens a browser page where you approve a new key, then saves it to ~/.crawlforge/config.json.

Bash

npm install -g crawlforge-mcp-server
crawlforge login        # opens the browser approval page

Or copy a key from the dashboard and paste it into the config in the next step.

Tip:

The CLI guide covers crawlforge login and the other ways to authenticate.

Configure Cline

Choose your preferred configuration method:

AOption A: MCP Servers panel

In the Cline panel click the MCP Servers icon, open the Configure tab and click Configure MCP Servers. This opens cline_mcp_settings.json; add the server under mcpServers:

cline_mcp_settings.jsonJson

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "crawlforge": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "crawlforge-mcp-server@latest",
        "mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "CRAWLFORGE_API_KEY": "cf_live_your_api_key_here"
      },
      "disabled": false,
      "autoApprove": []
    }
  }
}

disabled: false turns the server on. Add tool names to autoApprove (for example "scrape") to run them without a confirmation prompt.

BOption B: Cline CLI

The Cline CLI reads ~/.cline/mcp.json with the same shape, and cline mcp opens a wizard to add, edit or disable servers.

Tip:

Cline shows every server's tools in the MCP Servers panel, so you can check the list before the first prompt.

Set Your API Key

Replace cf_live_your_api_key_here with your key, or let the configurator fill it in.

Generate this config with your key:

The MCP configurator fills in your key and outputs the exact JSON for Cline.

Limit the tool list (optional)

CrawlForge ships 31 tools. Set CRAWLFORGE_TOOL_GROUPS in the same env block to load only the groups you need, for example basic,search:

Json

"env": {
  "CRAWLFORGE_API_KEY": "cf_live_your_api_key_here",
  "CRAWLFORGE_TOOL_GROUPS": "basic,search"
}

Groups: basic, search, crawl, extract, batch, research, tracking, llmstxt, stealth, templates, scrape, agent.

Security:

Never commit your API key to version control. Use environment variables or the config file.

Test the Integration

Open Cline and confirm the server is connected.

Open Cline — click the Cline icon in the activity bar
Check the server — the MCP Servers panel shows crawlforge with a green dot and its tool list
Test a prompt — try one of the examples below; Cline asks before each tool call unless it is in autoApprove

Example Prompts

"Search for the latest AI news"

"Extract all links from example.com"

"Crawl the documentation site and summarize it"

"Extract product prices from this e-commerce site"

See the full API reference for all 31 tools and their parameters.

Troubleshooting

Server not connecting?

Check cline_mcp_settings.json is valid JSON
Ensure Node.js 18+ is installed: node --version
Click Retry Connection in the MCP Servers panel and read the error
Restart VS Code completely

Authentication Errors?

Check the API key starts with cf_live_
Run crawlforge login to save a fresh key
Generate a new API key from the dashboard

Tools not being used?

Make sure the server is not disabled in the settings file
Enable the server's toggle in the MCP Servers panel
Approve the tool call when Cline asks, or add the tool to autoApprove

Still having issues?

Contact simon@crawlforge.dev with your Cline version, Node.js version, and the error from the MCP Servers panel.

Successfully integrated?

Explore all available tools, or follow the step-by-step walkthrough for Cline.

View All Tools Cline Walkthrough