In the first part of our article, we explored what vibe coding is and compared popular AI tools. The paid editor Cursor proved to be an excellent all-in-one solution, but what if you don't want to pay $20 a month?
Today, we will show you how to turn the standard, free Visual Studio Code (VSCode) into a powerful AI studio. To do this, we only need two plugins. Forget about outdated extensions—in 2026, the industry standard has become the combination of Cline (for writing code) and Continue (for autocomplete and assistance).
Let's set up your personal AI development team in just 15 minutes.
Why do we need two different plugins?
A common beginner's mistake is installing a single chat plugin and expecting magic. In professional vibe coding, roles are strictly divided:
- Cline is your "Architect" (Autonomous Agent). You assign it global tasks. For example: "Create a contact page, set up a feedback form, and integrate Tailwind styles." It will create the files, write the code, and link them together on its own.
- Continue is your "Navigator" (Copilot). It works in the background. As you start writing a line of code, it predicts the rest of it (you just press the Tab key). Plus, its chat is perfect for quick questions like "Why did this block shift to the left?" without distracting your main "Architect."
Step 1: Laying the Foundation (VSCode and API Keys)
- If you don't have the editor yet, download and install Visual Studio Code from the official website.
- Fuel for AI: Plugins are just the interface. To work, they need "brains" (language models). The smartest model for coding right now is Claude 3.5 Sonnet.
Step 2: Installing Cline (The Code Creator)
Open VSCode, go to the Extensions section on the left panel, and search for Cline. Install it.
How to configure:
- A robot icon will appear on the left panel. Click on it.
- At the very top, in the API Provider field, select OpenRouter (or Anthropic if you have a direct key).
- Paste your API key.
- Select the model: anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet. You can choose a free model, but the number of tokens will be limited.
The Secret Weapon of Vibe Coding: The .clinerules File
To avoid explaining your preferred style to the AI every single time, create a file named .clinerules in the root of your project.
Write your basic rules in it, for example:
Always use Tailwind CSS. Write code comments in English. Do not use deprecated HTML tags. Design interfaces in a minimalist style.
Cline will read this file before every task and deliver the perfect result on the first try.
Step 3: Installing Continue (Autocomplete and Chat)
Go back to the Extensions section and search for Continue - Codestral, Claude, and more. Install it.
How to configure:
Unlike Cline, Continue lives on the right panel. Upon its first launch, it will prompt you for basic setup.
- For the chat: In the Continue settings, add the Claude 3.5 Sonnet model (via the same OpenRouter API).
- For Autocomplete: Continue will offer to use fast and free local models (like Ollama) or specialized models for autocompletion (Codestral). This allows the AI to instantly finish your code as you type, just like the paid GitHub Copilot does.
Step 4: Vibe Coding in Action (What it looks like in practice)
Your ideal workflow now looks like this:
- Setting a global task: Open Cline and write: "Build a pricing section." Cline thinks, proposes a plan, you click "Approve", and it autonomously creates the pricing.html file and writes the code.
- Tweaking on the fly: You open the created file, click on a pricing button, and decide to change its color. You simply highlight the button, press Cmd+L (or Ctrl+L), and the Continue chat opens. You write: "Make this button a red-to-black gradient." Continue instantly rewrites just that specific piece of code.
- Writing yourself: If you decide to add a few lines of text manually, Continue's autocomplete already understands the context and offers to finish the phrase for you in gray text. Press Tab, and you're done.
Conclusion
The combination of VSCode + Cline + Continue completely blurs the line between an idea and a finished product. You get studio-level development without overpaying for closed-editor subscriptions. Yes, the initial setup of API keys will take 15 minutes of your time, but the result (the speed and quality of the code) will pay off on the very first day.
