How to connect Cline to the Tokenator API

Cline is a VS Code extension with an agent mode. It ships an "OpenAI Compatible" provider that needs three things: base URL, key and model ID.

Get an API key API documentation

What you end up with

Once configured, Cline stops talking to its default provider and sends every request to Tokenator. Billing comes out of your key's token limit, and the list of available models is defined by the key rather than by the tool.

Tool	Cline
Protocol	OpenAI-compatible
Base URL	`https://api.tokenator.top/v1`
Key	`sk-your-tokenator-key`

Requirements and supported operating systems

Windows 10/11, macOS 12+, or a modern 64-bit Linux.
Outbound HTTPS access to the Tokenator domain.
A Tokenator API key that looks like sk-your-tokenator-key.

You need VS Code (or a compatible editor) with the extension installed from the Marketplace.

Installing Cline

Open the VS Code extensions panel, search for Cline and press Install. The extension icon appears in the sidebar afterwards.

Setting up Tokenator

Register in your account and buy a token bundle.
The key appears in the account right after the payment is confirmed — copy it whole, including the prefix.
The examples below use the placeholder sk-your-tokenator-key. Never publish a real key in repositories or screenshots.

Configuration on Windows

Open the extension panel and go to provider settings.
Pick OpenAI Compatible from the provider list.
Base URL: https://api.tokenator.top/v1
API Key: sk-your-tokenator-key
Model ID: gpt-5.5 (or any other ID from the catalog)
Save and send your first message.

Extension settings live in the VS Code profile, so the steps are the same on Windows, macOS and Linux. If you use several VS Code profiles, the key must be set in each of them.

Configuration on macOS and Linux

Open the extension panel and go to provider settings.
Pick OpenAI Compatible from the provider list.
Base URL: https://api.tokenator.top/v1
API Key: sk-your-tokenator-key
Model ID: gpt-5.5 (or any other ID from the catalog)
Save and send your first message.

Extension settings live in the VS Code profile, so the steps are the same on Windows, macOS and Linux. If you use several VS Code profiles, the key must be set in each of them.

Your first request

Before starting the tool it helps to confirm that the key and the model both work. A single curl request answers both questions.

OpenAI endpoint check

curl https://api.tokenator.top/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-your-tokenator-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "gpt-5.5",
    "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "ping"}]
  }'

Open a project in the editor and send any message in the extension chat. If the request went through, it shows up in the key's usage stats in your account.

A successful response means the key is valid, the model is allowed for it and the upstream is reachable. Usage appears in your account right after the request.

Switching models

The model is the Model ID field in provider settings. The base URL and key stay the same when you switch models.

Examples of model IDs available right now:

claude-haiku-4-5
claude-opus-4-6
claude-opus-4-7
claude-sonnet-4-6
gpt-5.5
deepseek-v4-flash

Current IDs and specs live in the AI model catalog, which also shows which models are available right now. The model comparison helps choose between close options.

Configuring reasoning

If the tool can send a reasoning_effort field, Tokenator forwards it upstream unchanged. On top of that the key itself has a reasoning switch in your account, which works independently of the tool.

Common errors and how to fix them

Symptom	Cause	Fix
`401` or an invalid-key message	The key was copied with stray spaces, was revoked, has expired, or landed in the wrong environment variable.	Check the key in your account and make sure the environment variable actually reached the process running the tool.
`403`	The model is not in the key's allowed-model list.	Check the key's model list in your account and pick an ID from the model catalog.
`429`	The per-minute or per-hour request limit, or the concurrent-stream limit for the key, was exceeded.	Lower the agent's concurrency and retry with exponential backoff. Key limits are visible in your account.
Model not found / not supported	The request used an ID that is not in the catalog, or an alias unavailable to this key.	Copy the exact API ID from the model page — case and dots matter.
The request hangs or breaks on a long answer	The client closed the connection on its own timeout before the model finished generating.	Turn on streaming (`stream: true`) and raise the client timeout: with long reasoning answers the first token can take a while.
A bare "Request error" with no details	The upstream provider returned an error. Its text is not passed through to the client.	Retry: Tokenator fails over to the next provider for the model on its own. If it persists, contact support.

FAQ

Do I need a Cline subscription or a separate provider account?

No. The tool talks to Tokenator, and billing comes from your Tokenator key's tokens.

Where do I see usage after connecting?

In your account: it shows requests, spent tokens and the key's remaining limit.

Can one key be used in several tools?

Yes. The limits are the key's own: requests per minute and hour, plus the number of concurrent streams.

What happens if tokens run out mid-session?

Requests start returning an error. Topping up the same key restores the limit — no need to reinstall the tool.

How do I switch back to the previous provider?

Remove the settings you added — the environment variables or the provider block in the config. The tool reverts to its default behaviour.

Where can I read about the API format itself?

In the Tokenator API documentation and on the OpenAI-compatible API page.