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Run coding agents in parallel with Cline Kanban

Run several coding agents at once with Cline Kanban: each task card gets its own git worktree, then you review the diffs and commit in 20 minutes.

By Recaply EditorsIntermediate20 min6 stepsUpdated

Three paper cards pinned in a row, each with a small toy car on its own line, and a hand pointing at the last car

What you need

Kanban is a research preview. It gives agents more freedom than usual, such as fewer permission prompts, so start on a repo you can reset.

  1. Step 1: Install the Cline CLI and sign in

    3 min

    Kanban runs the coding agent installed on your machine, and the Cline CLI works on macOS, Linux and Windows.

    1. Install the CLI with the command below.
    2. Run cline auth and follow the setup. Sign in with a free Cline account, or paste a key from a provider such as Anthropic or OpenAI.
    3. Run cline version to confirm the install.
    Run this
    npm i -g cline

    You should see a finished setup, then a version number from cline version.

    npm says your Node.js version isn't supported?

    Install Node.js 22 or newer, open a new terminal window, and run the install command again.

    Cline keeps your key in the system keychain. Keep API keys out of your repo, your task cards and any screenshots.

  2. Step 2: Open the board in your repo

    2 min

    Kanban works on one git repo at a time, so start it from that repo's root folder.

    1. In the terminal, cd into the root folder of your git repo.
    2. Run cline --kanban. If you'd rather not install the CLI, npx kanban opens the same board.
    3. Wait for the board to open in your browser.
    Run this
    cd [PATH TO YOUR REPO]
cline --kanban

    You should see an empty board in your browser at http://localhost:3484.

    Kanban runs a different agent than the one you want?

    Kanban also runs Claude Code, Codex and OpenCode. Pick the agent in settings, or choose one for each task when you create its card.

  3. Step 3: Create and link task cards

    5 min

    Small cards with one job each can run side by side, and a link makes a card wait for the task it depends on.

    1. Add a card and type one clear task, such as "Add a dark mode switch to the settings page."
    2. Or open the sidebar chat and paste the prompt below. The agent splits a bigger job into cards for you.
    3. To link 2 cards, hold ⌘ (Ctrl on Windows and Linux) and click a card. Then click the card it connects to.
    Your prompt
    Break this into small tasks that can run in parallel: [YOUR PROJECT GOAL]. Create one card per task. Link any task that depends on another one. Don't start any of them yet.

    You should see a column of task cards, with arrows between the ones you linked.

    A card won't start?

    It's linked to a task that isn't finished. Kanban won't start a card until the cards it depends on are done.

    Each link has an arrowhead, so you can see which task runs first.

  4. Step 4: Start the agents and watch the board

    3 min

    Each card gets its own git worktree and terminal, so agents work at the same time without merge conflicts.

    1. Click the play button on each card that's ready to run.
    2. Watch the board. Each card shows its agent's latest message or tool call.
    3. Start more cards whenever you like. Each one works in its own copy of the repo.

    You should see several cards running at once, each with a live status line.

    An agent changed node_modules in your main project?

    Kanban links gitignored folders such as node_modules from your main repo instead of copying them. Run tasks that must change those files outside Kanban.

    Task worktrees live in ~/.cline/worktrees, so your main folder stays as it was.

  5. Step 5: Review the diff and send comments

    5 min

    You see every change before it lands, and a comment on a line goes straight back to the agent.

    1. Click a card to open it. You get the agent's terminal and a diff of every change against your base branch.
    2. Click a line to comment on it, or Shift+click to pick a range of lines. Your comment goes to the agent as feedback.
    3. To test the app, add a script shortcut such as npm run dev in settings. Then run it from the play button in the top bar.

    You should see the agent working through your comments, with the diff updating as it goes.

    There's no Commit or Open PR button?

    Those buttons appear only once the worktree has file changes. Check the agent's terminal in case it's waiting on a question.

  6. Step 6: Ship the work and clean up

    2 min

    One click turns a finished worktree into a commit or a pull request, and the agent works through any merge conflicts.

    1. Click Commit to add the work as a commit on your base branch. Or click Open PR to push a new branch and open a pull request.
    2. Move the card to the Done column. Kanban deletes its worktree to free disk space.
    3. Any card linked to it now starts on its own.

    You should see the finished card in Done and the next linked card already running.

    You moved a card to Done too early?

    Restore it. Kanban saves uncommitted work as a patch when it cleans up, and puts it back when you restore the card.

    Older versions of Kanban call the Done column Trash.

You get

A board of coding agents working in parallel, each on its own worktree, with every change reviewed before it ships

Try next

Run Claude Code on GLM-5.3 with the GLM Coding Plan6 steps · 20 minInstall agent skills in OpenCode6 steps · 5 minInstall agent skills in GitHub Copilot6 steps · 5 min

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