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Integrate 123API with Cline in VS Code

Use 123API inside Cline through the OpenAI Compatible provider flow.

Prerequisites

  1. Install Visual Studio Code
  2. Install the Cline extension
  3. Create a 123API API key in the dashboard

Step 1: Open Cline Settings

  1. Open the Cline sidebar in VS Code
  2. Click the settings button
  3. Choose to use your own API key

Step 2: Configure OpenAI Compatible Provider

Fill in the following values:

SettingValue
API ProviderOpenAI Compatible
Base URLhttps://123api.co/v1
API KeyYour 123API key
Model IDExample: gpt-5, gpt-4o, claude-sonnet

Keep the provider type as OpenAI Compatible. That is the cleanest path for 123API in Cline.

Step 3: Choose Models

Recommended usage split:

Step 4: Start Using Cline

After saving the configuration, you can:

Use a stronger model for architecture and debugging tasks, and a cheaper fast model for repetitive edits or documentation work.

FAQ

Cline says the provider is invalid+

Re-open settings and make sure OpenAI Compatible is selected instead of a provider that expects its own native API format.

Requests fail after saving+

Confirm the Base URL includes /v1, the API key is valid and the model ID matches one returned by GET /v1/models.

Why is the response quality inconsistent?+

Different tasks benefit from different model families. Use a stable default for routine work and switch to a stronger model when needed.