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Connect dbt to Cline CLI

Give Cline CLI governed access to dbt’s 42 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.

Book a demo Cline CLI setup guide

Set up

Add dbt to Cline CLI in four steps

Admins approve the server once. Everyone in Cline CLI then gets it through the same governed connection.

  1. 1

    Approve dbt in Runlayer

    Add dbt from the catalog and choose who can use it and which of its tools are allowed.

  2. 2

    Connect Cline CLI to Runlayer

    Users add the Runlayer Plugin to Cline CLI by following Runlayer’s setup guide. Cline CLI reaches dbt’s 42 tools through the Runlayer Plugin’s search and execute tools instead of listing each one.

    Cline CLI setup guide
  3. 3

    Sign in to dbt

    Sign in the way dbt requires. Runlayer holds the credentials so they stay out of the client’s configuration.

  4. 4

    Use dbt from Cline CLI

    dbt’s approved tools appear in Cline CLI. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.

Tools

42 dbt tools in Cline CLI

Runlayer policy decides which of these Cline CLI users can call.

  • Cancel job run

    Cancel a currently running or queued dbt run.

  • Get all macros

    Get the name, description, and package name of all dbt macros in the environment.

  • Get all models

    Get the name and description of all dbt models in the environment.

  • Get all sources

    Get the name, description, and metadata of all dbt sources in the environment.

  • Get dimension values

    Get the distinct values for a given dimension, optionally scoped to specific metrics.

  • Get dimensions

    Get the dimensions for specified metrics

  • Get entities

    Get the entities for specified metrics

  • Get exposure details

    DEPRECATED — use get_node_details instead.

See all 42 dbt tools

Control

What Runlayer can see and stop in Cline CLI

Some controls apply to every client at the gateway. Others depend on what Cline CLI exposes to Runlayer.

  • Gateway policy (available)

    Every dbt call from Cline CLI passes through Runlayer, where your policies can allow, alert, mask, or block it.

  • Audit trail (available)

    Each call is recorded with the user, Cline CLI as the client, the tool, and the policy and scanner decisions.

  • Client hooks (available)

    Capture supported prompts, reasoning, local and MCP tool calls, responses, and scanner decisions in real time.

  • Stop a call before it runs (available)

    Runlayer can deny a tool call before Cline CLI runs it.

  • Block output after it runs (not available)

    Cline CLI ignores Runlayer after a tool runs, so Runlayer cannot block its output. The gateway still applies policy to the call.

  • Redact output in place (not available)

    Runlayer cannot mask tool output in Cline CLI. The gateway still applies policy to the call.

In Cline CLI

  • If Runlayer’s hook times out or crashes, Cline CLI lets the tool call through.
  • This covers the Cline CLI, not the Cline extension for VS Code.

Frequently asked questions

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