Add optional opt-in telemetry to help fix bugs and improve product

Author: saoudrizwan

docs/PRIVACY.md

@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ Cline functions solely as a client-side VS Code extension that facilitates commu
 1. **Local-Only Processing**:
 
     - All operations happen on your local machine
-    - No central servers or data collection
-    - No telemetry or usage statistics gathered
+    - No central servers or data collection by default
+    - Anonymous telemetry and usage statistics are only collected if you explicitly opt in
     - No account creation required
 
 2. **API Key Security**:
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ When you request assistance:
 
 -   Error logs are processed locally
 -   No automatic error reporting to Cline
--   You control what information to include when reporting issues
+    - Optional anonymous telemetry and error reporting via PostHog if you opt in
+-   You control what information to include when manually reporting issues
 
 ## Children's Privacy
 
@@ -90,6 +91,22 @@ We will post any changes to this policy on our GitHub repository. Significant ch
 -   You can inspect exactly what data is being sent to AI providers
 -   Enterprise users can implement additional access controls through VS Code
 
+## Telemetry & Usage Statistics
+
+If you choose to opt in to anonymous telemetry:
+
+-   Basic usage statistics and error reports are collected via PostHog
+-   A stable, anonymous identifier (VS Code's `machineId`) is used to understand unique usage patterns
+    - This identifier is not linked to any personal information
+    - It helps us understand how features are used across sessions
+    - It cannot be used to identify you personally
+-   All data is anonymized and cannot be linked to individual users
+-   No code content or sensitive information is ever included
+-   You can opt out at any time through:
+    - VS Code Settings > Cline > Enable Telemetry
+    - VS Code Settings > Telemetry > Telemetry Level (setting this to anything other than "all" will disable Cline's telemetry)
+-   Collected data helps us improve the extension's functionality and stability
+
 ## Contact Us
 
 For privacy-related questions or concerns:

package-lock.json

@@ -186,6 +186,11 @@
 					"type": "boolean",
 					"default": true,
 					"description": "Controls whether the MCP Marketplace is enabled."
+				},
+				"cline.enableTelemetry": {
+					"type": "boolean",
+					"default": null,
+					"markdownDescription": "Allow anonymous usage and error reporting to help improve Cline. No code, prompts, or personal information is ever sent. See our [privacy policy](https://github.com/cline/cline/blob/main/docs/PRIVACY.md) for details."
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -268,6 +273,7 @@
 		"os-name": "^6.0.0",
 		"p-wait-for": "^5.0.2",
 		"pdf-parse": "^1.1.1",
+		"posthog-node": "^4.7.0",
 		"puppeteer-chromium-resolver": "^23.0.0",
 		"puppeteer-core": "^23.4.0",
 		"serialize-error": "^11.0.3",

package.json

@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import { Anthropic } from "@anthropic-ai/sdk"
 import axios from "axios"
-import fs from "fs/promises"
-import os from "os"
 import crypto from "crypto"
 import { execa } from "execa"
+import fs from "fs/promises"
+import os from "os"
 import pWaitFor from "p-wait-for"
 import * as path from "path"
 import * as vscode from "vscode"
@@ -13,26 +13,25 @@ import { openFile, openImage } from "../../integrations/misc/open-file"
 import { selectImages } from "../../integrations/misc/process-images"
 import { getTheme } from "../../integrations/theme/getTheme"
 import WorkspaceTracker from "../../integrations/workspace/WorkspaceTracker"
-import { McpHub } from "../../services/mcp/McpHub"
-import { McpDownloadResponse, McpMarketplaceCatalog, McpMarketplaceItem, McpServer } from "../../shared/mcp"
 import { FirebaseAuthManager, UserInfo } from "../../services/auth/FirebaseAuthManager"
+import { McpHub } from "../../services/mcp/McpHub"
 import { ApiProvider, ModelInfo } from "../../shared/api"
 import { findLast } from "../../shared/array"
+import { AutoApprovalSettings, DEFAULT_AUTO_APPROVAL_SETTINGS } from "../../shared/AutoApprovalSettings"
+import { BrowserSettings, DEFAULT_BROWSER_SETTINGS } from "../../shared/BrowserSettings"
+import { ChatContent } from "../../shared/ChatContent"
+import { ChatSettings, DEFAULT_CHAT_SETTINGS } from "../../shared/ChatSettings"
 import { ExtensionMessage, ExtensionState, Platform } from "../../shared/ExtensionMessage"
 import { HistoryItem } from "../../shared/HistoryItem"
+import { McpDownloadResponse, McpMarketplaceCatalog, McpServer } from "../../shared/mcp"
 import { ClineCheckpointRestore, WebviewMessage } from "../../shared/WebviewMessage"
 import { fileExistsAtPath } from "../../utils/fs"
+import { searchCommits } from "../../utils/git"
 import { Cline } from "../Cline"
 import { openMention } from "../mentions"
 import { getNonce } from "./getNonce"
 import { getUri } from "./getUri"
-import { AutoApprovalSettings, DEFAULT_AUTO_APPROVAL_SETTINGS } from "../../shared/AutoApprovalSettings"
-import { BrowserSettings, DEFAULT_BROWSER_SETTINGS } from "../../shared/BrowserSettings"
-import { ChatSettings, DEFAULT_CHAT_SETTINGS } from "../../shared/ChatSettings"
-import { DIFF_VIEW_URI_SCHEME } from "../../integrations/editor/DiffViewProvider"
-import { searchCommits } from "../../utils/git"
-import { ChatContent } from "../../shared/ChatContent"
-import { getShell } from "../../utils/shell"
+import { telemetryService } from "../../services/telemetry/TelemetryService"
 
 /*
 https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-webview-ui-toolkit-samples/blob/main/default/weather-webview/src/providers/WeatherViewProvider.ts
@@ -280,6 +279,16 @@ export class ClineProvider implements vscode.WebviewViewProvider {
 			task,
 			images,
 		)
+
+		// New task started
+		if (telemetryService.isTelemetryEnabled()) {
+			telemetryService.capture({
+				event: "New task started",
+				properties: {
+					apiProvider: apiConfiguration.apiProvider,
+				},
+			})
+		}
 	}
 
 	async initClineWithHistoryItem(historyItem: HistoryItem) {
@@ -829,6 +838,21 @@ export class ClineProvider implements vscode.WebviewViewProvider {
 						)
 						break
 					}
+					// telemetry
+					case "openTelemetrySettings": {
+						await vscode.commands.executeCommand(
+							"workbench.action.openSettings",
+							"@ext:saoudrizwan.claude-dev cline.telemetryOptIn",
+						)
+						break
+					}
+					case "telemetryOptIn": {
+						if (message.bool !== undefined) {
+							await vscode.workspace.getConfiguration("cline").update("enableTelemetry", message.bool, true)
+							await this.postStateToWebview()
+						}
+						break
+					}
 					// Add more switch case statements here as more webview message commands
 					// are created within the webview context (i.e. inside media/main.js)
 				}
@@ -1594,6 +1618,7 @@ Here is the project's README to help you get started:\n\n${mcpDetails.readmeCont
 			userInfo,
 			authToken,
 			mcpMarketplaceEnabled,
+			telemetryOptIn,
 		} = await this.getState()
 
 		return {
@@ -1613,6 +1638,7 @@ Here is the project's README to help you get started:\n\n${mcpDetails.readmeCont
 			isLoggedIn: !!authToken,
 			userInfo,
 			mcpMarketplaceEnabled,
+			telemetryOptIn,
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1791,6 +1817,7 @@ Here is the project's README to help you get started:\n\n${mcpDetails.readmeCont
 			.get("reasoningEffort", "medium")
 
 		const mcpMarketplaceEnabled = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration("cline").get<boolean>("mcpMarketplace.enabled", true)
+		const telemetryOptIn = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration("cline").get<boolean | null>("enableTelemetry", null)
 
 		return {
 			apiConfiguration: {
@@ -1847,6 +1874,7 @@ Here is the project's README to help you get started:\n\n${mcpDetails.readmeCont
 			previousModeModelId,
 			previousModeModelInfo,
 			mcpMarketplaceEnabled,
+			telemetryOptIn,
 		}
 	}
 

src/core/webview/ClineProvider.ts

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { createClineAPI } from "./exports"
 import "./utils/path" // necessary to have access to String.prototype.toPosix
 import { DIFF_VIEW_URI_SCHEME } from "./integrations/editor/DiffViewProvider"
 import assert from "node:assert"
+import { telemetryService } from "./services/telemetry/TelemetryService"
 
 /*
 Built using https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-webview-ui-toolkit
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
 
 // This method is called when your extension is deactivated
 export function deactivate() {
+	telemetryService.shutdown()
 	Logger.log("Cline extension deactivated")
 }
 

src/extension.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+import { PostHog } from "posthog-node"
+import * as vscode from "vscode"
+
+class PostHogClient {
+	private static instance: PostHogClient
+	private client: PostHog
+	private distinctId: string = vscode.env.machineId
+	private telemetryEnabled: boolean = false
+
+	private constructor() {
+		this.client = new PostHog("phc_qfOAGxZw2TL5O8p9KYd9ak3bPBFzfjC8fy5L6jNWY7K", {
+			host: "https://us.i.posthog.com",
+			enableExceptionAutocapture: false,
+		})
+
+		// Initialize telemetry state based on user settings
+		this.updateTelemetryState()
+
+		// Listen for settings changes
+		vscode.workspace.onDidChangeConfiguration((e) => {
+			if (e.affectsConfiguration("cline.enableTelemetry") || e.affectsConfiguration("telemetry.telemetryLevel")) {
+				this.updateTelemetryState()
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	private updateTelemetryState(): void {
+		// First check global telemetry level - telemetry should only be enabled when level is "all"
+		const telemetryLevel = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration("telemetry").get<string>("telemetryLevel", "all")
+		const globalTelemetryEnabled = telemetryLevel === "all"
+
+		// Only check Cline setting if global telemetry is enabled
+		if (globalTelemetryEnabled) {
+			const clineOptIn = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration("cline").get<boolean | null>("enableTelemetry", null)
+			this.telemetryEnabled = clineOptIn === true
+		}
+
+		// Update PostHog client state based on telemetry preference
+		if (this.telemetryEnabled) {
+			this.client.optIn()
+			// console.log("Telemetry enabled")
+		} else {
+			this.client.optOut()
+			// console.log("Telemetry disabled")
+		}
+	}
+
+	public static getInstance(): PostHogClient {
+		if (!PostHogClient.instance) {
+			PostHogClient.instance = new PostHogClient()
+		}
+		return PostHogClient.instance
+	}
+
+	public capture(event: { event: string; properties?: any }): void {
+		// Only send events if telemetry is enabled
+		if (this.telemetryEnabled) {
+			this.client.capture({ distinctId: this.distinctId, event: event.event, properties: event.properties })
+			// console.log("Captured event", { distinctId: this.distinctId, event: event.event, properties: event.properties })
+		}
+	}
+
+	public isTelemetryEnabled(): boolean {
+		return this.telemetryEnabled
+	}
+
+	public async shutdown(): Promise<void> {
+		await this.client.shutdown()
+	}
+}
+
+// Export a single instance
+export const telemetryService = PostHogClient.getInstance()

src/services/telemetry/TelemetryService.ts

@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ export interface ExtensionState {
 		photoURL: string | null
 	}
 	mcpMarketplaceEnabled?: boolean
+	telemetryOptIn: boolean | null
 }
 
 export interface ClineMessage {

src/shared/ExtensionMessage.ts

@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ export interface WebviewMessage {
 		| "searchCommits"
 		| "showMcpView"
 		| "fetchLatestMcpServersFromHub"
+		| "telemetryOptIn"
+		| "openTelemetrySettings"
 	// | "relaunchChromeDebugMode"
 	text?: string
 	disabled?: boolean

src/shared/WebviewMessage.ts

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import BrowserSessionRow from "./BrowserSessionRow"
 import ChatRow from "./ChatRow"
 import ChatTextArea from "./ChatTextArea"
 import TaskHeader from "./TaskHeader"
+import TelemetryBanner from "../common/TelemetryBanner"
 
 interface ChatViewProps {
 	isHidden: boolean
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ interface ChatViewProps {
 export const MAX_IMAGES_PER_MESSAGE = 20 // Anthropic limits to 20 images
 
 const ChatView = ({ isHidden, showAnnouncement, hideAnnouncement, showHistoryView }: ChatViewProps) => {
-	const { version, clineMessages: messages, taskHistory, apiConfiguration } = useExtensionState()
+	const { version, clineMessages: messages, taskHistory, apiConfiguration, telemetryOptIn } = useExtensionState()
 
 	//const task = messages.length > 0 ? (messages[0].say === "task" ? messages[0] : undefined) : undefined) : undefined
 	const task = useMemo(() => messages.at(0), [messages]) // leaving this less safe version here since if the first message is not a task, then the extension is in a bad state and needs to be debugged (see Cline.abort)
@@ -789,6 +790,8 @@ const ChatView = ({ isHidden, showAnnouncement, hideAnnouncement, showHistoryVie
 						flexDirection: "column",
 						paddingBottom: "10px",
 					}}>
+					{telemetryOptIn === null && <TelemetryBanner />}
+
 					{showAnnouncement && <Announcement version={version} hideAnnouncement={hideAnnouncement} />}
 					<div style={{ padding: "0 20px", flexShrink: 0 }}>
 						<h2>What can I do for you?</h2>