Continue
Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains that connects to any LLM
22K+
GitHub Stars
2M+
VS Code Installs
100%
Open Source
Overview
Continue is the leading open-source AI code assistant that brings the power of any LLM directly into VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. Unlike proprietary alternatives, Continue gives developers complete control over which models they use—from Claude and GPT-4 to local models via Ollama. It offers autocomplete, chat, inline editing, and codebase-aware context while keeping your code private and your costs under control. The Apache 2.0 license means you can self-host, customize, and extend it freely.
The Verdict
Who Should Use Continue?
Best For
- Developers who want model flexibility
- Privacy-conscious teams (local models)
- Budget-conscious developers (BYOK)
- Enterprise teams needing self-hosting
- Open-source contributors
Not Ideal For
- Beginners wanting zero-config setup
- Those needing managed enterprise support
- Terminal-first workflows (use Claude Code)
- Users wanting one-click deployment
What's Great
- Completely free and open-source (Apache 2.0)
- Use any model: Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, local LLMs
- Full IDE integration (VS Code, JetBrains)
- Codebase-aware context with @-mentions
- Self-hostable for enterprise privacy
- Active community and frequent updates
- Supports Ollama for local model inference
Watch Out For
- Requires API key setup (not plug-and-play)
- Model costs are your responsibility
- Less polished UI than Cursor
- No built-in terminal agent mode
- Context window limited by chosen model
Pricing
Open Source
Free
Full features, bring your own API key
Local Models
Free
Use Ollama, LM Studio, llama.cpp
Cloud APIs
Pay per use
Claude, OpenAI, Azure, etc.
Enterprise
Contact
Self-hosted, SSO, support
View all features & details
Core Features
- Tab autocomplete
- Inline code editing
- Chat with codebase context
- @-mentions for files, docs, URLs
- Custom slash commands
- Codebase indexing & RAG
- Multi-file context
- Git diff awareness
Supported IDEs
- VS Code
- JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, etc.)
- Cursor (via extension)
- VSCodium
Model Providers
- Anthropic (Claude)
- OpenAI (GPT-4, GPT-4o)
- Google (Gemini)
- Ollama (local)
- LM Studio (local)
- Azure OpenAI
- AWS Bedrock
- Together AI, Groq, Mistral
Enterprise Features
- Self-hosted deployment
- SSO/SAML integration
- Admin dashboard
- Usage analytics
- Custom model routing
- Air-gapped support
How It Compares
| Feature | Continue | Cline | GitHub Copilot | Cursor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| License | Apache 2.0 | Apache 2.0 | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Model Choice | Any LLM | Any LLM | GPT-4 only | Limited |
| Local Models | Yes (Ollama) | Yes | No | Limited |
| Self-Hostable | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| IDE Support | VS Code, JetBrains | VS Code | All IDEs | Cursor only |
| Starting Price | Free + BYOK | Free + BYOK | $10/mo | $20/mo |
| Best For | BYOK flexibility | Agentic tasks | Quick completions | IDE power users |
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