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Comparison

Continue vs Aider

Compare Continue and Aider for open-source coding assistance, local models, repository edits, and developer workflows.

Quick verdict

Use Continue if you want an IDE assistant. Use Aider if you like terminal-first, git-aware code edits.

Choose which

Choose Continue for VS Code or JetBrains workflows with configurable context.

Choose Aider for command-line pair programming and explicit repo diffs.

Feature table

InterfaceIDE extensionTerminal CLI
Git workflowGoodStrong
Local model supportGoodGood

Practical pick

Try Continue first if your team lives in IDEs. Try Aider if you want precise terminal workflows and direct git diffs.

Setup difficulty

Continue: beginner to intermediate. Aider: intermediate.

Best use cases

  • Coding assistance
  • Code review
  • Local model experiments
  • Repository edits

Limitations

  • Both depend on model quality and context management
  • Generated code still needs review

Related links

/tools/continue//tools/aider//best/open-source-ai-coding-assistants/

FAQ

Can either use local models?

Yes, both can be configured with local or hosted models, though exact support depends on the model provider and setup.

Sources

Continue GitHubAider GitHub

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