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Coding assistantOpen sourceUpdated 2026

Continue

Intermediate · IDE extension

Open-source AI coding assistant for VS Code and JetBrains with configurable models and context.

Best for

Developers who want a local or provider-flexible coding assistant inside their existing IDE.

Why use it

Good fit when you want model choice, repo context, and source-controlled assistant configuration.

Tradeoffs

Quality depends heavily on model choice, context setup, and team conventions.

Key features

  • VS Code and JetBrains support
  • Configurable models
  • Repo context

Alternatives

Aider, Cline, Roo Code

Where it fits

Continue belongs in the coding assistant layer of an open AI stack. Evaluate it against your model runtime, privacy needs, deployment target, and the amount of operational complexity your team can support.

CategoryCoding assistantLicenseApache 2.0DeploymentIDE extensionModeLocal or cloud models
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Recommendation

Use Continue when you want an open coding assistant in your existing editor.