Continue logo

Continue

Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains

  • Open source
  • Free forever
Continue screenshot

What is Continue?

Continue is an open-source AI code assistant that integrates directly into VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. It provides inline code suggestions, refactoring assistance, and the ability to chat with an AI about your code without leaving your editor. You can connect it to various large language models, including both commercial options like GPT-4 and open-source alternatives, giving you flexibility over which AI backbone powers your coding work. Because it's open-source, you can self-host it, inspect the code, and modify it to suit your workflow. It's designed for developers who want AI-assisted coding without lock-in to a single commercial tool.

Key features

Inline code completion

Get contextual code suggestions as you type in your editor

Chat interface

Ask questions about your code and get explanations or suggestions without switching tools

Multiple model support

Connect to OpenAI, Anthropic, open-source models, or self-hosted options

Keyboard shortcuts

Quick access to common actions like refactoring, documentation generation, and debugging help

Codebase awareness

The assistant can reference your project files and understand broader context

Open-source codebase

Full visibility into how the tool works and ability to self-host

Pros & cons

Advantages

  • Free and open-source with no vendor lock-in; you control the data and can modify the tool
  • Works with multiple AI models, so you can switch providers or use cheaper alternatives as they emerge
  • Tight IDE integration for VS Code and JetBrains means minimal context switching
  • Self-hosting option available for teams with privacy or compliance requirements

Limitations

  • Requires technical setup if you want to self-host or use non-default models; not as simple as commercial alternatives
  • Quality and speed depend on which underlying AI model you connect, so performance varies
  • Community-driven support rather than dedicated customer support teams

Use cases

Developers wanting AI code assistance without monthly subscription costs

Teams that need to keep code private and can't use cloud-based AI services

Engineers experimenting with different language models to find the best fit

Open-source projects looking for a maintainable, transparent code assistant

Companies with strict data governance requirements who need self-hosted solutions

Ready to try Continue?

Pricing

Free

Free

Full open-source tool with core code completion and chat features. Bring your own API keys for language models.

Get started with Continue

Click through to Continue and start using it now.

  • Open source
  • Free forever