Continue: Open-source AI code completion for VS Code and JetBrains
Continue is an open-source AI code completion tool that brings intelligent code suggestions to VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. Built with customization in mind, it supports connecting to various LLM providers and models. Developers can self-host or use cloud services, maintaining full control over their code and data while benefiting from AI-powered productivity.
Use cases
- Developers wanting AI code completion that respects data privacy
- Organizations using self-hosted or custom LLM endpoints
- Users seeking an open-source alternative to GitHub Copilot
- Developers who want full control over which models power their completion
Key features
- Universal IDE Support: Works as an extension for both VS Code and JetBrains
- Customizable Models: Connect to any OpenAI-compatible API or self-hosted models
- Codebase Awareness: Uses file structure and imports for contextually relevant suggestions
- Slash Commands: Quick actions for common tasks like explaining, refactoring, or testing
- Privacy-First Option: Self-host models for complete data control
- Open Source Core: Transparent, auditable codebase under MIT license
Who Is It For?
- Open-source enthusiasts preferring transparent AI tooling
- Enterprise developers requiring data privacy and compliance
- Users wanting to leverage custom or fine-tuned models for code completion
- Developers working with JetBrains IDEs who lack Copilot support
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Continue free?
- Yes, Continue is completely free and open source under the MIT license.
- What models does Continue support?
- Continue supports any OpenAI-compatible API including GPT-4, Claude, local models via Ollama, and custom endpoints.
- How does Continue differ from GitHub Copilot?
- Continue is open source, allows self-hosting for data privacy, and supports any compatible LLM rather than being tied to specific models.
Related
Related
3 Indexed items
Continue Dev
Continue Dev is an AI-native development environment built on the Continue open-source foundation, offering a complete IDE experience with integrated AI assistance. It provides code editing, debugging, and AI capabilities in a unified interface designed for modern software development workflows.
GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot is Microsoft's AI coding assistant integrated directly into IDEs like VS Code, JetBrains, and Vim. Powered by OpenAI's GPT-4 and specialized code models, it provides real-time code suggestions, entire function implementations, and documentation generation. Copilot Chat enables conversational debugging and code explanation. Launched in 2021 as a technical preview, it became generally available in 2022. Business plans offer team management, policy controls, and SAML SSO integration.
Zed
Zed is a high-performance code editor built with Rust and a custom GPU-accelerated rendering framework called GPUI. It offers features like contextualized LLMs for pair programming and multi-user collaboration via CRDTs. Zed is open source and supports VS Code extensions, making it a fast alternative for developers who need responsive editing at scale.