Continue

Continue is an open source AI code assistant that operates directly inside VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. Rather than forcing you into a separate application or browser window when you need AI assistance with code, Continue integrates that capability into the editor where you already spend your working hours. The project was built on the philosophy of amplifying developers rather than attempting to replace them, treating artificial intelligence as a collaborative partner that handles tedious tasks while humans retain control over architecture, design decisions, and the higher order thinking that still requires human judgment. The entire codebase remains freely available for inspection, modification, and extension.

The assistant operates through several integrated interaction modes designed for different types of coding tasks. Chat provides a conversational interface for discussing code, asking questions about how something works, requesting explanations of complex sections, or brainstorming approaches to problems you're trying to solve. You can highlight a block of code and ask the AI to explain it, suggest improvements, identify potential bugs, or propose alternative implementations. The conversation maintains context across exchanges, so you can iterate on ideas without constantly re establishing what you're working on.

Edit mode handles in place code modifications without the friction of copying content between windows. You describe what you want changed in natural language, and Continue applies the edits directly in your active file. This streamlines the common pattern of asking for help and then manually implementing suggestions. The AI proposes changes, you review them in your editor's native diff view, and you accept or reject modifications with full visibility into exactly what will change. For refactoring tasks, updating function signatures, or applying consistent changes across sections of code, edit mode turns verbal instructions into immediate implementation.

Autocomplete provides real time suggestions as you write, anticipating what comes next and offering completions for boilerplate, function bodies, and repetitive patterns. The suggestions adapt to your codebase context, meaning they reflect the conventions, naming patterns, and structures already present in your project rather than generic templates that might not fit. This acceleration applies throughout your typing without requiring explicit invocation.

Agent mode tackles multi step coding tasks through ongoing collaboration rather than single shot responses. You can describe a larger goal, and the agent works through the problem with you, breaking it into manageable pieces and executing incrementally. This proves valuable for refactoring sessions that touch multiple files, implementing features that require coordinated changes across a codebase, or exploring unfamiliar code where you need guidance on where to make changes and what the downstream implications might be.

For developers who prefer terminal based workflows, the command line tool called cn extends AI coding assistance outside the graphical IDE. If you're working in a terminal environment or automating development tasks through scripts, cn brings the same underlying capabilities to that context.

Continue supports multiple AI model providers through a flexible configuration system. You can connect to OpenAI, Claude, Ollama for local inference, and various other providers depending on your requirements. The configuration allows different models to power different functions independently. You might use a fast model for autocomplete where speed matters most, while directing complex conversations to a more capable model. Local model support means codebases with confidentiality requirements can stay entirely on your machine without transmitting anything to external services.

The context system enables sophisticated awareness of your project beyond the immediate file. Model Context Protocol integration, custom rules, and documentation connections let you configure how Continue understands your codebase structure, your team's conventions, and relevant external information. Custom prompts shape the AI's responses to match established patterns or personal preferences. This configurability distinguishes Continue from more rigid tools that impose predetermined workflows.

Continue recently joined Cursor, the AI native code editor that has attracted significant developer attention. The open source codebase continues to exist as community infrastructure, but the core team now develops under the Cursor organization. For developers who want extension based AI assistance without adopting an entirely new editor, Continue remains compelling. You keep your existing VS Code or JetBrains setup with all your keybindings, themes, and extensions intact while gaining AI capabilities layered on top.