Continue Review✦Build Fast with AI✦Free✦Continue Review✦Build Fast with AI✦Free✦
Tool Review: Continue
Continue
Open-source GitHub Copilot alternative — any model, VS Code and JetBrains, fully customizable.
Continue is the most widely adopted open-source Copilot alternative — a VS Code and JetBrains extension providing inline completions and conversational AI coding assistance with any model. Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, or local models via Ollama — Continue works with all of them. For developers who want GitHub Copilot's in-editor experience without the subscription or the data-sharing concerns, Continue is the open-source standard.
Visit Website ↗
RATING
4.3/5.0
Pricing
Free
Free (open source)$0
BYO API key or local models • VS Code + JetBrains • Fully open source • Unlimited customization
Best For
- ✦ JetBrains users who want an open-source, model-flexible AI coding assistant
- ✦ Teams with data sovereignty requirements who need fully local AI coding
- ✦ Organizations that want a Copilot-equivalent without GitHub's data terms
- ✦ Developers who want maximum model flexibility and configuration control
// In-depth Review
What is Continue?
Continue is an open-source AI coding extension available for both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs — making it the only open-source option that works across both major editor ecosystems. It provides inline code completion (Tab), AI chat grounded in the codebase, inline editing of selected code, and context-aware documentation references. Continue's model flexibility is its primary advantage over GitHub Copilot: configure it with any API-accessible model (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, Mistral, Cohere) or any local model via Ollama — and switch between them in seconds. For organizations with data sovereignty requirements, running Continue with a local Ollama model provides Copilot-equivalent in-editor AI assistance with no data leaving the building. Continue is free — the only costs are API calls if using cloud models. The configuration is YAML-based and highly flexible: define which models handle completion vs. chat, set context providers (docs, web search, GitHub issues), and configure keyboard shortcuts to match your workflow. For developers who want a transparent, customizable, cost-flexible alternative to GitHub Copilot or who have principled positions on open-source tooling, Continue is the right choice.
// Capabilities
Key Features
Inline code completion (Tab) in VS Code and JetBrains
AI chat with codebase awareness
Inline editing of selected code with natural language
Any model support — Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, Mistral, local via Ollama
Context providers — docs, web search, GitHub issues, custom sources
YAML configuration — fully customizable model routing and context
JetBrains support — the only open-source tool covering JetBrains + VS Code
Local model support — fully offline, private AI coding
Open source — MIT licensed, community driven
Slash commands — custom workflows accessible from chat
// Real World
Use Cases
GitHub Copilot replacement with local models for privacy
Configure Continue with Ollama running Qwen2.5-Coder or Code Llama locally — get inline completions and AI chat in VS Code or JetBrains with no API calls and no data leaving the machine. For enterprises with data residency requirements or developers working on classified codebases, this provides practical AI coding assistance within privacy constraints.
FOR: Enterprise teams with data sovereignty requirements, government contractors, and security-conscious developers
JetBrains AI coding with model choice
For JetBrains users (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, GoLand), Continue is the primary open-source AI coding option — GitHub Copilot works in JetBrains but is a paid subscription with OpenAI's data terms. Continue provides comparable inline completion and chat quality while allowing model switching, local options, and full configuration transparency.
FOR: JetBrains developers who want open-source, model-flexible AI assistance without GitHub Copilot's pricing or data terms
Pros
- ✅ Only open-source tool supporting both VS Code and JetBrains
- ✅ Maximum model flexibility — switch between Claude, GPT-4, local models, any provider
- ✅ Fully private with local models — no cloud API calls or data transmission
- ✅ Free — no subscription, just API costs if using cloud models
- ✅ Highly configurable — context providers, model routing, slash commands
- ✅ Actively maintained open-source project with strong community
Cons
- ❌ Completion quality below GitHub Copilot and Codeium on standard cloud models
- ❌ Setup requires more configuration than plug-and-play commercial tools
- ❌ No codebase indexing as deep as Cursor for very large repos
- ❌ API key management required for cloud models
- ❌ Not an agentic tool — no autonomous file editing or command execution
- ❌ Community support rather than dedicated customer service
// Help Center
Continue FAQ
How does Continue compare to Codeium?
Codeium is a commercial product with a generous free tier and polished UX — easier to set up, better out-of-the-box completion quality. Continue is fully open source with unlimited model flexibility and local model support — better for privacy requirements, customization, and JetBrains users who want open-source tooling. For straightforward Copilot replacement, Codeium is easier. For full control and privacy, Continue is better.
// Similar Tools
More in Coding & Development
Cursor
Freemium • $0
The AI IDE that developers actually switch to — codebase-aware agents, Tab completion, and Composer in one VS Code fork.
View Review & Details →Claude Code
Subscription • $20/mo
Anthropic's terminal-native coding agent — lives in your CLI, edits files, runs commands, and ships code.
View Review & Details →GitHub Copilot
Freemium • $0
The original AI pair-programmer — the most widely deployed coding assistant, now with agents and Workspace.
View Review & Details →