Continue Review 2026
Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains
โญ 36k+ stars
๐ Apache-2.0
๐ท๏ธ ai-tools
Overview
Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains
Pros
- โ Open-source VS Code and JetBrains extension for AI-assisted coding
- โ Works with any LLM โ Ollama, OpenAI, Anthropic, or custom endpoints
- โ Highly customizable with config files for system prompts and context providers
- โ Free alternative to GitHub Copilot that works with local models
Cons
- โ Quality of suggestions depends entirely on the underlying model โ much better with GPT-4o/Claude than smaller local models
- โ Fewer pre-built integrations than GitHub Copilot
- โ Less polished UI compared to Cursor's native IDE experience
Key Features
- โข {'icon': '๐', 'title': 'LLM Provider Flexibility', 'desc': 'Connect to Ollama, OpenAI, Anthropic, or custom endpoints without vendor lock-in. Switch models and providers by editing config files.'}
- โข {'icon': 'โ๏ธ', 'title': 'Config-Driven Customization', 'desc': "Define custom system prompts, context providers, and slash commands via JSON configuration. Tailor behavior to your team's coding standards."}
- โข {'icon': '๐ป', 'title': 'Dual IDE Support', 'desc': 'Native extensions for both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs. Consistent AI-assisted coding experience across your entire development toolkit.'}
- โข {'icon': '๐', 'title': 'Fully Open-Source', 'desc': 'Audit, fork, and modify the complete source code. No proprietary dependencies mean full transparency and community-driven development.'}
- โข {'icon': '๐', 'title': 'Context-Aware Prompting', 'desc': 'Customizable context providers automatically inject relevant code files, documentation, and codebase context into AI requests for smarter suggestions.'}
Verdict
Continue is a strong open-source ai tools tool with 36k+ GitHub stars. Its large community and active development make it a dependable choice in 2026.
FAQ
What is Continue?
Continue is a ai tools tool with 36k+ GitHub stars. Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains
Is Continue free?
Continue is Apache-2.0. Check the official website for current pricing.