Continue
Open-source AI coding extension for VS Code and JetBrains with fully configurable models, local Ollama inference, and zero code egress.
Continue is an open-source AI coding extension (Apache 2.0) for VS Code and JetBrains that connects to any LLM - including locally-running models via Ollama - making it the strongest choice for developers with code privacy requirements or those who want zero subscription cost. The config.json file lets teams assign different models to different tasks: a fast local Qwen2.5-Coder for tab autocomplete and a frontier model for complex multi-step edits. Continue supports Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, Groq, Mistral, Cohere, and any OpenAI-compatible endpoint. The 2026 AI PR Checks feature lets teams define automated quality gates in markdown that run on every pull request. With over 20,000 GitHub stars, Continue is the most widely used open-source AI coding extension for developers prioritizing privacy and model control.
Key Features
- Supports any LLM: Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini, Groq, Mistral, Ollama, LM Studio, and more
- config.json per-task model assignment - fast local model for autocomplete, frontier for complex edits
- AI PR Checks - define quality gates in markdown that run automatically on every pull request
- Tab autocomplete, inline edit, and multi-turn chat in a single extension
- VS Code and JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm) support
- Fully offline capable with local Ollama models - zero code leaves the machine
- Apache 2.0 license - commercially safe to use, self-host, and modify
Use Cases
- Privacy-first teams where source code cannot leave the company network
- Developers wanting zero subscription cost using local Ollama models for autocomplete
- Organizations needing full control over which models handle which tasks
- Air-gapped environments with no internet access requiring local AI inference
- Developers evaluating AI coding tools before committing to a paid subscription
Pros
- Solo tier is free forever - the only cost is any API tokens for cloud model usage
- Local Ollama support means zero code egress - ideal for compliance-restricted environments
- config.json model routing is the most flexible per-task model assignment of any extension
Cons
- Setup requires more configuration than GitHub Copilot or Cline - config.json is manual
- Local model quality trails frontier models significantly on complex multi-file tasks
- Enterprise SLA requires the $10/developer/month Team plan - free tier has community-only support
Continue Alternatives
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Ito
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