Continue

Continue is an open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains that brings customizable, model-flexible AI help right into the editors developers already use. Rather than locking you into one closed platform, Continue lets you configure exactly which models you want to use — including your own keys and even local models — giving you control, flexibility and freedom from vendor lock-in while you get AI completion, chat and assistance inside your normal workflow.

Its strengths are openness and configurability. As an open-source project, it is transparent, community-driven and free, and its flexibility around models means you can tune it to your preferences, budget and privacy needs. It works across popular IDEs, so teams using different editors can share a consistent AI-assisted experience. For developers who want modern AI coding help without committing to a single proprietary editor or model provider, Continue offers a powerful, adaptable middle ground that respects how they already work.

Continue is ideal for developers and teams who value open source, want to choose and control their AI models, and prefer adding AI to their existing VS Code or JetBrains setup rather than switching editors. It sits alongside tools like Cline and Aider in the open-source AI-coding ecosystem, and is a flexible alternative to closed AI editors like Cursor. If you want customizable, open, model-agnostic AI assistance integrated into the IDE you already love, Continue is a standout choice that keeps you in control of both your workflow and your AI.