Continue
★ 34.6k · GitHub →Pioneering open-source IDE assistant — now archived at version 2.0.
What is Continue?
Continue was one of the pioneering open-source coding assistants: a VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, and later a CLI that brought chat, autocomplete, inline edits, and eventually agent mode into the IDE — with any model you chose. Its config-as-code approach (rules, prompts, model blocks you could version and share) made it the go-to for teams that wanted a Copilot-style experience on their own models and infrastructure.
That story has an ending: the continuedev/continue repository is no longer actively maintained and is read-only. The team shipped a final, deliberately polished 2.0.0 release across all platforms — removing anonymous telemetry, pulling out authentication, and squashing bugs — so the tool still works today and the Apache 2.0 license means the community can fork and carry code forward.
Practically, that changes the calculus. The published extensions and CLI keep functioning against your own API keys, and for a fully local, no-strings setup they remain serviceable. But no maintenance means no support for new models, protocol changes, or IDE API shifts — so treat Continue as a legacy option you adopt with eyes open, not a foundation for the next two years.
Key capabilities
- ▸ IDE-native assistant: chat, autocomplete, inline edit, and agent mode in VS Code and JetBrains
- ▸ Fully model-agnostic — hosted APIs or local models via Ollama, on your own keys
- ▸ Config-as-code: rules, prompts, and model setups that teams can version and share
- ▸ Final 2.0.0 release removed telemetry and authentication — genuinely local and private
- ▸ Apache 2.0 licensed, so the codebase remains forkable despite the read-only repo
When to use it
Consider Continue only if you specifically want a telemetry-free, auth-free, fully local IDE assistant and can accept frozen software — the final 2.0 release is genuinely clean and works with your own or local models. For anything long-lived, pick an actively maintained tool instead: Cline covers the open-source IDE-agent slot, Claude Code and Gemini CLI cover the terminal, and all three will keep tracking new models and protocols while Continue will not.
Alternatives
Frequently asked questions
Is Continue still maintained?
No. The continuedev/continue repository is read-only and no longer actively maintained. The team shipped a final 2.0.0 release across the VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, and CLI — cleaned of telemetry and authentication — and the Apache 2.0 license leaves the door open for community forks, but no official development continues.
Does Continue still work after being archived?
Yes, for now. The published extensions and CLI function normally with your own API keys or local models, since nothing depends on Continue-run servers after 2.0 removed authentication. The risk is forward compatibility: new model APIs, MCP evolution, and IDE updates will eventually break integrations that nobody is fixing.
What should I use instead of Continue?
The closest maintained equivalent is Cline: open source, IDE-native, model-agnostic with local-model support, plus agent capabilities Continue never fully matured. If you mainly want autocomplete-plus-chat on your own models, Cline in VS Code or JetBrains covers it; for terminal-first agentic work, look at Claude Code, Gemini CLI, or Aider.
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