Continue
Open-source IDE assistant you customize — any model, your context.
Standout features
Continue lets you build and share custom AI assistants right inside VS Code and JetBrains — with the models and context you choose.
Worldwide search interest, indexed 0–100 · Google Trends.
Continue is the leading open-source AI code assistant — build your own autocomplete and chat experience with the models and context you choose.
- From Continue (SF, 2023; Y Combinator).
- Open-source extensions for VS Code and JetBrains.
- Continue Hub to create and share custom assistants.
- Model-agnostic, with full data control.
Continue is about control and customization.
- Autocomplete, chat, edit and agent modes.
- Connect any model + your own context providers.
- Hub of shareable building blocks for assistants.
- Open source — transparent and self-directed.
Free and open source — you bring the model.
- No subscription for the open-source extensions.
- BYO API key (or local models).
- Costs scale with your own model usage.
Continue fits developers who want to customize, not be boxed in.
- People who want full control over models and context.
- Teams building shared, custom assistants.
- Open-source-minded developers avoiding lock-in.
- People who want a polished, opinionated default out of the box.
- Anyone who’d rather not configure anything.
No tool is perfect — the trade-offs to weigh:
- You assemble it — more setup than turnkey tools.
- Quality tracks your model choices.
- Less autonomous than full coding agents.
- Config depth can overwhelm beginners.
- ✓Open source; VS Code + JetBrains extensions
- ✓Build and share custom assistants via the Hub
- ✓Bring any model and your own context
- ✓Full data control, no lock-in
- ✓Active YC-backed project
- ✕More setup than turnkey tools
- ✕Quality depends on your model choices
- ✕Less autonomous than full agents
- ✕Configuration can overwhelm beginners
Developers who like to own their tooling appreciate that Continue lets them wire up any model and their own context, then share custom assistants through the Hub. The trade-off they note is more setup than a turnkey tool and quality that tracks their model choices. Sentiment is positive among open-source-minded, customization-loving developers.
Continue is built by Continue, a San Francisco company backed by Y Combinator.
Company figures are drawn from public disclosures and reputable trackers (gathered Jun 2026). User and revenue numbers are estimates and move fast.
Pick up to two other coding tools to see them head-to-head on the same rubric.