# Continue — Open-Source AI Code Assistant for IDEs

> Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains. Connect any LLM model, use autocomplete, chat, and inline edits. Fully customizable with your own models and context. 22,000+ stars.

## Install

Save the content below to `.claude/skills/` or append to your `CLAUDE.md`:

## Quick Use

1. Install from VS Code Marketplace: search "Continue" or JetBrains Marketplace
2. Open Continue sidebar (Ctrl+L / Cmd+L)
3. Configure your model in `~/.continue/config.json`:

```json
{
  "models": [
    {
      "title": "Claude Sonnet",
      "provider": "anthropic",
      "model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
      "apiKey": "sk-ant-..."
    }
  ]
}
```

4. Start chatting, use autocomplete, or select code and press Ctrl+I for inline edits.

---

## Intro

Continue is an open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains IDEs with 22,000+ GitHub stars. Unlike proprietary tools, Continue lets you connect any LLM — Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, Llama, Mistral, or local models via Ollama — and customize every aspect of the experience. Features include chat, autocomplete, inline editing, and context providers that pull from your docs, codebase, and tools. Best for developers who want full control over their AI coding assistant without vendor lock-in. Works with: VS Code, JetBrains (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm). Setup time: under 3 minutes.

---

## Core Features

### Chat with Code Context
Select code and ask questions with full codebase awareness:

```
Ctrl+L → Opens chat sidebar
Select code → "Explain this function"
@ mention files → "@auth.ts how does this relate to the login flow?"
```

### Autocomplete
Tab-complete with any model:

```json
{
  "tabAutocompleteModel": {
    "title": "Codestral",
    "provider": "mistral",
    "model": "codestral-latest"
  }
}
```

### Inline Editing
Select code and describe changes:

```
Ctrl+I → "Add error handling and input validation"
Continue generates the edit, you accept or reject
```

### Context Providers
Pull context from multiple sources:

| Provider | What It Does |
|----------|-------------|
| `@file` | Reference specific files |
| `@codebase` | Search the entire codebase |
| `@docs` | Query indexed documentation |
| `@terminal` | Include terminal output |
| `@url` | Fetch and include web content |
| `@git` | Git diff and history context |

### Model Flexibility
Use any model from any provider:

```json
{
  "models": [
    {"title": "Claude", "provider": "anthropic", "model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514"},
    {"title": "GPT-4", "provider": "openai", "model": "gpt-4o"},
    {"title": "Local Llama", "provider": "ollama", "model": "llama3.1"}
  ]
}
```

### Custom Slash Commands

```json
{
  "customCommands": [
    {
      "name": "test",
      "prompt": "Write comprehensive unit tests for the selected code. Use the existing test framework."
    }
  ]
}
```

### Key Stats
- 22,000+ GitHub stars
- VS Code + JetBrains support
- 20+ model providers
- Fully customizable config
- Active community with 500+ contributors

### FAQ

**Q: What is Continue?**
A: Continue is an open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains that lets you connect any LLM for chat, autocomplete, and inline editing with full customization.

**Q: Is Continue free?**
A: Yes, fully open-source under Apache 2.0 license. You provide your own model API keys.

**Q: How is Continue different from GitHub Copilot?**
A: Continue is open-source, supports any LLM provider (not just OpenAI), and is fully customizable — you control the models, context, and commands.

---

## Source & Thanks

> Created by [Continue](https://github.com/continuedev). Licensed under Apache 2.0.
>
> [continue](https://github.com/continuedev/continue) — ⭐ 22,000+

Thanks to the Continue team for making AI code assistance open and customizable.

---

<!-- ZH -->


## Quick Use

1. Install "Continue" from the VS Code extension marketplace
2. Open the sidebar (Ctrl+L)
3. Configure a model:

```json
{
  "models": [{
    "title": "Claude Sonnet",
    "provider": "anthropic",
    "model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
    "apiKey": "sk-ant-..."
  }]
}
```

---

## Intro

Continue is an open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains, with 22,000+ GitHub stars. Connect any LLM (Claude, GPT-4, Gemini, local models) for chat, autocomplete, and inline editing. Fully customizable with custom context providers and commands. Ideal for developers who want full control over their AI coding assistant without vendor lock-in.

---

## Source & Thanks

> Created by [Continue](https://github.com/continuedev). Licensed under Apache 2.0.
>
> [continue](https://github.com/continuedev/continue) — ⭐ 22,000+


---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/continue-open-source-ai-code-assistant-ides-faed3b71
Author: Continue