Continue.dev

Score: 81/100 ⓘ How we score

An open-source, self-hosted alternative to GitHub Copilot that allows you to connect your own local or cloud-based LLMs to your IDE.

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Key Features

Connect to any LLM, including local models (Ollama, Llamafile) or API-based ones (OpenAI, Anthropic).

Custom prompt engineering capabilities

Fully open-source and customizable

Inline chat and autocomplete in VS Code & JetBrains.

Project-wide context through plug-and-play indexing.

Smart Tab for autocomplete and in-line chat/edit interface in VS Code & JetBrains.

Support for local LLMs like Code Llama

Best For

Open-Source & Self-HostingLocal LLMsCustomization

Key Specifications

Core Competency	Open-Source & Self-Hosting, Local LLMs, Customization
Pricing Tier	Standard
Category	Open-Source & Self-Hosting

Common Use Cases

Self-hosted AI coding assistance for teams with strict data privacy requirements or offline development
Experimenting with different LLMs (local and cloud) to find the best model for specific coding tasks
Custom AI workflows and prompts tailored to specific development teams or programming languages

Detailed Analysis

✓ Strengths

Connect to any LLM, including local models (Ollama, Llamafile) or API-based ones (OpenAI, Anthropic).
Enhances development workflow and productivity
Custom prompt engineering capabilities
Enhances development workflow and productivity
Fully open-source and customizable
Enhances development workflow and productivity
Inline chat and autocomplete in VS Code & JetBrains.
Enhances development workflow and productivity

✗ Limitations

Learning curve considerations
May require time investment to master advanced features

Expert Analysis

Continue.dev is a powerful choice for developers who want ultimate control over their AI assistant. Being open-source and self-hostable allows you to choose your own LLM, whether it's running locally for offline use or a powerful cloud API. This flexibility lets you tailor the experience precisely to your needs and privacy constraints, though it requires more setup than commercial tools.

Verdict

Continue.dev provides focused AI coding assistance for specific use cases. Best suited for open-source & self-hosting, local llms, customization applications.

Who is This For?

**Developers exploring specialized AI tools** or working in specific niches. Best for those focused on open-source & self-hosting, local llms, customization applications.

Last Verified: 2025-08

Sources

Primary references: blog, docs, release notes, API, and status pages.

Blog Changelog Releases Docs API

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