- Developers who need both VS Code and JetBrains support
- Teams that want AI checks enforced in CI pipelines alongside agentic coding
- Engineers who want a single tool covering chat, edit, agent, and autocomplete workflows
openagent @ continue ~ $
cat README.md
Continue
Open-source AI code agent for VS Code and JetBrains that combines chat, edit, agent, and autocomplete modes with source-controlled AI checks enforceable in CI.
$
npm i -g @continuedev/cliInstalling Continue...
Continue ready
$
continue --helpReading continue configuration & environment...
●
Waiting for input... # core strengths
What makes Continue different
◆
Multi-mode workflow
Four integrated modes: Chat for questions, Edit for targeted changes, Agent for autonomous tasks, and Autocomplete for inline suggestions.
One extension covers the full spectrum of AI-assisted development, from quick completions to complex multi-file agentic tasks.◆
VS Code + JetBrains support
The only open-source coding agent with full feature parity across both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs.
Teams using different IDEs can standardize on one tool, and developers switching editors don't lose functionality.◆
CI-enforceable AI checks
Source-controlled AI checks defined as markdown files in your repository, running as GitHub status checks on every PR.
Makes AI-assisted development auditable and governed by version control — the same workflow as traditional CI/CD checks.◆
Model-agnostic architecture
Supports any LLM provider through an extensible model system, including local models via Ollama.
Teams can choose the best model for each task without being locked into a single provider. # quick start
Your first command
$
npm i -g @continuedev/cli●
Ready. Run --help to explore. # use cases
How developers use Continue
01
Automated code review in CI
Define AI review checks as markdown files in .continue/checks/ — every PR gets automated security, style, and correctness review.
02
Mixed-mode development
Use Autocomplete for quick suggestions, switch to Agent for complex tasks, and use Chat for architectural questions — all in one session.
03
Cross-IDE team workflows
Some team members use VS Code, others use JetBrains — Continue provides the same AI coding capabilities in both editors.
# comparison
How Continue compares
Choose Continue for multi-IDE support and CI checks vs Cline
Continue supports both VS Code and JetBrains with CI-enforceable AI checks. Cline has deeper autonomous agent capabilities but is VS Code-focused.
# faq
Questions
Q: What should I check before using Continue?
Start with one safe workflow for Continue. Inspect official setup instructions, required credentials, execution logs, approval points, and failure recovery before expanding from a sandbox task into production automation.
Q: Is Continue open source?
Continue is listed with Apache-2.0 based on the official source links in this profile. Re-check the repository, model card, or docs before production use.
Q: What IDEs does Continue support?
Continue supports both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs with full feature parity across chat, edit, agent, and autocomplete modes.
Decision brief
JSON
Should you use Continue?
- Users who prefer terminal-native agents over IDE extensions
- Teams looking for a standalone coding agent without IDE integration
- Verified 2026-06-04
- License: Apache-2.0
- Repo: continuedev/continue
- Open-source signal
Deployment
cloud
Permission surface
shell/files
Decision signals
No extra signals recorded
Agent packet
Structured decision data for Continue
This packet is the compact machine-readable view agents should use before following source links or taking action.
Capabilities
workflow orchestration
Constraints
open source
Deployment
cloud
Permission surface
shell/files
Recommended workflows
Coding agent workflow
Overview
What Continue does
What it is
Continue is an open-source AI code agent for VS Code and JetBrains with four modes — Chat, Edit, Agent, and Autocomplete — plus source-controlled AI checks that run as GitHub status checks in CI pipelines.
Why it matters
Most coding agents operate only in the development environment. Continue's CI check system extends AI assistance into the pull request workflow, making it auditable, version-controlled, and enforceable — bridging the gap between AI-assisted development and traditional software engineering governance.
How to evaluate it
Start with one safe workflow for Continue. Inspect official setup instructions, required credentials, execution logs, approval points, and failure recovery before expanding from a sandbox task into production automation.
Facts
Known metadata and operating surface
These fields are separated from editorial interpretation so agents can reason over facts and missing checks.
Resource type agent
Category Agents
Maturity active
Difficulty Unknown
License Apache-2.0
Pricing open source
Verified 2026-06-04
Source confidence high
Risk level moderate
Fit matrix
Where Continue fits in an agent stack
strong
Coding agent workflow
Continue has multiple signals for coding agent workflow, including matching tags, capabilities, category, or positioning.
- Run a small repository change and inspect the diff, tests, and rollback path.
- Confirm official docs, current maintenance, license, and runtime constraints before production use.
partial
Connector or protocol layer
Continue has at least one signal for connector or protocol layer, but should be checked against a real task before adoption.
- Connect one low-risk service, then inspect schemas, auth scope, errors, and logs.
- Confirm official docs, current maintenance, license, and runtime constraints before production use.
partial
Reusable skill workflow
Continue has at least one signal for reusable skill workflow, but should be checked against a real task before adoption.
- Run one skill end to end and check whether it produces evidence or structured output.
- Confirm official docs, current maintenance, license, and runtime constraints before production use.
weak
Browser automation
Continue is not primarily positioned for browser automation in the current metadata.
- Run one non-sensitive website task and inspect clicks, waits, retries, and changed URLs.
- Confirm official docs, current maintenance, license, and runtime constraints before production use.
weak
Evaluation and observability
Continue is not primarily positioned for evaluation and observability in the current metadata.
- Add one repeatable test case and confirm results can run again in review or CI.
- Confirm official docs, current maintenance, license, and runtime constraints before production use.
weak
Local or private AI stack
Continue is not primarily positioned for local or private ai stack in the current metadata.
- Verify hardware requirements, data path, storage, and whether all calls stay in your environment.
- Confirm official docs, current maintenance, license, and runtime constraints before production use.
Inputs and outputs
What an agent should inspect
Likely inputs
- Repositories, files, issues, terminal output, and test results
- Prompts, messages, documents, images, or model inputs
- Official setup instructions and a small real workflow
Likely outputs
- Diffs, commits, explanations, test results, or review notes
- A decision on whether this resource fits the target workflow
Evidence
Sources, claims, and missing checks
Claims are marked separately from source links so future crawlers and reviewers can update them without rewriting the page.
GitHub github
Repository source for code, license, issues, releases, and implementation details.
Homepage homepageOfficial or project-controlled source for this resource profile.
Docs docsDocumentation source for setup, API shape, and operational behavior.
Continue is listed as open source.
License metadata: Apache-2.0Continue has a recorded GitHub repository: continuedev/continue.
Resource facts and GitHub source link.Continue supports these recorded deployment modes: cloud.
OpenAgent decision signal metadata.Continue is tagged with workflow orchestration capabilities.
OpenAgent capability taxonomy.- Repository freshness has not been recorded.
Next action
How to start evaluating Continue
Inspect repository
Check license, recent activity, issues, examples, and security-sensitive code paths.
Open sourceOpen Homepage
Start from the official source before adopting third-party instructions.
Open sourceRead setup docs
Use docs as the source of truth for installation and supported interfaces.
Open sourceInstall Continue CLI
Install the Continue CLI globally via npm, then run 'cn' in any project directory.
npm i -g @continuedev/cli Compare
Alternatives and nearby resources
Use related resources to compare category fit, license, deployment model, and first-workflow behavior.
FAQ
Common questions about Continue
What should I check before using Continue?
Start with one safe workflow for Continue. Inspect official setup instructions, required credentials, execution logs, approval points, and failure recovery before expanding from a sandbox task into production automation.
Is Continue open source?
Continue is listed with Apache-2.0 based on the official source links in this profile. Re-check the repository, model card, or docs before production use.
What IDEs does Continue support?
Continue supports both VS Code and JetBrains IDEs with full feature parity across chat, edit, agent, and autocomplete modes.