What Is Continue? How to Use This Free AI Coding Assistant and What It Can Do [Latest 2026]

Have you ever wished you could make programming a little easier? Continue is a free AI extension for editors like VSCode and JetBrains. It suggests the next line as you type, explains code you don't understand, and gives you the feeling of having a seasoned engineer sitting right beside you.

What you'll learn in this article

• The basic mechanics and features of Continue
• The 5 major things you can actually do with Continue
• How to install and use it in VSCode and JetBrains
• The benefits of using it for free and the drawbacks to keep in mind
• Who Continue is best suited for

What Is Continue?

Continue is an open-source AI coding assistant (free for anyone to use and improve) released in 2023. By adding it as an extension to popular development editors (software used to write programs) such as VSCode and JetBrains, AI helps support your code creation. You can connect it to the latest AI models (AIs capable of writing text and code like a human) such as Claude, GPT, and Gemini, and by using Ollama or LM Studio you can also run it entirely for free on your own computer. In 2026 it was integrated into a company called Cursor, but existing features continue to be available.

What You Can Do with Continue

Continue has five major features. The first is the chat feature, which lets you ask questions about code you don't understand or how to resolve errors. The second is autocomplete, where AI anticipates what you want to write next and displays it in gray text while you're coding. The third is inline editing, which shows AI-suggested revisions for a selected section of code that you can apply with a single click. The fourth is context management: typing @codebase or @docs loads files and documentation from across your project and provides suggestions that take those relationships into account. The fifth is the Agent feature, where AI autonomously thinks for itself, searches for necessary files, and even creates new ones.

How to Use Continue

You can get started with Continue simply by searching for "Continue" in the extension marketplace (similar to an app store) for VSCode or JetBrains and installing it. After installation, you choose which AI model to use in the settings screen. If you want to try it for free, download Ollama and select a local model (an AI that runs on your own computer), or obtain an API key (like a password that lets you use an AI) for Claude or GPT and connect to it. Actually using it is very simple: press the Tab key while coding to accept a suggestion, or Escape to reject it. The chat is available from the sidebar — just open it and type your question. Using the @ symbol lets you get answers that take your entire project's information into account.

Pros and Cons of Continue

The biggest advantage is that it's free. Because it's open source, the extension itself costs nothing, and if you use a local model, API fees are zero as well. It also supports multiple AI models, so you can freely choose based on your use case and budget. Since data can be processed locally only, it's reassuring even when handling a company's confidential information. As for disadvantages, because Continue was integrated into Cursor in 2026, new features can no longer be expected going forward. Also, first-time setup can take some effort, and you may find yourself unsure which AI model to choose. Local models are free but may underperform compared to cloud versions, so if you want high-accuracy suggestions, API costs will arise.

Who Should Use Continue

Continue is especially recommended for the following types of people. First, programming beginners who want to learn how to write code and resolve errors will find AI a powerful ally for self-study, as it provides thorough explanations. Independent developers and freelancers who are cost-conscious will also find it highly attractive, since they can receive high-quality AI assistance for free. Corporate development teams that prioritize data privacy can take comfort in the ability to operate with local models or on-premises (within the company's own servers). Finally, people who want to try multiple AI models will find it easy to discover the AI that suits them best, since they can switch between and compare models within a single tool.

Summary

In this article, we covered everything from the basics of Continue to how to use it. Let's recap the key points:

• Continue is a free, open-source AI extension compatible with VSCode and JetBrains
• Its five main features are chat, autocomplete, inline editing, context management, and the Agent feature
• It supports multiple AI models such as Claude and GPT, and can also run locally
• It's free to use and keeps your data private, but new features going forward are unlikely
• Recommended for beginners through corporate teams — especially those who prioritize cost and privacy

Continue's features remain fully usable as of 2026, so if you want to try AI coding assistance for free, go ahead and install it. Starting by casually experimenting with a local model is the recommended approach.

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This article is a cross-post from AI Friends.