Overview
Continue is an open-source platform (Apache 2.0) for "Continuous AI": configurable agents that automate developer workflows across GUI, CLI/TUI, IDE, and headless/background modes. It includes a centralized dashboard (Mission Control), CLI/TUI and headless automation modes, IDE extensions (VS Code, JetBrains) for in-editor assistance and multi-file edits, and a Hub to publish, discover, and reuse prebuilt agent configurations and assistants. Continue was founded in 2023 (YC company listing and public repo timestamps) by Nate Sesti and Ty Dunn and is listed as a Y Combinator company. The project maintains an active GitHub repository (https://github.com/continuedev/continue) under Apache 2.0. Key product capabilities include background agents, CLI/TUI agents, IDE agents, event/webhook and schedule triggers, integrations with tooling like GitHub, Slack, Sentry, Snyk, Linear and CI/CD systems, REPL/debug modes and step approvals for automated PRs, and support for local/on-prem deployments and running with any LLM (including local ggml models). Public materials note an open-source core and planned paid offerings around a development-data engine (per YC page). Documentation and community resources are available via docs.continue.dev, hub.continue.dev, GitHub, and community channels (Discord, GitHub). A Continue 1.0 launch press item (Reuters) covering IDE extensions and Hub launch is dated Feb 26, 2025. Several top-level site pages (notably pricing and some contact URLs) returned 404s during review, and no public pricing or explicit free trial page was found.
Key Features
Modalities: GUI, CLI/TUI, IDE, Headless
Centralized dashboard (Mission Control), interactive terminal UI and headless/background modes, and IDE extensions for VS Code and JetBrains.
Agent Types
Background/headless agents, CLI/TUI agents, and in-editor IDE agents to automate tasks and workflows.
Workflows & Triggers
Event/webhook triggers, cron/scheduled jobs, PR/open event triggers, and manual runs from an inbox.
Tools & Context Sources
GitHub repo access, issue linking (e.g., @issue), files, external search, and custom tools to run tests, build, or add files.
Hub for Sharing & Reuse
hub.continue.dev hosts a catalog of automation patterns and prebuilt agent configurations and assistants for publishing and discovery.
Integrations
First-party or documented integrations referenced include GitHub, Slack, Sentry, Snyk, Linear, and common CI/CD systems (GitHub Actions, Jenkins, GitLab CI).
Who Can Use This Tool?
- Developers:Automate routine coding tasks, PR workflows, and in-editor multi-file changes with configurable agents.
- Engineering teams:Standardize and share automation patterns via the Hub and integrate with CI/CD and issue trackers.
- Open-source contributors:Contribute to and reuse agent configurations, extend the open-source core, and collaborate via GitHub and community channels.
Pricing Plans
Core platform is open-source under Apache 2.0. No public commercial pricing posted for the core project.
- ✓Apache 2.0 open-source core
- ✓Mission Control dashboard
- ✓CLI/TUI and headless modes
- ✓IDE integrations and Hub access
Public materials (YC page) mention planned paid offerings around a development-data engine; no public pricing or formal commercial plans were posted on the site.
- ✓Planned commercial features around development-data
- ✓TBD pricing and commercial terms
Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- ✓Open-source core (Apache 2.0) with active GitHub repository
- ✓Multi-modal automation: GUI dashboard, CLI/TUI, headless, and IDE integrations
- ✓Hub for publishing and discovering reusable agent configurations
- ✓Supports local/on-prem deployment and any LLM (including local ggml models)
- ✓Backed by a YC listing and founders publicly listed
✗ Cons
- ✗No public commercial pricing or dedicated sales contact discovered
- ✗Several site pages (pricing, some contact paths) returned 404s during checks
- ✗Commercial/paid offering details are only mentioned as planned; specifics not available
Compare with Alternatives
| Feature | Continue | CrewAI | StackAI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Rating | 8.2/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.4/10 |
| Multi-agent Coordination | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| IDE & CLI Support | Yes | No | No |
| Deployment Flexibility | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Observability & Traces | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Governance Controls | Partial | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations Surface | Wide integrations and connectors | Tool and memory integrations | Extensive connectors and plugins |
| Templates & Hub | Built in hub for sharing and reuse | Agent repos and visual editor | Workflow templates and builder |
Related Articles (2)
Step-by-step guide to creating and monitoring automated Workflows in Mission Control.
Central hub to create AI agents, run tasks, and automate workflows with integrations and real-time insights.
