Continue: Open-Source Coding Agent, Now Read-Only

A CLI, VS Code Extension, and JetBrains Plugin

Continue is an open-source (Apache-2.0) coding agent available three ways: a CLI (`@continuedev/cli`), a VS Code extension, and a JetBrains plugin. The README describes a final 2.0.0 release across all three that removed anonymous telemetry and pulled out authentication, and states the repository is now read-only and no longer actively maintained.

A Final 2.0.0 Release, Then Read-Only

The attention here is tied to an ending, not a launch. The README documents a final 2.0.0 release and declares the repo read-only, and it recommends the CLI over the now-deprecated JetBrains plugin. A well-known project reaching a clear stopping point — and freezing a clean, telemetry-free final version — is the kind of moment that gets shared.

Wanting an Agent You Can Read and Self-Host

Developers want an AI coding assistant that lives in the editor and CLI they already use instead of a separate app, and open-source teams in particular want one they can read and self-host rather than a closed box. Continue was built for exactly that — the catch now is that active development on this repo has stopped.

What Shipped in the Final Build

• ✓Coding agent delivered as a CLI, a VS Code extension, and a JetBrains plugin
• ✓Final 2.0.0 release that removed anonymous telemetry, per the README
• ✓Authentication pulled out in the final release, so the build runs without a forced login
• ✓Apache-2.0 licensed, so the code can be read, forked, and self-hosted
• ✓The README frames the codebase as a foundation others can build on

Studying, Forking, or Migrating Away

• •Studying how an open-source, multi-surface coding agent is structured
• •Forking the code as a starting point for your own maintained agent
• •Running the frozen, telemetry-free 2.0.0 CLI if you accept it won't get updates
• •Migrating off it to a maintained alternative while keeping familiar workflows

Where to Get the Frozen Builds

The README points to the VS Code Marketplace and Open VSX for the extension, npm (`@continuedev/cli`) for the CLI, and GitHub Releases for the JetBrains plugin. Configuration details are in the Continue docs. Note the repo itself is read-only, so treat these as final builds rather than a moving target.

The CLI Over the Deprecated JetBrains Plugin

Per the README, the CLI is the recommended entry point over the JetBrains plugin. How to configure and customize Continue is documented at the project's docs site. Because the repository is no longer maintained, expect the docs and builds to reflect the final 2.0.0 state rather than ongoing changes.

Cline, Aider, Roo Code, GitHub Copilot

Who Should Still Look at Continue

Developers who want to study or fork a mature open-source coding agent, or who deliberately want a frozen, telemetry-free 2.0.0 build and accept no updates. Anyone choosing a tool for ongoing daily work should pick a maintained alternative, since the README says this repo is read-only.

Continue Questions, Answered

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