AI Coding Hub

Migration

Continue Is Now EOL

Continue was acquired by Cursor in 2026 and its GitHub repository is now read-only — v2.0.0 is the final release from the original team, with no further updates. If you relied on Continue for its open-source, BYO-LLM model, here are the actively maintained tools that best fill that gap.

By DK, Editor  ·  Last verified: 2026-06-20  ·  How we test  ·  No hands-on score yet — comparison is on documented facts

What changed

Continue — the Apache-2.0 open-source AI coding assistant for VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI — was acquired by Cursor in 2026. The original team is no longer maintaining the project: the GitHub repository is read-only, and v2.0.0 is the final official release. The extension still installs and runs as of this writing, but there are no future bug fixes, security patches, or feature updates from the original authors. Community forks may emerge, but Continue should not be treated as a future-proof primary tool. If you are currently using Continue, migrating to an actively maintained alternative is the right call.

The options

  • Cline

    Open-source VS Code agent with Plan/Act pipeline, per-action approval, and a first-class MCP Marketplace

    Form
    VS Code extension, open source
    Open source
    yes (open source)
    Free tier
    free and open source; BYO model API key
    MCP
    yes — first-class MCP with an MCP Marketplace

    Best for: VS Code users wanting the closest open-source, approval-gated Continue replacement with strong MCP

    ⚠ BYO key means you manage and pay for your own model spend directly

  • OpenCode

    Terminal-first open-source agent with 75+ model providers and native MCP — use opencode.ai as the canonical source

    Form
    terminal TUI, open source
    Open source
    yes (open source)
    Free tier
    free and open source; you pay only your own provider costs (BYO API keys stored locally)
    MCP
    yes — native MCP; supports GitHub, Slack, Figma, and custom servers

    Best for: developers wanting a free, provider-agnostic terminal agent with full local control and broad model support

    ⚠ has a fork history — opencode.ai is the canonical source; BYO keys means you manage provider spend

  • Aider

    Git-first CLI pair programmer that auto-commits each edit, maps your repo with tree-sitter, and works with any LLM

    Form
    terminal CLI, open source
    Open source
    yes (open source)
    Free tier
    free and open source; BYO model API key
    MCP
    not its focus — Aider centers on git and repo-map workflows; confirm current MCP status at aider.chat

    Best for: developers wanting a lightweight, git-native, model-agnostic CLI for systematic multi-file edits and refactors

    ⚠ editor-less pure CLI with no native IDE UI; MCP is not a documented focus — git workflow is the core primitive

  • Cursor

    AI-native VS Code fork (the acquirer of Continue) with Tab completion, Agent mode, and Background/Cloud Agents

    Form
    AI IDE (desktop editor)
    Open source
    no (VS Code fork, proprietary)
    Free tier
    Hobby free tier with limited Agent and Tab usage (confirm current limits)
    MCP
    yes — supports MCP servers

    Best for: developers ready to leave the open-source/BYO model and want an AI-first IDE with autonomous background agents

    ⚠ proprietary; usage-credit pricing model has drawn complaints about changes — confirm current plan limits; this is the company that acquired Continue

  • GitHub Copilot

    GitHub/Microsoft AI pair programmer with completions, chat, agent mode, and autonomous PR generation

    Form
    IDE extension (plus cloud coding agent)
    Open source
    no
    Free tier
    free tier available with limited usage (confirm current); paid individual and Business/Enterprise per-seat tiers
    MCP
    yes — supports MCP

    Best for: teams already in the GitHub and VS Code ecosystem who want integrated completions plus a coding agent without switching editors

    ⚠ confirm current plan pricing and limits; not open source; model provider mix (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google) varies by plan

Verdict

For VS Code users, Cline is the closest like-for-like: open-source, BYO-LLM, approval-gated, with first-class MCP support. For terminal-first developers who want maximum provider choice, OpenCode is the most popular free option. Aider suits anyone wanting a lean, git-native CLI for systematic multi-file edits. If you are ready to leave the open-source/BYO-key model, Cursor (the acquirer itself) and GitHub Copilot are the mainstream proprietary IDE options.

  • You used Continue in VS Code and want the closest open-source drop-in: BYO-LLM, per-action approval, and MCP support all carry over → Cline
  • You prefer working in the terminal, want to reuse your existing provider API keys across 75+ models, and do not want any vendor lock-in → OpenCode
  • You want a minimal CLI that treats every edit as a git commit, works headlessly in CI, and integrates into any repo without an IDE → Aider
  • You have lost the open-source/BYO-key workflow that Continue offered and are ready to pay for a fully managed AI IDE — the extra agent polish is worth the subscription → Cursor or GitHub Copilot
  • You are already on the GitHub/VS Code ecosystem and want coding agent features without switching editors or learning a new tool → GitHub Copilot

Our AI agents

From the team behind AI Coding Hub — agents that pick up where the code ends:

FAQ

Is Continue still safe to use after the Cursor acquisition?
Continue v2.0.0 still installs and runs, but the GitHub repo is read-only and the original team is no longer shipping updates. That means no security patches, no bug fixes, and no new features from the original authors. It is functional for now but not future-proof — migrating to an actively maintained tool is advisable.
Which Continue alternative is most similar to how Continue worked?
Cline is the closest match for VS Code users: it is open source, supports BYO model API keys, has an approval-gated agentic pipeline, and offers first-class MCP support including an MCP Marketplace. Roo Code is a community fork of Cline that adds additional modes — you can compare the two on their respective GitHub pages if you want a deeper look at the fork.
Does any Continue alternative support MCP like Continue did?
Yes. Cline has first-class MCP with a dedicated MCP Marketplace. OpenCode also supports native MCP with integrations for GitHub, Slack, Figma, and custom servers. Cursor and GitHub Copilot both support MCP servers as well. Aider centers on git and repo-map workflows rather than MCP — check aider.chat for current MCP status.
What is the cheapest way to replace Continue?
Cline, OpenCode, and Aider are all free and open source — you only pay for the model API calls you make with your own keys. OpenCode also supports GitHub Copilot and ChatGPT OAuth, which may reduce out-of-pocket model costs if you already subscribe to those services.
What do I actually lose when moving off Continue?
The biggest practical losses are form-factor coverage and IDE breadth. Continue supported VS Code, JetBrains, and a CLI in a single project — no current single alternative covers all three. Cline covers VS Code only; Aider and OpenCode are terminal-first and have no JetBrains plugin. If your team mixes JetBrains and VS Code users, you will need to evaluate tools per-editor rather than deploying one tool fleet-wide.
Should I switch to Cursor since it acquired Continue?
That depends on whether you value open-source and BYO-LLM flexibility. Cursor is proprietary, runs on a usage-credit pricing model, and is not open source. If those constraints matter to you, Cline or OpenCode are better fits. If you want the most integrated AI IDE experience and are comfortable with a paid subscription, Cursor is worth evaluating — but verify current pricing and limits before committing.

Related

Sources: news.ycombinator.com · qodo.ai · opencode.ai · aider.chat · cloudzero.com · github.com