Meet Continue: An Open-Source Autopilot for VS Code and JetBrains

Navigating the intricate coding landscape often presents developers with a recurrent challenge – the disruptive back-and-forth between their code and external language models. This process involves a tedious dance of copying, pasting, and editing, leading to a fractured coding flow. While some developers have explored the use of ChatGPT during coding, the constant context-switching required has rendered the experience more cumbersome than beneficial.

Existing solutions attempting to integrate language models into the coding process have emerged. However, these solutions typically necessitate manual interventions, failing to meld with a developer’s workflow seamlessly. The result is an experience where generated answers demand extensive copying and pasting, introducing inefficiencies and detracting from the user-friendly nature of coding with language models.

In response to this problem comes Continue, an innovative open-source autopilot tailored for popular Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) such as VS Code and JetBrains. The primary goal of Continue is to streamline the coding experience, leveraging the power of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-4 and Code Llama. A standout feature of Continue is its non-destructive approach. Developers have the liberty to review meticulously and either accept or reject all proposed edits before they make contact with the codebase. This ensures that developers maintain control over their code, making informed decisions about the changes suggested by the language model.

Collaboration lies at the heart of Continue’s design philosophy. The platform empowers developers to engage with language models dynamically. By simply highlighting code, posing questions, and offering step-by-step instructions, developers can seamlessly interact with the language model, making the coding experience more intuitive and collaborative.

The brilliance of Continue extends to its customizability. Developers can bring their models into the fray or utilize the built-in integration with various powerful models, including GPT-3, Codex, Claude, and more. This flexibility ensures that developers can tailor It to suit their specific preferences and requirements, fostering a more personalized and efficient coding experience.

Metrics underline Continue’s prowess, with impressive GitHub stars totaling 5.9k+, 291 forks, and an active community of 38 contributors. These figures underscore the platform’s popularity and the recognition it has garnered within the developer community.

In conclusion, Continue emerges as a game-changer in the coding landscape, addressing the inherent challenges of integrating language models into the development process. With its non-destructive approach, collaborative features, and a high degree of customizability, Continue stands poised to revolutionize how developers interact with language models, making coding more seamless and enjoyable.