tidemeet

How to install Continue.dev in VS Code and run a first chat

Install Continue, connect one model, then finish a first chat and edit on a real file.

You want an open-source assistant inside VS Code that can chat and edit the current file — without opening another browser tab.

This walkthrough covers how to install and use Continue.dev in VS Code: install Continue.continue from the Marketplace, connect a model, then use Cmd/Ctrl+L for a first chat. Steps follow docs.continue.dev/ide-extensions/install and the quick-start tutorial.

Install the extension Connect a model First chat and edit

Who it is for

Continue runs in VS Code (JetBrains is documented separately): sidebar chat, send a selection into the thread, and Agent mode for multi-file work. A first run only needs the extension plus one working model.

01

Start on a real file

Open a file you actually maintain. Ask for three bullets or one test you could add — not a whole-repo rewrite.

02

Keys live in config, not the prompt

Official usage is an API key in the model picker, or ~/.continue/config.yaml (Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.continue\config.yaml). Do not paste keys into chat.

03

Chat and Edit are different

Chat explains and suggests. Edit (often Cmd/Ctrl+I) changes the selection. Agent can take multi-step file actions. For the first session, chat once, then one small edit.

Install, connect a model, first task

  1. 1

    Install the Continue extension

    Open the Continue page on the Visual Studio Marketplace and click Install, or run code --install-extension Continue.continue. Then open the sidebar with Cmd/Ctrl+L. Confirm the publisher ID on the store page.

  2. 2

    Connect a chat model

    In the model selector above the input, choose Add Chat model, pick OpenAI, Anthropic, Ollama, or another listed provider, and paste the key. Or open the gear and edit config.yaml. Saving refreshes the sidebar. Model ids follow the official configuration docs.

  3. 3

    First chat and one edit

    Open a file, select a range, send it with Cmd/Ctrl+L, and ask for three bullets plus one small test. Then select a function, use Edit, and ask for a docstring that keeps the same behavior. Read the diff before Apply.

1
Extension install
3
Common model paths
L
Open chat sidebar
code --install-extension Continue.continue

# Then in VS Code:
# Cmd/Ctrl + L  →  Continue chat sidebar
# Add Chat model → pick a provider → paste API key
# or edit ~/.continue/config.yaml (Windows: %USERPROFILE%\.continue\config.yaml)

# First chat (with a file open):
# Explain this file in three bullets and suggest one small test I can add

# First edit:
# Select a function → Cmd/Ctrl + I (Edit) → Add a docstring and keep the same behavior

What usually blocks a first run

MethodBillingBest for
Marketplace / code CLIFree extensionFirst install on local VS Code
Provider API keyVendor Platform ratesCloud chat and edits
Ollama local modelLocal power, no cloud billKey never leaves the machine
Empty sidebar or no model
Confirm the extension is enabled. If no model is listed, use Add Chat model or check that config.yaml was saved. Ollama needs the local server running.
Treat config.yaml as a password book
User config lives in the home directory. Do not copy the whole file into a public repo. If a key already reached Git, rotate it in the vendor console.
Apply writes the current file
Apply / Insert from chat writes the workspace. Keep the first run on a small selection and read the diff first.

Official reminder: API calls bill at the vendor’s rates. Learn the shortcuts on a cheap or local model, then switch to the model you actually want to pay for.

When the diff needs a conversation

After the assistant edits, teams often want one picture of what changed. No extra meeting suite. Open a short space on tidemeet or see how to create a space. Canvas: shared whiteboard. Other agent guides: Aider and Codex CLI.

Questions

Do I have to sign in to Continue Hub?

No. A local assistant plus a provider key or Ollama is enough for a first chat. Hub sign-in is optional; follow the official getting-started page.

Does it work in JetBrains?

Yes. Official docs cover JetBrains; the sidebar shortcut is often Cmd/Ctrl+J. This article only walks VS Code.

Should the first run use Agent mode?

Not yet. Use Chat to explain, then Edit on a small range. Agent can read files and run commands; wait until the shortcuts feel familiar.

What does this have to do with a temporary meeting tool?

No product tie. If you only need to talk through a diff, temporary meeting tools says when a short browser space is enough.

Create a free space