Continue vs New API
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted local llm runners options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Continue
Open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains
VS
New API
Next-gen LLM gateway and AI asset management system
| Feature | Continue | New API |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | Go |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 35,374 | ★ 44,636 |
| First released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Replaces | GitHub Copilot, Cursor | OpenRouter, OpenAI API |
Why pick each one
Choose Continue if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- Mature project with 35.4k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose New API if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 44.6k GitHub stars
- Written in Go
Frequently asked questions
Is Continue or New API better?
Neither is universally better. New API has the larger community, while Continue is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Continue and New API free and open-source?
Yes. Continue is licensed under Apache-2.0 and New API under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Continue and New API with Docker?
Continue: check the project docs for container support. New API: yes.