Continue vs One 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
One API
Unified OpenAI-compatible gateway for many LLM providers
| Feature | Continue | One API |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Local LLM Runners |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 35,374 | ★ 36,253 |
| First released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Replaces | GitHub Copilot, Cursor | OpenAI API, OpenRouter |
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 One API if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 36.3k GitHub stars
- Written in JavaScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Continue or One API better?
Neither is universally better. One 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 One API free and open-source?
Yes. Continue is licensed under Apache-2.0 and One API under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Continue and One API with Docker?
Continue: check the project docs for container support. One API: yes.