01C
Continueby continue.dev
Continueby continue.devThe leading open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains — plug in any model, local or hosted, for completions and chat right in your editor.
View Continue →Open-Source AI · Alternatives
Open-Source Alternatives to GitHub Copilot
GitHub Copilot is a polished coding assistant, but it is a paid subscription that sends your code to the cloud. Open-source coding assistants give you AI completions and chat inside your editor — using open models, optionally fully offline. Here are the best open-source alternatives to GitHub Copilot, what each is best at, and how to set one up.
Updated regularly · curated by OpenSourceAI.tech
Why choose an open-source alternative?
🔒
Privacy & control
Run models on your own machine or servers so your prompts and data never leave your control — no third party sees them.
💸
Lower cost
Run locally for free, or use a hosted option that is often far cheaper per token, with no monthly subscription.
🧩
Customization
Fine-tune on your own data, change behaviour, and integrate the tool deeply into your own products and workflows.
🔓
No vendor lock-in
The software is yours to keep. No surprise deprecations, no forced upgrades, no sudden price hikes pulling the rug out.
The best open-source GitHub Copilot alternatives in 2026
These are open-source assistants and models that bring AI into your editor or terminal — and can run fully offline with a local model.
02A
Aiderby Aider-AI
Aiderby Aider-AIAn AI pair programmer in your terminal that edits your files and commits to git, ideal for multi-file changes across a whole project.
View Aider →03T
Tabbyby TabbyML
Tabbyby TabbyMLA self-hosted AI coding assistant you run on your own server — a strong choice for teams that need completions without sending code to the cloud.
View Tabby →04C
Clineby cline
Clineby clineAn autonomous coding agent inside VS Code that can plan and carry out multi-step tasks, not just suggest single lines.
View Cline →05Q
Qwen Coderby Alibaba
A top open code-specialized model that powers many of these assistants, with excellent completion and reasoning over code.
View Qwen Coder →06DDeepSeek Coder & Codestralby DeepSeek / Mistral
Strong open coding models from DeepSeek and Mistral, great for fast, high-quality local code completion.
View DeepSeek models →How to set up an open coding assistant
Bring AI into your editor with an open-source extension, point it at a model, and you are done — optionally running fully offline.
🧩 Continue
Install the extension in VS Code or JetBrains, then connect any model for completions and chat.
🖥️ Cline
Add it to VS Code for an autonomous agent that can plan and edit across multiple files.
🦙 Ollama
Run a coding model locally so completions work fully offline, with your code never leaving your machine.
☁️ Hosted API
Prefer a bigger model? Point your assistant at a low-cost API like OpenRouter instead of running locally.
Tip: for the best results, pair an assistant like Continue or Cline with a strong open coding model such as Qwen Coder, DeepSeek Coder or Codestral.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free GitHub Copilot alternative?
Yes. Continue paired with a local model via Ollama gives you completions and chat in your editor for free.
Can I use an AI coding assistant offline?
Yes. With a local model (via Ollama or LM Studio), tools like Continue and Cline work fully offline.
Which open model is best for coding?
Qwen Coder, DeepSeek Coder and Mistral's Codestral are among the strongest open code models.
Do these work in VS Code?
Yes. Continue and Cline run in VS Code (Continue also supports JetBrains), and Tabby can be self-hosted for teams.
Is my code private?
With a self-hosted or local setup, your code never leaves your machine — unlike cloud assistants.
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