Agent Architecture

Continue

Continue is an open-source coding-agent family with CLI, VS Code, JetBrains, docs, and a repository that currently signals a maintenance or transition status. The connector row should treat it as a multi-surface host while marking current source status clearly.

Source reviewed #35Checked 2026-07-06

Setup guide Source

Run type

CLI

Adapter

json-stdio

Source

OSS · continuedev/continue

Stars

★ 36k

Archive Context

This page is one host entry inside the full architecture archive and keeps multi-surface products visible instead of collapsing them into a single run type.

42 host archive

Host page

continue

Run cohort

CLI: 30

Archive route

/agents

Host Surface Perspectives

The host is the primary architecture boundary. Each runnable surface below separates what the host owns from what agent-connector can safely install for Continue.

1 surface entry

CLI

cli

Host entry: A terminal command owns the process, current working directory, stdin/stdout, shell environment, and project file discovery.
Host owns: The CLI host owns agent loop timing, approval prompts, tool execution, session files, and how hook or MCP subprocesses are launched.
Connector role: agent-connector can only write the host's documented CLI config, prompt, memory, hook, MCP, or package files and point them at the home binary. Current wired connector surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Memory.
Implementation consequence: A CLI surface is byte-addressable and smoke-testable from a temporary HOME, but terminal UI behavior still belongs to the host process. No visible host-native gap is currently tracked for this surface.

Verified Architecture

Source-checked on 2026-07-06. These notes are intentionally separate from the generated surface matrix below.

Sequence #35

Source pass

Current source review findings are kept as the first architecture section so readers can separate external evidence from the generated local coverage model.

Continue is now read-only, but the repository explicitly describes a coding agent available as CLI, VS Code extension, and JetBrains plugin.
The final 2.0.0 release covered the VS Code extension, CLI, and JetBrains plugin, so the archive should show multi-surface heritage.
The repository contains `.continue`, extension, GUI, binary, actions, packages, and skills folders, supporting a file-backed configuration story.

Runtime boundary

Continue spans CLI and IDE surfaces, so the adapter row should identify whether a local CLI process, VS Code extension, JetBrains plugin, or hosted configuration service is the actual target. The page should not hide its current repository status.

The public repository describes an open-source coding agent.
Continue has historically shipped VS Code, JetBrains, and CLI-facing surfaces.
If the repository is read-only or redirected, that status should be visible beside compatibility claims.

MCP registration

Continue is tracked as a json-stdio host in the connector matrix, but MCP support should be described with path-specific evidence. IDE and CLI surfaces may not share one MCP configuration model.

A VS Code extension can manage tools through editor storage or configuration.
A CLI can manage tools through local project or user files.
Docs and source must be checked before moving MCP support between surfaces.

Hook bridge

agent-connector treats Continue as a json-stdio hook host. Hook claims should remain local-adapter claims unless current Continue docs expose an independent extension or CLI lifecycle API.

IDE command palettes and chat actions are not lifecycle hooks by themselves.
Current maintenance status increases the need for regression tests before expanding hooks.

Content surfaces

Continue content surfaces include assistant configuration, model and context providers, custom instructions, prompts, commands, and IDE-specific state. The archive should keep CLI and IDE content paths separate.

Model/provider configuration is central to Continue's identity.
Prompt and context-provider setup is content architecture, not only UI preference.

Marketplace and host-only affordances

Continue's host-only affordance is broad IDE and CLI configurability around open-source agent workflows. The study page should preserve it as a source-visible architecture while marking any current maintenance transition.

JetBrains and VS Code support should not be collapsed into the CLI adapter row.
Hosted or hub-style configuration should be separated from local files.

Host-specific shape

Continue uses YAML MCP configuration, Claude-compatible hooks, and .continue rules memory; commands, skills, subagents, statusline, and actions are outside current adapter coverage.

Form factor: CLI.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Memory.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Memory.
Visible gaps: none.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Runtime handlers: none.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Known Limits

Verify current repository maintenance status before publishing compatibility language.
Do not assume CLI, VS Code, and JetBrains share storage.
Hook support should stay adapter-backed unless Continue docs expose a native hook API.

Evidence checked

Continue repository Continue docs

Architecture Diagram

Host-specific flow for the CLI surface.

json-stdio

1
Entry point: CLI
Terminal agent process reads user/project config and invokes the connector home binary for runtime callbacks.
2
Connector package
defineConnector package declares server, hooks, content, memory, and actions.
3
Adapter module: continue
json-stdio renderer at src/adapters/continue/index.ts.
4
Native host artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
5
Runtime boundary
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
6
User-visible surface
Users see managed memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
7
Coverage ceiling
3/3 native surfaces wired. No visible host-native gap in the current coverage matrix.

Component Diagram

Static parts of the Continue integration and which side owns each one.

Continue host
CLI surface owns the model loop, UI shell, config discovery, and native lifecycle for this integration.
agent-connector package
Normalizes connector declarations into MCP, hook, memory, content, and action payloads before delegating to a host adapter.
continue adapter
Implements the json-stdio translation layer in src/adapters/continue/index.ts.
Native artifacts
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
Runtime bridge
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
User-visible surface
Users see managed memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.

Runtime Sequence Flow

Message order from install to runtime for the CLI surface.

1 · User / project
Choose host adapter
Install or update starts against Continue; the selected surface is CLI.
2 · agent-connector
Resolve connector declaration
The package reads connector metadata and routes it to the continue adapter instead of exposing a generic host contract.
3 · continue adapter
Render host-native shape
Adapter writes MCP config + hook config + memory/rules through this host's native file, package, or marketplace surface.
4 · Continue
Host loads artifacts
host launches JSON-stdio hook command
5 · Agent runtime
Run through host boundary
Users see managed memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary.
6 · Coverage matrix
Expose remaining ceiling
3/3 native surfaces wired. No visible host-native gap in the current coverage matrix.

Architecture Archive

The same five study axes are rendered for every host: runtime shape, hooks, MCP, memory, and host-only affordances.

Host-specific shape

Continue uses YAML MCP configuration, Claude-compatible hooks, and .continue rules memory; commands, skills, subagents, statusline, and actions are outside current adapter coverage.

Form factor: CLI.
Native surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Memory.
Wired surfaces: MCP server, Hooks, Memory.
Visible gaps: none.

Hooks

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace and affordances

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Runtime handlers: none.
User-visible affordances: Users see managed memory surfaces after install; runtime-only surfaces stay behind the host boundary..

Special Feature Inventory

Host-specific capabilities separated from the generic surface matrix: lifecycle hooks, MCP registration, memory/rules, marketplace delivery, and UI or content affordances owned by the host.

Lifecycle hooks

Wired

Hooks enter through a host-launched command that exchanges event JSON over stdio.

MCP registration

Wired

The adapter writes this host's native MCP registration dialect, including its root key, scope, transport fields, and environment syntax.

Memory and rules

Wired

Managed memory text is written into the rules or memory file this host actually reads, with ownership markers for reversible uninstall.

Marketplace delivery

Direct files

Current install is a direct native-file write path; any package artifact is manual unless a driver is added.

Host-only affordances

Not confirmed

Wired host affordances: none. Host-native gaps: none. Not confirmed: Commands, Skills, Subagents, Statusline handler, Action affordances.

Source Review Notes

Latest source pass for host-specific architecture details. This is separate from generated adapter coverage and local drift guards.

Checked 2026-07-06Open review source

continuedev/continue repository

Continue is now read-only, but the repository explicitly describes a coding agent available as CLI, VS Code extension, and JetBrains plugin.
The final 2.0.0 release covered the VS Code extension, CLI, and JetBrains plugin, so the archive should show multi-surface heritage.
The repository contains `.continue`, extension, GUI, binary, actions, packages, and skills folders, supporting a file-backed configuration story.

Evidence Map

Each host page ties public source evidence to the local adapter and drift guards that keep the rendered archive aligned with code.

Public source: continuedev/continue

Primary public repository or product source used for current host status and source links.

external

Open source

Local adapter implementation

Defines the install/uninstall behavior, native config rendering, capability flags, and any runtime parse/format bridge for this host.

local

src/adapters/continue/index.ts

Platform metadata and host-native matrix

Records the form factor, public source target, ranking source, native host surfaces, and current agent-connector coverage cells.

local

site/src/platform-data.ts

Architecture drift guard

Asserts that every registered host has a page, diagram, host-specific brief, source link, form-factor band, and adapter-aligned surface data.

local

tests/docs/platform-drift.test.ts

Runtime Shape

Hooks are dispatched through a host-launched command. The adapter parses host JSON, calls the connector handler, and formats the reply back to the host contract.

MCP registration: Wired through this adapter
Hook bridge: Wired

Connector Surfaces

Static content

MCP server, Hooks, Memory

Runtime handlers

No runtime handler surfaces wired

Surface Matrix

Wired means agent-connector installs it now. Host native marks support we know about but have not wired yet.

SurfaceStatus

MCP server

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Hooks

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Commands

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Skills

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Subagents

Static content

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Memory

Static content

agent-connector installs this surface today.

Wired

Statusline handler

Runtime handler

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A

Action affordances

Runtime handler

No confirmed host-native surface.

N/A