Continue vs Kilo CodeComparisonUpdated 2026-03-18
SUMMARY
Continue (IDE) uses markdown configuration while Kilo Code (IDE) uses markdown. They differ on 3 of 11 compared features. Both tools provide AI-assisted development but take different approaches to project configuration.
FEATURE COMPARISON
| Feature | Continue | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Config format | markdown | markdown |
| Hierarchy support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Global config | ✓ | ✗ |
| Project config | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subdirectory scoping | ✓ | ✗ |
| File inclusion / imports | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ignore file | ✗ | ✗ |
| IDE integration | ✓ | ✓ |
| Schema / structure | Free-form (Markdown) | Free-form (Markdown) |
| Git committed | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encoding | UTF-8 | UTF-8 |
FILE MAPPING
| Purpose | Continue | Kilo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Settings / configuration | .continue/config.yaml | .kilocodemodes |
| Project rules | .continue/rules/*.md | .kilorules |
| Project rules | .continuerules | .kilo/rules-{mode-name}/*.md |
SIDE-BY-SIDE CODE SAMPLES
Continue
.continue/rules/*.md
markdown
# Code Style Rules
- Use TypeScript strict mode for all files
- Prefer named exports over default exports
- Use async/await over .then() chains
- Keep functions under 30 lines
- Use descriptive variable names (no single letters except loop counters)
Kilo Code
.kilorules
markdown
# Project Rules
## Stack
- TypeScript 5.x with strict mode
- React 19 + Next.js 15 (App Router)
- Tailwind CSS v4 for styling
- Drizzle ORM for database access
## Code Standards
- Named exports only (no default exports)
- Prefer `const` assertions and satisfies operator
- Use Result<T, E> pattern for error handling
- Maximum 30 lines per function
## File Organization
- Colocate tests: `foo.ts` → `foo.test.ts`
- One component per file
- Barrel exports (index.ts) for public module APIs
## Git
- Conventional commits: feat|fix|chore|docs|test
- Squash merge feature branches
- Branch naming: type/description
KEY DIFFERENCES
Continue: Supported. Kilo Code: Not supported.
Continue: Supported. Kilo Code: Not supported.
Continue: Supported. Kilo Code: Not supported.
WHICH SHOULD I USE?
Choose based on your IDE/CLI preference. If you use Continue, configure .continue/config.yaml. If you use Kilo Code, configure .kilocodemodes. Many projects include config files for multiple tools so each team member can use their preferred editor.
PORTABILITY TIP
sync-instructions.sh
bash
# Maintain a single source of truth:
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md CLAUDE.md
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md .cursorrules
cp AI-INSTRUCTIONS.md AGENTS.md
SEE ALSO
agentconfig.ing2026-03-18COMPARE(1)