Continue vs Roo CodeComparisonUpdated 2026-03-16
SUMMARY
Continue (IDE) uses markdown configuration while Roo 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 | Roo 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 | Roo Code |
|---|---|---|
| Settings / configuration | .continue/config.yaml | .roomodes |
| Project rules | .continue/rules/*.md | .roo/rules/*.md |
| Project rules | .continuerules | .roo/rules-{modeSlug}/*.md |
| Project rules | rules.md | .roorules |
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)
Roo Code
.roo/rules/*.md
markdown
# Code Standards
## TypeScript
- Enable strict mode in all tsconfig files
- No `any` types — use `unknown` and narrow
- Prefer interfaces over type aliases for object shapes
## React
- Functional components only
- Use custom hooks for shared stateful logic
- Colocate component, styles, and tests
## Git
- Conventional commits (feat:, fix:, chore:, etc.)
- Keep commits atomic and focused
- Squash merge feature branches
KEY DIFFERENCES
Continue: Supported. Roo Code: Not supported.
Continue: Supported. Roo Code: Not supported.
Continue: Supported. Roo 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 Roo Code, configure .roo/rules/*.md. 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
File references:
agentconfig.ing2026-03-16COMPARE(1)