Continue for PHP: does it hold up?

Auto-updated · last refreshed 9/3/2026

Short answer

Continue works with PHP the way it works with most languages: fully OSS. The catch is config-heavy.

Language-specific notes

PHP support has caught up. Modern tools handle Laravel, Symfony, and typed properties well.

Setup for PHP

1. Install Continue from continue.dev
2. Open your PHP project
3. If you use MCP servers, add them via the settings pane
4. Let it index the codebase (usually 1-3 min for small projects)

Features that matter for PHP devs

Pricing

free tier (OSS extension, BYO API keys).

Verdict

Pick Continue for PHP if you are teams that need OSS auditable AI tooling, or local LLM users.

Alternatives for PHP

• Cursor for PHP
• Windsurf for PHP
• Claude Code for PHP
• GitHub Copilot for PHP

Continue head-to-heads

• Continue vs Cursor
• Continue vs Windsurf
• Continue vs Claude Code
• Continue vs GitHub Copilot

FAQ

Is Continue the best AI tool for PHP?

Depends on your workflow. Continue is strongest when you want fully OSS. For a full head-to-head, see the comparisons page.

Does Continue support the latest PHP version?

Continue supports models like any via API, which are trained on PHP through late 2025 at minimum. Bleeding-edge language features may need context.

Can I use Continue offline for PHP?

Yes, Continue supports local models via Ollama or LM Studio, which works for PHP but with smaller model quality.