continue - open-source copilot with screen context

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setup

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VS Code

1. install Continue from the VS Code marketplace
2. open Continue settings
3. edit ~/.continue/config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "screenpipe",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "screenpipe-mcp"]
    }
  ]
}

4. restart VS Code

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JetBrains

1. install Continue from JetBrains marketplace
2. open Continue settings
3. add the same MCP configuration
4. restart the IDE

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usage

> @screenpipe what was I working on this morning?

> find the error I saw in my terminal and help me fix it

> what documentation was I reading about react hooks?

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example workflows

> I was looking at how another project handles authentication,
> find that code and help me implement something similar

> there was a typescript error earlier about types,
> find it and explain how to fix it

> what did we discuss in the standup about the API changes?
> help me implement those changes

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available tools

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requirements

• screenpipe running on localhost:3030
• Continue extension in VS Code or JetBrains
• Node.js >= 18.0.0

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troubleshooting

1. check screenpipe is running:
   curl http://localhost:3030/health
   
   you should see {"status":"healthy"}
2. verify the config file location:
   • VS Code: ~/.continue/config.json (check it exists and is valid JSON)
   • JetBrains: open Continue settings and confirm the MCP config is saved
3. restart the IDE completely (not just the Continue extension)
4. if the server still doesn’t appear, remove and re-add it in Continue settings

• verify screenpipe has data:
  curl "http://localhost:3030/search?limit=1"
  
  if empty, screenpipe hasn’t recorded anything yet — let it run for a minute and try again
• check screen recording permissions are granted (System Settings on macOS)
• confirm you’re querying a time range with recorded data

• check the screenpipe process is still running (it may have crashed):
  curl http://localhost:3030/health
  
• check screenpipe logs:
  • macOS/Linux: ~/.screenpipe/screenpipe.log
  • Windows: check event viewer or %APPDATA%\screenpipe\logs
• restart screenpipe if needed:
  npx -y screenpipe@latest record
  

• reload the Continue extension: use VS Code’s Command Palette (Cmd+Shift+P) → “Reload Window”
• verify config.json is valid JSON (check for trailing commas)
• ensure Node.js >= 18.0.0: node --version