Learn an Unfamiliar Codebase with Continue and a Local Model

Why this works

Whether you are a new developer or a student, reading someone else's code is a skill. Continue is an open-source extension for VS Code and JetBrains. It can use a local model through Ollama, so your private code stays on your machine.

Step by step

1. Install ContinueInstall the Continue extension from your editor's marketplace; its repository is open source under Apache-2.0.
2. Connect a local modelPull a code model with Ollama, then add it in Continue's settings using the provider and model name shown in Continue's documentation.
3. Ask about one file at a timeSelect a function and ask for a plain-English walkthrough. Smaller selections give more accurate answers.
4. Trace one pathAsk the model to follow a single request from the entry point to the database call, then verify each step yourself.
5. Write your own notesKeep a short architecture note in the repository and correct it as you learn.

Copy-paste prompt

Explain the selected code to someone who knows the language but not this project. Cover: what it does, its inputs and outputs, side effects, and any assumptions it makes. Point out anything that looks like a bug, but do not change the code.

CODE:
<selection>

Check your result

• Each explanation matches what you see when you step through it
• Suspected bugs are verified with a test, not accepted on trust
• Your notes are in your own words

Pitfalls to avoid

• Local models can misread complex control flow; confirm with a debugger.
• Do not paste secrets or credentials into any model, local or not.