Configuration

cn resolves its configuration (models, MCP servers, rules, etc.) from several sources, in this order:

1. --config flag — a file path or hub assistant slug passed at launch
2. Saved config — the last-used configuration, persisted across sessions
3. Default — your first assistant from Continue, or ~/.continue/config.yaml if you’re not logged in

--config flag

Point cn at a local YAML file or a hub assistant:

# Local file
cn --config ./my-config.yaml

# Hub assistant
cn --config my-org/my-assistant

This overrides any saved preference for the current session.

Switching at runtime

Use /config inside a TUI session to switch between available configurations:

> /config

This shows your available assistants and local configs. The selection is saved for next time.

config.yaml

If you’re not logged in to Continue, cn looks for ~/.continue/config.yaml. This file uses the same format as the IDE extensions — see config.yaml reference for the full schema.

CLI-specific flags

Several flags inject configuration at launch without editing a file:

# Add models from the hub
cn --model my-org/claude-sonnet

# Add MCP servers from the hub
cn --mcp my-org/github-mcp

# Add rules (file path, hub slug, or inline string)
cn --rule ./rules/style.md
cn --rule my-org/code-review-rules
cn --rule "Always use TypeScript strict mode"

# Load an agent file from the hub
cn --agent my-org/pr-reviewer

All of these are repeatable — pass them multiple times to add multiple items.

Organization

If you belong to multiple organizations on Continue, use --org to specify which one:

cn --org my-team -p "Review this PR"

In TUI mode, /config lets you switch organizations interactively.

Secrets

Store sensitive values (API keys, tokens) in Continue → Settings → Secrets. Reference them in config with:

${{ secrets.MY_API_KEY }}