Setting Up a Free Local GitHub Copilot Alternative in VS Code Using Lemonade

A developer published an updated tutorial detailing how to set up a free local AI coding assistant inside Visual Studio Code using Lemonade and local open-source LLMs. The updated guide simplifies the configuration process while leveraging recent performance improvements in local code models. As cloud-based subscription costs for services like GitHub Copilot increase, local open-source alternatives offer developers a privacy-preserving and cost-effective alternative. Running LLMs locally ensures sensitive code remains on the user's machine while eliminating recurring fees. Lemonade acts as an open-source local AI server that manages LLM execution backends like llama.cpp across GPUs, NPUs, and CPUs. The tutorial demonstrates how to connect this local server seamlessly into VS Code to provide code completion and inline assistance.