Introduction: An Open-Source Copilot in Your IDE

Why pay monthly fees for GitHub Copilot when you can use Qwen3-Coder for free?

Qwen3 Coder is an agentic, open-source code model that:

• Autocompletes code in real time

• Understands long prompts & context

• Works offline via LM Studio, GPT4All, or vLLM

• No subscriptions required

This guide shows you how to set up Qwen3-Coder as your local coding copilot in VSCode.

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1. Requirements

You can run Qwen3-Coder locally on a powerful PC or with GPU acceleration in the cloud.

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2. Download the Model (Qwen3-Coder)

• Go to Hugging Face – Qwen3-Coder or Qwen3-Coder-14B

• Download and save the model for use in your local inference tool

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3. Option 1: Use with LM Studio

LM Studio is the easiest GUI way to run local LLMs.

✅ Steps:

1. Download LM Studio: lmstudio.ai

2. Import your Qwen3-Coder GGUF model

3. Enable OpenAI-compatible API

4. Set http://localhost:1234 as your API endpoint

VSCode Settings (using Continue extension):

1. Install Continue extension in VSCode

2. Set model endpoint in settings.json:

json
                           
"continue.modelProvider": "openai",
"continue.openai.apiBase": "http://localhost:1234",
"continue.openai.apiKey": "none"

Now you can autocomplete, generate, and refactor code right inside your IDE—powered by Qwen3!

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4. Option 2: Use with vLLM or GPT4All (Advanced)

For devs with GPU setups:

bash
                           
pip install vllm

python -m vllm.entrypoints.openai.api_server \
  --model Qwen/Qwen1.5-7B-Chat \
  --port 8000

Or use GPT4All desktop app and select a Qwen3-compatible GGUF file.

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5. Benefits of Local Copilot with Qwen3-Coder

Keep your code private. Get instant code suggestions without sending your data to the cloud.

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6. Use Cases for Qwen3-Coder in VSCode

• Autocomplete Python, JS, HTML, Go, C++, and more

• Refactor legacy code with natural prompts

• Generate boilerplate configs, Dockerfiles, CI/CD

• Build agent-based CLI tools

• Comment or document code with one click

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7. Optional Add-ons

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Conclusion: The Copilot You Own

With Qwen3 Coder, you get:

• Real-time local code suggestions

• Total privacy and cost control

• Fine-tuned model behavior for your dev needs

Why rent GitHub Copilot when you can own your own?

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Resources

• Qwen3-Coder on Hugging Face

• LM Studio Download

• Continue Extension for VSCode

• vLLM GitHub