Windsurf is an AI-powered code editor built by Codeium (now part of OpenAI). Think of it as a code editor where the AI isn't just answering questions — it's actually taking actions across your entire project, like a co-pilot that can drive the car.
Windsurf is one of the newest AI code editors on the market. It was originally built by a company called Codeium, which was later acquired by OpenAI. It's Cursor's biggest competitor.
What makes Windsurf different? Its signature feature is called Cascade— an "agentic" AI flow. In plain English, that means the AI doesn't just answer one question at a time. Instead, it can plan multiple steps, edit multiple files, run commands, and carry out complex tasks on its own. Imagine telling your assistant "set up a login page" and watching it create the files, write the code, and connect everything — that's Cascade.
Under the hood, Windsurf is built on top of VS Code, so if you've ever seen VS Code, the interface will look familiar. But even if you haven't, don't worry — it's designed to be approachable.
If you want an editor where AI is deeply built in — not just bolted on — Windsurf is a great choice. The AI can do most of the heavy lifting.
If you've tried Cursor and want to see what else is out there, Windsurf offers a similar experience with its own unique features like Cascade.
Windsurf offers a generous free tier. You can get started without paying anything and upgrade later if you need more AI usage.
If you want the AI to handle bigger tasks — like setting up entire features across multiple files — Cascade is designed exactly for that.
Go to windsurf.com and click Download. It's available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. The download is free.
Open the downloaded file and follow the installation steps. On Mac, drag it to your Applications folder. On Windows, run the installer.
When you first open Windsurf, it'll ask you to sign in. You can create a free account with your email or sign in with Google or GitHub.
Click "Open Folder" and choose the folder that contains your project. If you don't have one yet, create a new empty folder and open that — you can start building from scratch.
Cascade is like having an AI teammate that can plan and execute multi-step tasks. Tell it to "add a contact form with validation" and it'll create files, write code, and wire everything together.
Goes beyond regular autocomplete. It doesn't just predict the next word — it predicts your next edit, even across different parts of a file. Like autocorrect on steroids.
Select some code, press Cmd+I (or Ctrl+I on Windows), and describe what you want changed. The AI rewrites just that section. Great for quick fixes.
A sidebar where you can ask the AI questions about your code, get explanations, or ask it to generate new features. It sees your entire project.
Windsurf understands how your files connect to each other. When it makes a change in one file, it knows to update related files too.
The AI can run commands in the built-in terminal — installing packages, starting servers, running tests. You don't have to switch between apps.
The interface is based on VS Code, the world's most popular code editor. This means tons of extensions and themes work with Windsurf right away.
Windsurf is designed to be snappy. It won't slow down your computer, even on larger projects. Quick startup, smooth scrolling, responsive AI.
You can use Windsurf for free with a solid amount of AI completions and chat messages. Upgrade to Pro only when you need more.
Windsurf can remember context from your previous sessions. It learns your project over time, so it gets better the more you use it.
| Shortcut | What It Does |
|---|---|
Cmd+L | Opens the chat panel. Ask questions, request features, or get explanations. |
Cmd+I | Inline edit. Select code first, then press this to tell the AI what to change. |
Tab | Accept an AI suggestion. When you see ghost text appear, press Tab to keep it. |
Esc | Dismiss a suggestion you don't want without accepting it. |
Cmd+Shift+P | Open the command palette. Search for any action or setting by name. |
Cascade | Start a multi-step AI flow from the chat panel. Describe a big task and let the AI plan it out. |
On Windows or Linux, replace Cmd with Ctrl.
Copy these prompts and paste them into Windsurf's chat panel or Cascade. They work great for beginners and experienced builders alike.
1. Understand your project
"Explain what this project does, how it's structured, and list the main files with a one-sentence description of each."
2. Build a new feature
"Add a newsletter signup form to the homepage. It should have an email field and a submit button, styled to match the rest of the site."
3. Fix a bug
"The navigation menu stays open after I click a link on mobile. Find the issue and fix it so the menu closes when a link is clicked."
4. Improve styling
"The spacing on mobile looks cramped. Add more padding between sections and make the text sizes responsive so everything is easy to read on small screens."
5. Refactor messy code
"This component has gotten too long and complicated. Break it into smaller, reusable components. Keep the same behavior and styling."
6. Add loading and error states
"Add a loading spinner while data is being fetched, and show a friendly error message if something goes wrong. Don't let the page crash."
7. Make it accessible
"Review this page for accessibility issues. Make sure all images have alt text, buttons are keyboard-navigable, and colors have enough contrast."
8. Use Cascade for a big task
"Set up a blog section for this site. Create a blog listing page that shows all posts, and a dynamic page for individual blog posts. Use markdown files for the content. Style it to match the existing design."
9. Explain unfamiliar code
"I don't understand what this file does. Walk me through it line by line in plain English, like you're explaining it to a complete beginner."
Cascade shines when you need multi-step, multi-file work ("build a dashboard"). For quick questions or small fixes, the regular chat is faster.
Instead of "make it look better," say "increase the font size to 18px, add 24px padding around the card, and use a subtle shadow." Specific prompts get better results.
Windsurf shows you a diff (a before-and-after comparison) of every change. Read through the green and red lines before clicking Accept. You can always reject changes.
In the chat, type @ to tag specific files. This tells Windsurf exactly which file you're talking about, so it doesn't have to guess.
Instead of starting from a blank folder, use Cascade to set up a starter project: "Create a Next.js project with Tailwind CSS and a basic homepage."
When you find a prompt that works well, save it somewhere. You'll reuse good prompts across projects. Think of them like your AI recipe book.
You can ask Windsurf to run terminal commands for you: "Install the date-fns package" or "Start the development server." No need to type commands yourself.
If the AI goes in the wrong direction, don't start over. Say "that's not quite right — I want X instead of Y" and it'll course-correct. Treat it like a conversation.
Make sure you're signed in and haven't hit your free tier limit. Check your internet connection — Windsurf needs to be online for AI features to work.
Try stopping the current Cascade flow and starting a new one. If it's a very large task, break it into smaller steps. Complex tasks can sometimes overwhelm the AI.
Use Cmd+Z (undo) to revert the last change. Windsurf also keeps a history of changes you can step through. If things are really messy, ask the AI: "Undo the last set of changes you made."
Close tabs you're not using. If your project has a huge node_modules folder, make sure it's in your .gitignore so Windsurf doesn't try to index it.
Most VS Code extensions work in Windsurf, but not all. Check the Windsurf extensions marketplace for compatible versions, or ask in their community forum.
The free tier resets periodically. If you need more, consider upgrading to Pro. You can also keep building without AI features — Windsurf still works as a regular code editor.
Both are AI-first code editors built on VS Code. Cursor has been around longer and has a larger community. Windsurf's advantage is Cascade — its multi-step AI flows feel more autonomous. Cursor's Composer is similar but Cascade often handles bigger tasks more smoothly. Try both and see which feels better to you.
Claude Code runs in your terminal (command line), while Windsurf gives you a full visual editor. If you prefer seeing files, clicking buttons, and a traditional editor look, go with Windsurf. If you're comfortable typing commands and want maximum AI power, Claude Code is incredibly capable.
GitHub Copilot is an AI add-on that plugs into editors like VS Code. Windsurf is the whole editor with AI baked in. Copilot is great for autocomplete, but Windsurf's Cascade can do much more — like planning and executing multi-step tasks across your project.
Bolt and Lovable are browser-based tools — you describe what you want and they build it in the cloud. Windsurf is a desktop app where you work with actual code files on your computer. Bolt/Lovable are easier for quick prototypes; Windsurf gives you more control and is better for serious, long-term projects.
