What it is: Windsurf is an AI-powered code editor that competes with Cursor. Built by Codeium, it offers an “agent flow” that can complete multi-step coding tasks autonomously across an entire codebase.
Who it is for: Developers evaluating AI-first IDEs, especially those who want strong agent-style autonomy in their editor.
Best if: You’re evaluating Cursor alternatives or want a Codeium-built editor with deep agent capabilities.
Skip if: You’re happy with VS Code + Copilot or are already settled into Cursor. Want one practical AI workflow every morning? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter.
What is Windsurf?
Windsurf is an AI-first code editor launched by Codeium (now renamed Windsurf as a company) in late 2024. Like Cursor, it’s built on the open-source VS Code codebase, but layered with AI features focused on agent-style autonomy and deep codebase understanding.
Why does Windsurf matter?
The signature feature is Cascade (Windsurf’s term for its agent mode): the AI can take a high-level instruction like “refactor this API to use the new authentication system” and execute the multi-file changes across your project, running tests as it goes, with you reviewing each step or letting it run to completion.
Windsurf’s agent has earned a reputation for being aggressive about completing tasks end-to-end rather than just suggesting changes. For developers wanting an editor that does more than autocomplete, Windsurf is a top alternative to Cursor.
How do you use Windsurf?
Download from windsurf.com for Mac, Windows, or Linux. Sign up (free) and open a project. Key features:
- Cascade — agent mode for multi-step coding tasks
- Inline edit — instruct the AI to modify selected code
- Chat — sidebar chat with full codebase context
- Tab completions — multi-line predictive completions
Windsurf offers a generous free tier and Pro plans starting around $15/month in 2026. Note: Windsurf was acquired by OpenAI in mid-2025 in a deal estimated around $3 billion, then later partially un-wound; the product continues to develop and competes head-to-head with Cursor and the GitHub Copilot family.
Related terms
Learn more on Beginners in AI
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: May 2026. AI terminology evolves quickly — verify specifics on the official source pages above.
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