Windsurf (Codeium)

What is Windsurf?

Windsurf is the AI code editor from Codeium, an AI coding company that was previously known for its free Copilot alternative for IDE extensions. Windsurf is built as a competitor to Cursor and offers a VS Code-based environment with deeply integrated AI features, including a unique agentic mode called Cascade.

How does Windsurf work?

Windsurf offers three main modes for AI interaction. Tab offers smart code completion. Chat offers a conversational interface for questions and edits. Cascade is the agentic mode: an AI agent that independently executes multi-step tasks, modifies files, runs commands and evaluates the results.

The Flows philosophy is central to Windsurf: the system is designed to seamlessly combine human and AI steps. The AI initiates an action, the user reviews, the AI continues — a cooperative flow rather than an autonomous system.

Core features

• Cascade — agentic mode for multi-step tasks
• Flows — streamlined human-AI collaboration
• Codebase-aware — understands the entire project
• Multi-model — supports various AI models
• Free tier — substantial free use available
• VS Code compatible — all extensions work

Comparison with Cursor

Windsurf and Cursor are the two dominant AI editors. Windsurf has a more generous free plan; Cursor is somewhat more mature and has a larger community. Both are strong; the choice is often personal preference.

Advantages

• Generous free plan
• Strong agentic system via Cascade
• Active development and frequent updates

Disadvantages

• Slightly less mature than Cursor
• Smaller community

Pricing

Free plan with generous monthly limits. Pro plan approximately $15/month.

Who is it for?

Windsurf is ideal for developers who want a powerful AI editor with a good free plan, and for anyone who wants to explore the Cascade agentic features as an alternative to Cursor.