What Is Windsurf AI? The New Agentic IDE

Introduction

Windsurf launched in late 2024 as the first agentic IDE built from the ground up for AI native development. Unlike traditional AI coding assistants that sit in sidebars offering suggestions, Windsurf's core feature called Cascade can read your entire codebase, propose multi-file changes, run terminal commands, and deploy apps without breaking your workflow. On October 29, 2025, Windsurf released SWE-1.5, a proprietary model that generates code significantly faster than competing tools. That speed eliminates the waiting time that normally breaks developer focus.

The adoption has been growing steadily. Windsurf is trusted by startups, agencies, and enterprises worldwide according to their official website. Multiple developers on social media and developer communities report superior context awareness compared to alternatives, particularly for large enterprise codebases.

This guide explains what Windsurf actually is, how it works, who should use it, and whether it's worth switching from your current setup.

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What Windsurf Actually Is

Windsurf Editor is an AI-native IDE where you and an AI work together. At its core is Cascade, an AI agent that understands your entire project context and can execute multi-step coding tasks on its own. You can ask it to refactor code across hundreds of files, set up configurations, run tests, and push to deployment in response to a single request.

The platform is built as a fork of Visual Studio Code. If you already use VS Code, the interface will feel instantly familiar. The underlying architecture is completely different though. Windsurf's AI goes deep into your codebase, not just wide across your screen.

The free tier offers 25 monthly prompt credits with unlimited access to the Cascade Base model for writing code, plus unlimited fast tab autocomplete. Pro costs $15/month and gives you 500 monthly credits plus access to premium models like Claude Sonnet 4.5 and GPT-5.

How Cascade Works: The Core Advantage

Cascade is what separates Windsurf from competitors. Here's the actual difference.

Traditional autocomplete tools like Cursor or Copilot generate the next 5 to 50 lines of code based on what you're typing. That's useful for scaffolding, but it's limited.

Cascade works differently. It reads your entire codebase, understands how files connect and depend on each other, proposes changes across multiple files at once, runs terminal commands to test the changes, and even previews your app in a browser. All of this happens in response to one natural language request from you.

Real example: You tell Cascade "migrate authentication from basic auth to OAuth2." Cascade doesn't just write OAuth code in isolation. It searches your codebase for existing auth logic, reads your documentation, identifies every file that needs changes, writes the new auth implementation, updates imports across the entire project, runs your test suite to confirm nothing broke, and shows you all proposed changes as diffs before you commit anything.

That's not autocomplete. That's a developer working beside you.

Windsurf vs Cursor: The Honest Comparison

Both tools use Claude Sonnet 4.5 as their primary model, so code quality is similar. The real differences come down to three things: speed, pricing transparency, and what features come standard.

Speed advantage

Windsurf's SWE-1.5 model generates code at 950 tokens per second compared to Cursor Composer's 250 tokens per second. For most coding tasks, both finish in under 30 seconds. But Windsurf's speed means less time waiting, more time actually coding.

Pricing transparency

Windsurf uses a credit-based system. You know exactly what you're getting. Cursor's Pro plan costs $20/month and includes $20 of frontier model usage per month at API pricing, but as detailed in Cursor's official blog post on pricing changes from July 4, 2025, the company acknowledged that recent pricing changes were "not communicated clearly" and caused confusion among developers about unexpected charges. Windsurf's pricing is straightforward without these complications.

Features that come included

Windsurf includes deployment, Cascade Voice (speak requests to the AI), and multi-file editing. These features are either unavailable in Cursor or cost extra. Windsurf also offers zero-day data retention and enterprise features (SSO, RBAC, hybrid deployment) without treating them as upsells.

Where Cursor wins

Cursor is better for small team collaboration. It has Notepads for shared context, multi-tab memory designed for teams, and PR-aware suggestions. If your team is 5 to 8 people working constantly together on the same code, Cursor's collaboration features are stronger. Windsurf is optimized for solo deep work or large enterprise teams (50+ people), not the middle ground.

Cursor also lets you bring your own Claude or OpenAI API keys. If you already pay for these separately or have specific preferences, Cursor accommodates that. Windsurf requires you use their infrastructure.

Pricing: When It Actually Matters

Windsurf's pricing structure is simpler than Cursor's, but whether the free tier is useful depends on how much you code.

Free Plan ($0/month): 25 monthly prompt credits. Unlimited Cascade Base model for writing code. Unlimited fast tab autocomplete. One app deploy per day. If you're doing a few refactoring tasks per week, this tier works. If you're making 50+ requests daily, you'll burn through 25 credits in a day or two.

Pro Plan ($15/month): 500 monthly credits. Access to all premium models like Claude Sonnet 4.5 and GPT-4. Fast context processing. This is where active developers live. You get roughly 16 credits per day, which handles moderate use. Additional credits cost $10 for 250 more.

Teams Plan ($30/user/month): 500 credits per user. Centralized billing. Admin dashboard with analytics. Priority support. For teams under 200 people.

Enterprise (custom pricing): Hybrid deployment. Single Sign-On (SSO). Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). Dedicated support. Data retention options. On-premise self-hosting available.

The honest math: If you're using Windsurf for serious development work (more than a couple hours daily), Pro at $15/month is cheaper than Cursor at $20/month. You also get deployment and transparent pricing without surprise bills.

Key Features That Make a Difference

Cascade Agent for Multi-File Editing

Windsurf's Vibe and Replace feature handles refactoring across hundreds of files simultaneously. You describe what you want changed, Cascade modifies all the files coherently. Cursor can't do this at scale.

Fast Context Indexing

Windsurf indexes your entire codebase using proprietary methods. Cascade searches your project in milliseconds. For large codebases with 500+ files, this matters. Cursor requires you to manually tag files for context, which gets tedious.

Cascade Voice Support

As of July 2025, you can speak requests to Cascade using your microphone. Useful during debugging sessions when your hands are busy.

App Previews and Deployment

Build and deploy web apps directly from the IDE. One-click deployment to Windsurf's hosting or your own server. Cursor doesn't have this. For teams shipping fast, this saves significant time.

Workflows: Reusable Agent Instructions

Create markdown files that guide Cascade through multi-step tasks. Write once, run many times. Useful for standardized refactors or deployment sequences your team does repeatedly.

Real Limitations and Honest Drawbacks

25 free credits is legitimately limiting

If you're doing heavy refactoring or debugging, you hit the limit by midweek. Pro ($15/month) becomes necessary for any serious use. The free tier is a trial, not a permanent option.

SWE-1.5 model might not stay free

The model is currently free to use, but Windsurf has hinted it may eventually become a paid feature. The company hasn't committed to keeping SWE-1.5 free forever. Plan for potential pricing changes.

Debugging needs work

Users report Cascade sometimes misses obvious errors or requires multiple iterations to fix complex bugs. For scaffolding new code, it's great. For fixing production issues, it's less reliable than a senior engineer would be.

Steeper learning curve than Cursor

Cursor feels like VS Code with AI bolted on. Windsurf feels like a new tool entirely. The UI is polished but unfamiliar. Expect 3 to 5 days to get comfortable with the workflow.

Team collaboration is weaker for small teams

Windsurf is optimized for solo deep work or enterprise-scale teams (50+ people). Small teams (5 to 15 people) with heavy real-time collaboration get weaker support compared to Cursor.

No BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) support

You can't use your own Claude or OpenAI API keys. Windsurf requires you to use their infrastructure. If you already pay for Claude directly, you can't leverage that investment.

Who Should Actually Use Windsurf

Perfect fit:

Full-stack developers working solo who need to refactor legacy codebases or ship multi-file changes quickly. Enterprise teams with 200+ engineers needing SSO, RBAC, hybrid deployment, and compliance features. Developers frustrated with Cursor's opaque billing who want predictable monthly costs. Teams shipping prototypes where deployment velocity matters.

Choose Cursor instead if:

You work in small teams (3 to 8 people) with heavy collaboration needs. You already have strong Claude or OpenAI API relationships and want to bring your own keys. You prefer maximum control over context and file selection. You need more mature debugging support.

Choose GitHub Copilot if:

You're locked into Enterprise JetBrains licensing and can't switch IDEs. You only need light autocomplete suggestions, not agentic development. Your company mandates a specific tool.

Getting Started: The First Hour

Download Windsurf from windsurf.com. Sign up with email or GitHub. Open your first project in the editor. In the Cascade panel on the left sidebar, describe what you want to build or change in natural language. Cascade reads your codebase, proposes changes, and shows diffs inline. Accept changes line-by-line or all at once.

The free tier gives you 25 prompts per month to experiment risk-free. For serious development, Pro ($15/month) offers fair value if you're making 50+ coding requests monthly.

FAQ

Q: Is Windsurf really faster than Cursor for actual development?

A: Yes for token generation, but it depends on task complexity. SWE-1.5 generates code at 950 tokens per second versus Cursor Composer's 250 tokens per second, so responses feel instant. But overall task completion time depends on problem complexity, not just model speed. For simple tasks, the difference is imperceptible. For complex multi-file refactors, Windsurf's speed advantage is noticeable.

Q: Can I use Windsurf for team development?

A: The Teams plan costs $30/user/month and supports up to 200 users with centralized billing and admin controls. However, Windsurf is optimized for individual deep work, then enterprise-scale teams. Small teams (5 to 10 people) with heavy real-time collaboration may find Cursor's feature set better suited.

Q: What happens if I run out of prompt credits?

A: You can still use Windsurf's free models (SWE-1 Lite, base Cascade). You won't lose access, just won't have premium model access until your monthly credits reset or you purchase more. Windsurf is transparent about this. Cursor's billing remains opaque.

Q: Will SWE-1.5 stay free?

A: Windsurf hasn't committed to keeping SWE-1.5 free permanently. The company has hinted it may eventually become a paid feature. Assume it may change and plan accordingly.

Q: Can I export my projects if I leave Windsurf?

A: Yes. Your code stays in your filesystem. Windsurf is the editor, not the repository. Close Windsurf and your files remain untouched and unchanged.

Q: How does Windsurf handle privacy and data security?

A: Windsurf complies with SOC 2 Type II standards and offers optional zero-day data retention where prompts are deleted immediately. Enterprise plans include VPC and on-premise self-hosting for regulated industries like healthcare, finance, and defense. Cursor's privacy options are weaker.

Sources

Windsurf Editor Official Website - Complete product overview, Cascade capabilities, and feature documentation

Windsurf Documentation: Getting Started - Official documentation on Cascade agent, context engine, and AI capabilities

Windsurf Changelog - Complete feature history including SWE-1.5 release, Cascade improvements, and recent updates

Windsurf University: Model Selection - Documentation on available models including SWE-1 family and free tier options

Cursor Blog: Clarifying Our Pricing - Official Cursor statement on pricing changes, Pro plan details ($20/month with $20 usage credit), and refund policy

Cursor Blog: Updates to Ultra and Pro - Documentation on new pricing tiers including Ultra ($200/month) and Pro plan changes

Cursor Pricing Page - Current official Cursor pricing tiers and plan comparison