Windsurf

Windsurf is an AI-native code editor from Codeium, now part of OpenAI after the 2025 acquisition. Its central idea is to make the editor an execution surface: the model can suggest a line, inspect a repository, or carry out a multi-step change without forcing the developer to leave the project.

Windsurf calls this interaction model Flows. Its Cascade assistant can read and refactor multiple files, keep track of project context, inspect terminal output, run commands, install dependencies, and help debug failures. The result sits between autocomplete and a fully autonomous coding agent. The editor remains the place where the work is visible, reviewable, and reversible.

That integration is the product’s main bet. Inline suggestions handle small edits, while Cascade handles larger changes that require planning and feedback. As with any coding agent, the useful boundary is set by permissions, tests, and review. Faster edits do not remove the need to understand the change that eventually reaches the repository.