Windsurf

Edit code by chatting, then approve and run actions in-editor

Some setup needed Web · Desktop

About

Chat your intent and let the editor write code, run shell commands with your approval, and keep iterating when errors pop up. Developers use it to scaffold projects (e.g., a minimal DBOS app), execute tools like mypy, and manage setup without leaving the IDE. Its agent-style flow summarizes each step and asks before executing terminal commands, which is uncommon in traditional editors.

Editor's Take

Best suited for developers who want an agentic editor that can scaffold projects and run approved terminal commands inside the IDE; worth trying if you need an integrated way to run linters, type checks, and iterative fixes without leaving your editor, but be cautious about generated code quality.

Key Features

Type a single, detailed prompt to start a project → scaffolds files and code for a working baseline
See an environment issue (e.g., outdated pip) → agent flags it and proposes a fix
Approve a terminal command → Windsurf runs it inside the IDE and shows the output
Ask it to run external tools like mypy → executes them and incorporates findings into next steps
Switch AI models → choose behavior suited for writing, debugging, or testing code (AI Models feature included)

Use Cases

A backend engineer bootstrapping a minimal DBOS application on a local laptop
A Python developer running mypy from chat and applying fixes across the repo
A full-stack developer approving install and migrate commands while the agent debugs setup errors

Try It Like This

1
Backend engineer scaffolds DBOS app (Python)
→ Install Windsurf VS Code extension or standalone app and open a new workspace; → Type a single detailed prompt like "Create a minimal DBOS app with FastAPI, SQLModel, and migrations" and approve the scaffolded files; → Review the generated baseline, run proposed setup commands when prompted, and iterate on failing tests or environment fixes suggested by the agent.
2
Python dev runs mypy and applies fixes
→ Install Windsurf as an IDE extension and point it at your repo so it can access files and run tools; → Ask the agent to run mypy from chat — approve its shell invocation when it prompts, inspect diagnostics the agent returns; → Have the agent propose code changes, review the diffs it generates, accept safe fixes, and re-run mypy until the type errors are resolved.
3
Full-stack dev approves installs & migrations
→ Install Windsurf extension and open the project root so the agent can detect environment issues; → Tell the agent to run install and migrate commands — it will summarize steps and ask for approval before executing them in the integrated terminal; → If migrations or installs fail, review the agent’s diagnostics and let it propose and apply fixes iteratively.
4
Django dev renames field across repo
→ Add Windsurf to your editor (extension) so it can read the codebase and run refactor commands; → Ask in plain English "rename this field everywhere it's used" and select the model/field to change; → Review the cross-file diff the agent produces, approve the edits, and let it run tests or linters to catch regressions.
5
Node.js dev debugs failing tests
→ Install the Windsurf extension and open the project to enable the agent to run npm/yarn commands; → Ask the agent to run the test suite, approve the test runner command, and read the agent’s failure summary and stack traces; → Request targeted fixes or reproductions, accept or edit proposed code changes, and re-run tests until green.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Agent-style flow scaffolds files from a single detailed prompt and summarizes each planned step before acting.
Windsurf can run shell commands inside the IDE after asking for explicit approval and then shows the command output.
Includes a model-switching feature so developers can choose behaviors tuned for writing, debugging, or testing code.

Cons

Multiple user reports describe poor code generation quality, slow responses, and frequent bugs that impair reliability.

Getting Started

1 Download and install Windsurf from codeium.com/windsurf, then launch the app
2 Open an existing folder or create a new project and start a chat
3 Post your first prompt and approve suggested commands to see files created and tools run