Windsurf is an AI-powered IDE made by Codeium (now part of OpenAI). It's built on VS Code and features Cascade — an agentic AI system that can read your entire codebase, run terminal commands, and make multi-file edits. Windsurf also includes Supercomplete (context-aware Tab autocomplete) and Flow (autonomous multi-step task execution).

Windsurf has a free tier with 25 Cascade User credits per day (resets at midnight UTC). The Pro plan is $15/mo and gives unlimited Cascade interactions, 10x more AI flow credits, and priority access to new features. Teams plans are also available.

What is Cascade in Windsurf?

Cascade is Windsurf's AI agent system. Unlike simple chat assistants, Cascade maintains persistent awareness of your entire codebase and project state. It can read files, run terminal commands, browse the web, and make multi-file edits — all in a single conversation thread. It uses 1 User credit per 'flow' (multi-step task).

How is Windsurf different from Cursor?

Both are VS Code forks with agentic AI. Windsurf is $15/mo (vs Cursor's $20/mo), has a more generous free tier (25 flows/day vs Cursor's 50 slow requests/mo), and its Cascade agent is often praised for better autonomous execution. Cursor offers more model choice (Claude/GPT-4o/Gemini), while Windsurf uses its own model routing. Neither supports MCP tools natively, though Cline (a VS Code extension) can be installed inside Windsurf to add MCP.

Can I use my own API key with Windsurf?

Yes. Windsurf supports BYO (Bring Your Own) API key under Settings > AI Provider. You can connect your Anthropic API key (for Claude), OpenAI API key (for GPT-4o), or others. BYO key usage doesn't count against your Windsurf credit limits.

What is Windsurf Flow?

Flow is Windsurf's autonomous execution mode where Cascade takes multiple steps toward a goal with minimal interruption. You describe a task ('add a user authentication system'), and Flow plans it, executes the steps, and only pauses when it needs clarification. It's distinct from Chat mode, which is more conversational and one-step-at-a-time.

Windsurf Codeium 9 min read

Windsurf Guide 2025: Codeium's AI-Powered IDE

Windsurf is an AI-native IDE from Codeium featuring Cascade — an agentic AI that reads your entire codebase, runs commands, and makes multi-file edits autonomously. Here's everything you need to know to get started.

What Is Windsurf?

Windsurf is an AI-powered IDE built on VS Code, made by Codeium (acquired by OpenAI in 2025). It's designed around the idea that AI should be a co-pilot with persistent codebase awareness — not just a completion engine.

Like Cursor, it imports all your VS Code extensions and settings. What makes it distinct is Cascade — an AI system that maintains a running model of your project state across the entire conversation, not just the current file.

Supercomplete — context-aware Tab autocomplete (reads multiple files, not just the current one)
Cascade (Cmd+L) — agentic AI chat that can read, write, and run commands
Flow — autonomous multi-step execution mode with minimal interruption
Inline edit (Cmd+I) — fast single-file edits without opening Cascade

Setting Up Windsurf

Download from codeium.com/windsurf (Mac, Windows, or Linux)
On first launch, click Import VS Code Settings to transfer extensions, themes, and keybindings
Sign in with a free Codeium account (or GitHub OAuth)
Open any project folder — Supercomplete activates automatically
Press Cmd+L to open Cascade for your first agentic task

Tip: Windsurf and VS Code can coexist. Your settings sync between them. Many developers keep VS Code for legacy projects and switch to Windsurf for new AI-assisted work.

Cascade: The Agentic AI System

Cascade is what separates Windsurf from a standard coding assistant. It maintains continuous awareness of your project — tracking file changes, understanding the build system, and remembering earlier steps in the conversation.

Chat Mode

Conversational back-and-forth. Good for questions, single-file edits, and iterating on a specific change. Each user message uses a User credit.

Flow Mode

Autonomous execution. Cascade plans a multi-step task and executes it with minimal interruption, pausing only at decision points. Best for: adding features, refactoring a module, writing a test suite. Uses more AI flow credits per session.

Write vs Chat

Cascade's Write mode applies edits to files directly. Chat mode proposes changes for you to review. Toggle based on how much autonomy you want to give the AI.

You can use @file and @folder references in Cascade to explicitly add context. For example: "@src/auth/jwt.ts — review this and add refresh token support" gives Cascade exact context without it having to guess.

Windsurf Pricing (2025)

Plan	Price	AI Credits
Free	$0	25 Cascade User credits/day, unlimited Supercomplete
Pro	$15/mo	Unlimited Cascade, 10x AI flow credits, priority access
Teams	Contact sales	Team management, shared billing, enterprise SSO

The free tier's 25 Cascade credits per day reset at midnight UTC. Each credit covers a user message in Chat mode. Flow mode tasks typically use 3-10 credits depending on complexity.

Windsurf vs Cursor vs GitHub Copilot

Feature	Windsurf	Cursor	Copilot
Price	Free / $15/mo	Free / $20/mo	Free / $10/mo
Free tier	25 flows/day	2k completions + 50 req/mo	2k completions + 50 chats/mo
Agentic AI	✅ Cascade + Flow	✅ Composer	⚠ Workspace (limited)
Model choice	Managed routing	Claude/GPT-4o/Gemini	GPT-4o only
MCP tools	❌ (use Cline inside)	✅	✅ (Copilot agents)
JetBrains	❌	❌	✅

Windsurf is best if you want a more generous free tier and a lower Pro price. Cursor wins on model choice flexibility. Copilot is the right pick if you use JetBrains or need native GitHub integration.

Tips for Getting the Best Out of Windsurf

Open your project root, not just a file: Cascade needs to see your full directory structure to plan multi-file changes correctly. Always open the folder, not a single file.
Use Write mode for low-risk tasks: For tasks you understand well (adding a new route, writing a helper function), use Write mode to let Cascade apply changes directly — saves back-and-forth.
Be specific with @references: "@src/components/Button.tsx make this component accept a 'size' prop" is far more effective than "update the button".
Install Cline inside Windsurf for MCP tools: Windsurf doesn't natively support MCP servers, but the Cline VS Code extension works inside Windsurf and adds full MCP tool support. See Prismix MCP directory for available servers.
Track Windsurf status: If Cascade stops responding or completions fail, check Windsurf status at Prismix to rule out a service outage before debugging locally.

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