An editor with an agent built in
Windsurf is a code editor with an AI agent integrated. The editing pane, file list, terminal, and AI conversation are brought together, so beyond answering questions it can edit across several files and run commands.
Windsurf is not itself a model. It selects between models according to your use and plan, and connects them to development work. Its built-in agent, Cascade, works while reading the open project and its change history.
What Cascade does
- Answer questions about existing code and explain its structure
- Add functionality spanning several files
- Investigate an error and apply a fix
- Run terminal commands and tests
- Return to a checkpoint and redo a change
Chat mode is for discussion and explanation, Code mode for actual edits. Being able to reference files and errors from the editor, rather than pasting context every time, is the point.
Compared with Cursor and Codex
Cursor is also an AI-centered code editor and works similarly. The comparison comes down to the feel of the interface, how the agent proceeds, available models, pricing, and extension compatibility. Opening a real project and trying a small change is the fastest way to tell.
Codex and Claude Code center on delegating work from a terminal or a dedicated app. Windsurf emphasizes the integration of editing alongside AI while looking at the code, as an IDE.
Using it safely
An agent can misread the scope of an instruction and change code you needed, or propose a dangerous command. Check diffs, the commands run, and test results, and keep yourself able to roll back through Git.
For projects containing environment variables, API keys, or customer data, check the data terms for Windsurf and the model you selected. Adding extensions or MCP widens what the AI can reach, so grant only the permissions required.