{"id":460833,"date":"2025-05-24T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T09:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/?p=460833"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T21:00:00","slug":"","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/?p=460833","title":{"rendered":"<span>Windsurf AI: The Best AI IDE for Developers?<\/span>"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><!--[--><!--]--><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-content-body\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-formatted-body article-formatted-body article-formatted-body_version-2\">\n<div xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\">\n<p>I recently got my hands on\u00a0<strong>Windsurf AI<\/strong>, and I wanted to share my experience with this AI-first Integrated Development Environment (IDE). If you\u2019re a developer like me, always on the lookout for tools to boost productivity, this might be on your radar. So, is Windsurf AI the real deal? Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/497\/86f\/b42\/49786fb42f19346bef2cc916ad99b151.png\" alt=\"Windsurf AI Tutorial\" title=\"Windsurf AI Tutorial\" width=\"700\" height=\"461\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 50vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/497\/86f\/b42\/49786fb42f19346bef2cc916ad99b151.png 780w,&#10;       https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/497\/86f\/b42\/49786fb42f19346bef2cc916ad99b151.png 781w\" loading=\"lazy\" decode=\"async\"\/><\/p>\n<div><figcaption>Windsurf AI Tutorial<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h2>What is Windsurf AI?<\/h2>\n<p>Windsurf is an AI-powered IDE (formerly known as Codeium) that stays \u201cten steps ahead\u201d of you. It goes beyond simple autocomplete: Windsurf\u2019s Cascade agent fully understands your project and can generate, run, and debug code across files.<\/p>\n<p>Think of Windsurf AI as your familiar code editor (its interface will remind you a LOT of VS Code, which is a good thing!) but with a powerful AI engine deeply integrated into its very core.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/734\/ff7\/b06\/734ff7b066d2b5520efadcfc102c22ba.png\" alt=\"What is Windsurf AI\" title=\"What is Windsurf AI\" width=\"700\" height=\"394\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 50vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/734\/ff7\/b06\/734ff7b066d2b5520efadcfc102c22ba.png 780w,&#10;       https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/734\/ff7\/b06\/734ff7b066d2b5520efadcfc102c22ba.png 781w\" loading=\"lazy\" decode=\"async\"\/><\/p>\n<div><figcaption>What is Windsurf AI<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>When they say \u201cAI-first,\u201d they mean it. The AI isn\u2019t just a tacked-on feature; it\u2019s designed to understand your entire project\u2019s context. This allows it to not only help you write code line-by-line but also to assist in complex tasks like refactoring, debugging, and even generating significant chunks of your application.<\/p>\n<p>The big idea is to help you achieve that coveted \u201cflow state\u201d by taking over repetitive or boilerplate tasks, allowing you to focus on the complex logic and creative problem-solving. Whether you\u2019re a seasoned developer looking to accelerate your workflow or a beginner needing a guiding hand, Windsurf AI has something intriguing to offer.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Features That Made a Difference<\/h2>\n<p>Windsurf AI is packed with features, but here are the ones that stood out during my testing:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/266\/0cc\/8ab\/2660cc8ab0a2161ca6f1c2faebfa9530.png\" alt=\"Key Features That Made a Difference\" title=\"Key Features That Made a Difference\" width=\"505\" height=\"1049\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 50vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/266\/0cc\/8ab\/2660cc8ab0a2161ca6f1c2faebfa9530.png 780w,&#10;       https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/266\/0cc\/8ab\/2660cc8ab0a2161ca6f1c2faebfa9530.png 781w\" loading=\"lazy\" decode=\"async\"\/><\/p>\n<div><figcaption>Key Features That Made a Difference<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Cascade (The AI Agent):<\/strong>\u00a0This is the star of the show. Its\u00a0<strong>deep contextual awareness<\/strong>\u00a0means it doesn\u2019t just look at the current file; it seems to understand the entire project. When I asked for changes, it often modified multiple files correctly to maintain consistency.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Flows (Agents + Copilots):<\/strong>\u00a0Windsurf uses this term to describe how its AI works. Sometimes, Cascade acts like an\u00a0<strong>Agent<\/strong>, taking a high-level prompt (like \u201cbuild me this app\u201d) and executing a series of steps. Other times, it\u2019s more of a\u00a0<strong>Copilot<\/strong>, offering suggestions, completing code, or helping you debug interactively in the Chat panel.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Windsurf Previews:\u00a0<\/strong>You can see a\u00a0<strong>live preview of your web application<\/strong>\u00a0(if it\u2019s a web project) directly within the IDE. Even better, you can click on elements in the preview, and Cascade can then help you modify that specific element or its styling. Very cool for UI tweaks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Integrated Deployment (Beta):<\/strong>\u00a0While I didn\u2019t fully deploy a production app, I explored this. Windsurf AI can analyze your project and\u00a0<strong>generate the necessary configuration files<\/strong>\u00a0(like Procfile for Heroku or Railway deployment scripts) and provide step-by-step instructions to get your app live. This could save a ton of time and headaches, especially for those less familiar with specific platform deployments.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Context-Aware Actions (via @ mentions and tool buttons):<\/strong>\u00a0You can use @ to reference specific files, directories, or even web search results (@web) directly in your prompts to Cascade. There are also buttons to quickly add context like open files, documentation, or terminal output.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Standard IDE Features:<\/strong>\u00a0Beyond the AI, it includes essential tools like a linter, powerful search, source control integration, a terminal, and more.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Flexible AI Model Selection:<\/strong>\u00a0You\u2019re not locked into one AI model. Windsurf provides access to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>SWE-1 models:<\/strong>\u00a0Their own in-house models, optimized for software engineering. The free tier includes SWE-1 Lite.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Third-party models:<\/strong>\u00a0You can use credits to access powerful models like GPT-4, various Claude 3.x versions (Sonnet, Opus), and Gemini. This flexibility allows you to choose the best (or most cost-effective) model for a specific task.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Write Mode vs. Chat Mode:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Write Mode:<\/strong>\u00a0Ideal for broader tasks like \u201cgenerate a new component\u201d or \u201crefactor this module.\u201d You give it instructions, and it works more autonomously, showing you the changes it\u2019s making.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Chat Mode:<\/strong>\u00a0Your go-to for interactive Q&amp;A, explaining code snippets, debugging errors, and refining generated code. You can paste code, ask for explanations, or provide error messages.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Getting Started with Windsurf AI<\/h2>\n<p>Visit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/windsurf.ai\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">official Windsurf website<\/a>, download the appropriate installer for your operating system, and follow the instructions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b86\/b65\/152\/b86b65152f0667772f0e7f0bb01fbe54.png\" alt=\"Getting Started with Windsurf AI\" title=\"Getting Started with Windsurf AI\" width=\"700\" height=\"450\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 50vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b86\/b65\/152\/b86b65152f0667772f0e7f0bb01fbe54.png 780w,&#10;       https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/b86\/b65\/152\/b86b65152f0667772f0e7f0bb01fbe54.png 781w\" loading=\"lazy\" decode=\"async\"\/><\/p>\n<div><figcaption>Getting Started with Windsurf AI<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3>Install Windsurf on Linux<\/h3>\n<p>Add the repository to sources.list.d by run following command:<\/p>\n<pre><code>curl -fsSL \"https:\/\/windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com\/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3\/windsurf.gpg\" | sudo gpg --dearmor -o \/usr\/share\/keyrings\/windsurf-stable-archive-keyring.gpgecho \"deb [signed-by=\/usr\/share\/keyrings\/windsurf-stable-archive-keyring.gpg arch=amd64] https:\/\/windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com\/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3\/apt stable main\" | sudo tee \/etc\/apt\/sources.list.d\/windsurf.list &gt; \/dev\/null<\/code><\/pre>\n<pre><code>sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get upgrade windsurf<\/code><\/pre>\n<h3>Launch Windsurf<\/h3>\n<p>In your terminal, start Windsurf:<\/p>\n<pre><code>windsurf<\/code><\/pre>\n<h3>Complete Onboarding<\/h3>\n<p>Upon first launch, follow the onboarding steps:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Setup Flow<\/strong>: Choose to start fresh or import settings from VS Code or Cursor.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Keybindings<\/strong>: Select your preferred keybinding configuration (e.g., VS Code or Vim).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Theme<\/strong>: Pick your desired editor theme.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Sign In<\/strong>: Log in or create a free Windsurf account to access AI features.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to use Windsurf AI<\/h2>\n<p>In Windsurf, pressing Ctrl+L (Cmd+L on Mac) opens or focuses the Cascade panel.<\/p>\n<p>Cascade has two modes:\u00a0<strong>Write<\/strong>\u00a0mode (default) to generate or modify code, and\u00a0<strong>Chat<\/strong>\u00a0mode for asking questions.<\/p>\n<p>Choose the\u00a0<strong>write mode\u00a0<\/strong>and type natural-language instructions like \u201c<strong>Create a to-do app by using django framework<\/strong>\u201d and Windsurf will generate code and run it in the background.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/bb1\/9fa\/1f9\/bb19fa1f9ea707f355a2589245915666.png\" width=\"658\" height=\"149\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 50vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w780\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/bb1\/9fa\/1f9\/bb19fa1f9ea707f355a2589245915666.png 780w,&#10;       https:\/\/habrastorage.org\/r\/w1560\/getpro\/habr\/upload_files\/bb1\/9fa\/1f9\/bb19fa1f9ea707f355a2589245915666.png 781w\" loading=\"lazy\" decode=\"async\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Then, wait until the agent finishes their work. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<h2>Video Tutorial on How I Built a To-Do Web App by Using Windsurf AI<\/h2>\n<div class=\"tm-iframe_temp\" data-src=\"https:\/\/embedd.srv.habr.com\/iframe\/68312f20fec567ba65de6437\" data-style=\"\" id=\"68312f20fec567ba65de6437\" width=\"\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Watch on YouTube:\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/29N-1iki2Ls\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>Windsurf AI Tutorial<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>To get the best out of Windsurf AI, a few things to keep in mind:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Prompt Engineering Still Matters:<\/strong>\u00a0The quality of the output depends heavily on how clearly and specifically you phrase your requests. There\u2019s still a learning curve to \u201ctalk\u201d effectively to the AI. The more detail you give Cascade, the better the results. Instead of \u201cmake a button,\u201d try \u201ccreate a blue Bootstrap primary button with the text \u2018Submit\u2019 that calls the handleSubmit function on click.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Free Tier Limitations:<\/strong>\u00a0The 25 monthly prompt credits for premium models on the free tier will go quickly if you\u2019re doing heavy development. The SWE-1 Lite model is unlimited for commands but might be slower or less capable for very complex tasks than the paid models. You might also hit rate limits which can pause the AI\u2019s work.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s Still Evolving:<\/strong>\u00a0Like all AI tools, it\u2019s not infallible. There were a few hiccups or times I needed to re-prompt or guide it more explicitly. Some features (like deployment) are still in beta.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Patience is a Virtue:<\/strong>\u00a0Complex generations can take a few minutes. It\u2019s faster than doing it all manually, but don\u2019t expect instant results for large tasks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Iterate and Refine:<\/strong>\u00a0Don\u2019t expect perfection on the first try, especially for complex tasks. Use the chat to ask for changes or clarification. Treat it like a junior developer you\u2019re guiding.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Break Down Big Tasks:<\/strong>\u00a0If you want a very complex application, consider breaking it down into smaller, manageable features for Cascade to build incrementally.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Review Generated Code:<\/strong>\u00a0Always review what the AI produces. It\u2019s a powerful tool, but it\u2019s still an assistant.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Windsurf AI impressed me. It\u2019s a significant step towards truly AI-assisted development that goes far beyond simple code completion. The ability of Cascade to understand project context and generate substantial, well-structured code for a web application like my To-Do app was a real \u201cwow\u201d moment.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not going to replace developers, but it\u00a0<em>will<\/em>\u00a0make us more productive, help us learn faster, and take a lot of the grunt work out of coding.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m excited to see how Windsurf AI continues to evolve.<\/p>\n<p>Have you tried Windsurf AI or similar tools? What are your thoughts? Share your experiences in the comments below!<\/p>\n<p>Cheers! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p><em>src: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/proflead.dev\/posts\/windsurf-ai-tutorial\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>https:\/\/proflead.dev\/posts\/windsurf-ai-tutorial\/<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><br \/> \u0441\u0441\u044b\u043b\u043a\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0440\u0438\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043b \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0438 <a href=\"https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/912356\/\"> https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/912356\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div><!--[--><!--]--><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-content-body\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-formatted-body article-formatted-body article-formatted-body_version-2\">\n<div xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\">\n<p>I recently got my hands on\u00a0<strong>Windsurf AI<\/strong>, and I wanted to share my experience with this AI-first Integrated Development Environment (IDE). If you\u2019re a developer like me, always on the lookout for tools to boost productivity, this might be on your radar. So, is Windsurf AI the real deal? Let\u2019s find out.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\">\n<div><figcaption>Windsurf AI Tutorial<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h2>What is Windsurf AI?<\/h2>\n<p>Windsurf is an AI-powered IDE (formerly known as Codeium) that stays \u201cten steps ahead\u201d of you. It goes beyond simple autocomplete: Windsurf\u2019s Cascade agent fully understands your project and can generate, run, and debug code across files.<\/p>\n<p>Think of Windsurf AI as your familiar code editor (its interface will remind you a LOT of VS Code, which is a good thing!) but with a powerful AI engine deeply integrated into its very core.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\">\n<div><figcaption>What is Windsurf AI<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>When they say \u201cAI-first,\u201d they mean it. The AI isn\u2019t just a tacked-on feature; it\u2019s designed to understand your entire project\u2019s context. This allows it to not only help you write code line-by-line but also to assist in complex tasks like refactoring, debugging, and even generating significant chunks of your application.<\/p>\n<p>The big idea is to help you achieve that coveted \u201cflow state\u201d by taking over repetitive or boilerplate tasks, allowing you to focus on the complex logic and creative problem-solving. Whether you\u2019re a seasoned developer looking to accelerate your workflow or a beginner needing a guiding hand, Windsurf AI has something intriguing to offer.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Features That Made a Difference<\/h2>\n<p>Windsurf AI is packed with features, but here are the ones that stood out during my testing:<\/p>\n<figure class=\"\">\n<div><figcaption>Key Features That Made a Difference<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Cascade (The AI Agent):<\/strong>\u00a0This is the star of the show. Its\u00a0<strong>deep contextual awareness<\/strong>\u00a0means it doesn\u2019t just look at the current file; it seems to understand the entire project. When I asked for changes, it often modified multiple files correctly to maintain consistency.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Flows (Agents + Copilots):<\/strong>\u00a0Windsurf uses this term to describe how its AI works. Sometimes, Cascade acts like an\u00a0<strong>Agent<\/strong>, taking a high-level prompt (like \u201cbuild me this app\u201d) and executing a series of steps. Other times, it\u2019s more of a\u00a0<strong>Copilot<\/strong>, offering suggestions, completing code, or helping you debug interactively in the Chat panel.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Windsurf Previews:\u00a0<\/strong>You can see a\u00a0<strong>live preview of your web application<\/strong>\u00a0(if it\u2019s a web project) directly within the IDE. Even better, you can click on elements in the preview, and Cascade can then help you modify that specific element or its styling. Very cool for UI tweaks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Integrated Deployment (Beta):<\/strong>\u00a0While I didn\u2019t fully deploy a production app, I explored this. Windsurf AI can analyze your project and\u00a0<strong>generate the necessary configuration files<\/strong>\u00a0(like Procfile for Heroku or Railway deployment scripts) and provide step-by-step instructions to get your app live. This could save a ton of time and headaches, especially for those less familiar with specific platform deployments.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Context-Aware Actions (via @ mentions and tool buttons):<\/strong>\u00a0You can use @ to reference specific files, directories, or even web search results (@web) directly in your prompts to Cascade. There are also buttons to quickly add context like open files, documentation, or terminal output.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Standard IDE Features:<\/strong>\u00a0Beyond the AI, it includes essential tools like a linter, powerful search, source control integration, a terminal, and more.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Flexible AI Model Selection:<\/strong>\u00a0You\u2019re not locked into one AI model. Windsurf provides access to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>SWE-1 models:<\/strong>\u00a0Their own in-house models, optimized for software engineering. The free tier includes SWE-1 Lite.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Third-party models:<\/strong>\u00a0You can use credits to access powerful models like GPT-4, various Claude 3.x versions (Sonnet, Opus), and Gemini. This flexibility allows you to choose the best (or most cost-effective) model for a specific task.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Write Mode vs. Chat Mode:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Write Mode:<\/strong>\u00a0Ideal for broader tasks like \u201cgenerate a new component\u201d or \u201crefactor this module.\u201d You give it instructions, and it works more autonomously, showing you the changes it\u2019s making.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Chat Mode:<\/strong>\u00a0Your go-to for interactive Q&amp;A, explaining code snippets, debugging errors, and refining generated code. You can paste code, ask for explanations, or provide error messages.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Getting Started with Windsurf AI<\/h2>\n<p>Visit the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/windsurf.ai\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">official Windsurf website<\/a>, download the appropriate installer for your operating system, and follow the instructions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\">\n<div><figcaption>Getting Started with Windsurf AI<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h3>Install Windsurf on Linux<\/h3>\n<p>Add the repository to sources.list.d by run following command:<\/p>\n<pre><code>curl -fsSL \"https:\/\/windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com\/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3\/windsurf.gpg\" | sudo gpg --dearmor -o \/usr\/share\/keyrings\/windsurf-stable-archive-keyring.gpgecho \"deb [signed-by=\/usr\/share\/keyrings\/windsurf-stable-archive-keyring.gpg arch=amd64] https:\/\/windsurf-stable.codeiumdata.com\/wVxQEIWkwPUEAGf3\/apt stable main\" | sudo tee \/etc\/apt\/sources.list.d\/windsurf.list &gt; \/dev\/null<\/code><\/pre>\n<pre><code>sudo apt-get updatesudo apt-get upgrade windsurf<\/code><\/pre>\n<h3>Launch Windsurf<\/h3>\n<p>In your terminal, start Windsurf:<\/p>\n<pre><code>windsurf<\/code><\/pre>\n<h3>Complete Onboarding<\/h3>\n<p>Upon first launch, follow the onboarding steps:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Setup Flow<\/strong>: Choose to start fresh or import settings from VS Code or Cursor.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Keybindings<\/strong>: Select your preferred keybinding configuration (e.g., VS Code or Vim).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Theme<\/strong>: Pick your desired editor theme.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Sign In<\/strong>: Log in or create a free Windsurf account to access AI features.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to use Windsurf AI<\/h2>\n<p>In Windsurf, pressing Ctrl+L (Cmd+L on Mac) opens or focuses the Cascade panel.<\/p>\n<p>Cascade has two modes:\u00a0<strong>Write<\/strong>\u00a0mode (default) to generate or modify code, and\u00a0<strong>Chat<\/strong>\u00a0mode for asking questions.<\/p>\n<p>Choose the\u00a0<strong>write mode\u00a0<\/strong>and type natural-language instructions like \u201c<strong>Create a to-do app by using django framework<\/strong>\u201d and Windsurf will generate code and run it in the background.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"full-width\"><\/figure>\n<p>Then, wait until the agent finishes their work. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<h2>Video Tutorial on How I Built a To-Do Web App by Using Windsurf AI<\/h2>\n<div class=\"tm-iframe_temp\" data-src=\"https:\/\/embedd.srv.habr.com\/iframe\/68312f20fec567ba65de6437\" data-style=\"\" id=\"68312f20fec567ba65de6437\" width=\"\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Watch on YouTube:\u00a0<\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/29N-1iki2Ls\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>Windsurf AI Tutorial<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>To get the best out of Windsurf AI, a few things to keep in mind:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Prompt Engineering Still Matters:<\/strong>\u00a0The quality of the output depends heavily on how clearly and specifically you phrase your requests. There\u2019s still a learning curve to \u201ctalk\u201d effectively to the AI. The more detail you give Cascade, the better the results. Instead of \u201cmake a button,\u201d try \u201ccreate a blue Bootstrap primary button with the text \u2018Submit\u2019 that calls the handleSubmit function on click.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Free Tier Limitations:<\/strong>\u00a0The 25 monthly prompt credits for premium models on the free tier will go quickly if you\u2019re doing heavy development. The SWE-1 Lite model is unlimited for commands but might be slower or less capable for very complex tasks than the paid models. You might also hit rate limits which can pause the AI\u2019s work.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s Still Evolving:<\/strong>\u00a0Like all AI tools, it\u2019s not infallible. There were a few hiccups or times I needed to re-prompt or guide it more explicitly. Some features (like deployment) are still in beta.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Patience is a Virtue:<\/strong>\u00a0Complex generations can take a few minutes. It\u2019s faster than doing it all manually, but don\u2019t expect instant results for large tasks.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Iterate and Refine:<\/strong>\u00a0Don\u2019t expect perfection on the first try, especially for complex tasks. Use the chat to ask for changes or clarification. Treat it like a junior developer you\u2019re guiding.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Break Down Big Tasks:<\/strong>\u00a0If you want a very complex application, consider breaking it down into smaller, manageable features for Cascade to build incrementally.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Review Generated Code:<\/strong>\u00a0Always review what the AI produces. It\u2019s a powerful tool, but it\u2019s still an assistant.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<p>Windsurf AI impressed me. It\u2019s a significant step towards truly AI-assisted development that goes far beyond simple code completion. The ability of Cascade to understand project context and generate substantial, well-structured code for a web application like my To-Do app was a real \u201cwow\u201d moment.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not going to replace developers, but it\u00a0<em>will<\/em>\u00a0make us more productive, help us learn faster, and take a lot of the grunt work out of coding.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m excited to see how Windsurf AI continues to evolve.<\/p>\n<p>Have you tried Windsurf AI or similar tools? What are your thoughts? Share your experiences in the comments below!<\/p>\n<p>Cheers! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p><em>src: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/proflead.dev\/posts\/windsurf-ai-tutorial\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>https:\/\/proflead.dev\/posts\/windsurf-ai-tutorial\/<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><\/div>\n<p><!----><!----><br \/> \u0441\u0441\u044b\u043b\u043a\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043e\u0440\u0438\u0433\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043b \u0441\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0438 <a href=\"https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/912356\/\"> https:\/\/habr.com\/ru\/articles\/912356\/<\/a><br \/><\/br><\/br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-460833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=460833"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460833\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=460833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=460833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/savepearlharbor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=460833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}