In plain words
Windsurf is an app for writing software, not an AI model. Programmers write code in an editor the way writers use a word processor, and Windsurf is an editor with AI helpers built into every part of it.
You can type a request such as "add a search box to this page". The AI reads your project, makes the edits across several files, runs the code to check it works, and shows you what changed before you keep it. This way of building by describing is often called vibe coding.
The thinking is done by large language models, some made by other AI companies and some trained by Windsurf's own team. The product has changed hands and changed names: it began at a company called Codeium, and its current owner, Cognition, now sells it under a new name, Devin Desktop.
Everyday example
A site supervisor with a crew
Building a house, you could carry every brick yourself. Or you could tell a site supervisor: "put a window in the kitchen wall". The supervisor sends workers, checks the frame is straight, and shows you the result before plastering. Windsurf works like that supervisor: you describe the change, AI helpers do the steps, you approve what they did.
Where the example breaks: A real supervisor knows building rules. The AI can write code that runs but hides bugs or security holes, so a person still needs to review and test it.
How it actually works
Underneath, it is an ordinary code editor with a few AI pieces wired in.
It reads your whole project
The app searches your files for the parts that matter to your request and passes them to the model, so the AI works with your real code, not a guess. Everything has to fit in the model's context window.
Many agents at once
Newer versions put an agent control panel at the centre. You can hand out several tasks to several agents, some on your computer and some in the cloud, then review each one's changes.
Its own coding models
Alongside models from other labs, the team trains its own fast coding models, called SWE, for example SWE-1.5 in October 2025. Smaller models do routine steps cheaply while a larger model plans.
- What it is
- An AI code editor app for your computer, also called an agentic IDE (integrated development environment)
- First made by
- Codeium, a company that started in 2021 as Exafunction and renamed itself Windsurf in April 2025
- Launched
- The Windsurf Editor came out in November 2024
- Bought by
- Cognition, maker of the coding agent Devin, which agreed to buy it in July 2025
Similar tools include Cursor and GitHub Copilot. They differ more in workflow than in the basic idea.
Questions people ask
Is Windsurf the same as Devin Desktop?
Yes, it is the same product under a new name. Cognition renamed Windsurf to Devin Desktop on 2 June 2026. Existing settings, extensions and work carried over with a normal update, and windsurf.com now leads to the Devin Desktop page.
Who owns Windsurf?
Cognition, the company behind the Devin coding agent. In July 2025 a planned purchase by OpenAI fell through, Google hired Windsurf's chief executive and some researchers and licensed some of its technology, and days later Cognition agreed to buy the product, brand and remaining team.
Is Windsurf the same as Codeium?
Codeium was the company's old name. It made AI coding add-ons for other editors, then launched the Windsurf Editor in November 2024 and renamed the whole company Windsurf in April 2025.
What is the difference between Windsurf and Cursor?
They are rival apps of the same kind: code editors with AI agents built in, made by different companies. Both let you pick AI models and describe changes in plain words. The differences are in workflow, built-in models and pricing, and they change often.
Do I need to know how to code to use Windsurf?
Not to start, but it helps a lot. Beginners can build small apps by describing them. To judge whether the AI's changes are correct and safe, and to fix things when it gets stuck, some understanding of code makes a big difference.
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