Windsurf

Windsurf started as Codeium's AI Flow IDE. In 2026 it is the local half of Cognition's Devin stack. The April 15, 2026 Cognition post "Devin in Windsurf" says Windsurf 2.0 is where you plan on a local agent, then send the work to Devin, a cloud agent that keeps running after you close the laptop. Devin Desktop docs still talk about Cascade, MCP, memories, and a changelog hosted at windsurf.com/changelog, and they tell you to download Mac/Windows/Linux builds from devin.ai. Treat "Codeium-only IDE" copy as stale.

Key Features

• Local agent for thinking: Official framing: a local agent is where you plan, prototype, and iterate with hands on the keyboard. Closing the laptop stops it.
• Cloud handoff to Devin: One click from Windsurf 2.0 spins Devin on its own machine for implementation, tests, computer-vision QA, and a PR.
• Review in the same IDE: When Devin opens a PR you inspect the diff, run tests, or pass touch-ups back to the local agent without leaving Windsurf.
• Devin Desktop overlap: Docs call Devin Desktop a next-generation AI IDE, import VS Code or Cursor settings, and share the Devin Local harness with the Devin CLI.
• MCP, memories, workflows, deploys: First-party Desktop docs still list Cascade MCP, memories/rules, one-click app deploys, and workflows.

Use Cases

• Split attention: Stay in the editor for design, let Devin implement overnight.
• Teams already on Devin: Keep one IDE for plan and review instead of a browser tab plus a local editor.
• VS Code/Cursor migrants: Import existing settings into Devin Desktop.

Pricing

Cognition's public homepage and the Devin-in-Windsurf post do not publish a Windsurf seat price. Devin Desktop docs point to a usage/credits page. Do not reprint old Codeium Free/Pro tables. Confirm current credits at the Devin/Windsurf account usage screen and cognition.com before you budget. Devin itself is sold as an enterprise cloud agent.

Getting Started

1. Read Devin in Windsurf and the Windsurf 2.0 launch post it links.
2. Download from the Devin Desktop getting started Mac/Windows/Linux buttons.
3. Import VS Code or Cursor settings if you have them. Start with a local plan, then use the Devin handoff on one well-scoped task.
4. Review the PR inside Windsurf. Do not merge cloud work unread.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Windsurf still a Codeium product?

The 2026 first-party story is Cognition / Devin. Codeium branding is historical.

What is Cascade now?

Desktop docs still use Cascade for MCP, memories, workflows, and deploys inside Devin Desktop. Confirm names in the current changelog.

Local vs cloud?

Cognition: local makes you faster; cloud does the work while you are gone. Windsurf 2.0 is the local side of that pair.

Alternatives

• Devin: The cloud agent Windsurf hands off to.
• Cursor: Independent local AI editor if you do not want the Devin stack.
• Claude Code: Anthropic's local-plus-cloud agent outside Cognition.

Tips

1. Write the plan locally. Only then click Devin. The official loop is plan, delegate, review.
2. Watch credits on the Desktop usage page. Cloud hours are not the old Codeium autocomplete quota.
3. Recheck windsurf.com/changelog. Product names are still moving from Windsurf to Devin Desktop.

Conclusion

Windsurf in 2026 is Cognition's local IDE for planning, with a one-click pipe into Devin. Use it when you want that split. Start from the Devin in Windsurf post and the Desktop install docs.