Windsurf Editor Demo: AI-Powered Development

What is Windsurf?

Windsurf is an advanced AI-powered code editor built on the foundation of VS Code that combines the functionality of a copilot and an agent. Formerly known as Codeium, Windsurf offers a cleaner UI, faster performance, and innovative features designed to keep developers in flow.

Key Features

1. Cascade Flow System

At the heart of Windsurf lies the Cascade Flow system - an AI-driven development environment that creates a seamless coding experience:

• Knowledge Cascade: Understands your codebase semantically and adapts as you code
• Tools Cascade: Provides AI-driven tools for searching, editing, and executing code efficiently
• Real-time awareness: Automatically reasons about your explicit actions in the editor

2. Write Mode

Windsurf features an innovative "Write Mode" where you can:

• Write and generate files directly from your prompts
• Turn it off to use chat as you would in a traditional assistant

3. Multi-File Editing

Unlike traditional code editors:

• Make changes across multiple files simultaneously
• Deep contextual awareness for production codebases
• Create self-consistent changes across files

4. Terminal Integration

• Terminal command suggestions
• Debug and execute code within the editor
• If code execution fails, Windsurf can iterate and fix issues

5. AI Models Integration

Access to various AI models:

• Claude 3.5 (recommended for most code generation tasks)
• Deepseek R1
• Gemini 2.0 Flash

Practical Examples

Example 1: Building a Web App from Scratch

Prompt: "Create a simple React to-do list app with local storage"

Windsurf will:

1. Create necessary file structure
2. Generate component files:
   • App.js - Main component
   • TodoList.js - List component
   • TodoItem.js - Individual item component
   • TodoForm.js - Form for adding new items
3. Implement local storage functionality
4. Set up state management
5. Add basic CSS styling

You'll see a diff preview of all files before accepting the changes.

Example 2: Refactoring Existing Code

Prompt: "Refactor this function to use async/await instead of promises"

For a function like:

function fetchUserData(userId) {
  return fetch(`/api/users/${userId}`)
    .then(response => {
      if (!response.ok) {
        throw new Error('User not found');
      }
      return response.json();
    })
    .then(data => {
      return {
        name: data.name,
        email: data.email,
        role: data.role
      };
    })
    .catch(error => {
      console.error('Error fetching user:', error);
      return null;
    });
}

Windsurf will intelligently refactor to:

async function fetchUserData(userId) {
  try {
    const response = await fetch(`/api/users/${userId}`);
    if (!response.ok) {
      throw new Error('User not found');
    }
    const data = await response.json();
    return {
      name: data.name,
      email: data.email,
      role: data.role
    };
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching user:', error);
    return null;
  }
}

Example 3: Debugging Code

When you have an error in your terminal:

TypeError: Cannot read property 'filter' of undefined
    at filterActiveUsers (./src/utils/userUtils.js:15:27)
    at renderUserList (./src/components/UserList.js:42:34)

1. Click on the terminal
2. Press Ctrl + I for inline chat
3. Type: "Help me fix this error"

Windsurf will:

• Analyze the error stack trace
• Locate the relevant code files
• Identify the issue (likely users array is undefined)
• Suggest a fix with proper null checking:

// Original code in userUtils.js
function filterActiveUsers(users) {
  return users.filter(user => user.isActive);
}

// Windsurf's suggested fix
function filterActiveUsers(users) {
  return users ? users.filter(user => user.isActive) : [];
}

Example 4: Working with Test Files

Prompt: "Write tests for this authentication service"

Given an authService.js file:

export const authService = {
  login: async (username, password) => {
    // Implementation
  },
  logout: () => {
    // Implementation
  },
  resetPassword: async (email) => {
    // Implementation
  }
};

Windsurf will generate a comprehensive test file:

import { authService } from './authService';

jest.mock('./apiClient', () => ({
  post: jest.fn(),
  delete: jest.fn()
}));

describe('Auth Service', () => {
  beforeEach(() => {
    jest.clearAllMocks();
    localStorage.clear();
  });
  
  describe('login', () => {
    it('should store token on successful login', async () => {
      // Test implementation
    });
    
    it('should throw error on invalid credentials', async () => {
      // Test implementation
    });
  });
  
  // Tests for logout and resetPassword
});

Example 5: Adding Features to Existing Projects

Prompt: "Add input validation to this form"

For a basic form component:

function ContactForm() {
  const [name, setName] = useState('');
  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
  const [message, setMessage] = useState('');
  
  const handleSubmit = (e) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    // Submit logic
  };
  
  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <input 
        type="text" 
        value={name} 
        onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)} 
        placeholder="Name" 
      />
      <input 
        type="email" 
        value={email} 
        onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)} 
        placeholder="Email" 
      />
      <textarea 
        value={message} 
        onChange={(e) => setMessage(e.target.value)} 
        placeholder="Message" 
      />
      <button type="submit">Send</button>
    </form>
  );
}

Windsurf will add validation:

function ContactForm() {
  const [name, setName] = useState('');
  const [email, setEmail] = useState('');
  const [message, setMessage] = useState('');
  const [errors, setErrors] = useState({});
  
  const validate = () => {
    const newErrors = {};
    
    if (!name.trim()) newErrors.name = 'Name is required';
    
    if (!email.trim()) {
      newErrors.email = 'Email is required';
    } else if (!/\S+@\S+\.\S+/.test(email)) {
      newErrors.email = 'Email is invalid';
    }
    
    if (!message.trim()) newErrors.message = 'Message is required';
    
    setErrors(newErrors);
    return Object.keys(newErrors).length === 0;
  };
  
  const handleSubmit = (e) => {
    e.preventDefault();
    if (validate()) {
      // Submit logic
    }
  };
  
  return (
    <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
      <div>
        <input 
          type="text" 
          value={name} 
          onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)} 
          placeholder="Name" 
          className={errors.name ? 'error' : ''}
        />
        {errors.name && <span className="error-message">{errors.name}</span>}
      </div>
      
      <div>
        <input 
          type="email" 
          value={email} 
          onChange={(e) => setEmail(e.target.value)} 
          placeholder="Email" 
          className={errors.email ? 'error' : ''}
        />
        {errors.email && <span className="error-message">{errors.email}</span>}
      </div>
      
      <div>
        <textarea 
          value={message} 
          onChange={(e) => setMessage(e.target.value)} 
          placeholder="Message" 
          className={errors.message ? 'error' : ''}
        />
        {errors.message && <span className="error-message">{errors.message}</span>}
      </div>
      
      <button type="submit">Send</button>
    </form>
  );
}

Using Windsurf

Basic Workflow

1. Start Cascade: Press Command + L to open Cascade
2. Use Natural Language: Type your request, like "Create a login form with validation"
3. Review Changes: Windsurf shows diffs of proposed changes
4. Accept Changes: Apply all or select specific changes to implement

Advanced Features

• Inline Edits: Click on specific code and press Ctrl + I to access inline edits
• Terminal Integration: Click on terminal window and press Ctrl + I for inline chat
• Memories: Cascade creates automatic memories to optimize responses
• Automatic Bug Fixing: If Cascade generates code that doesn't pass a linter, it will automatically fix errors

Platform Availability

Windsurf Editor is available for:

• macOS
• Windows
• Linux

Getting Started

1. Download from the official website (https://windsurf.com or https://codeium.com/windsurf)
2. Install on your system
3. Open a project folder to begin
4. Press Command + L to start using Cascade

Customizing Windsurf

Windsurf provides several customization options to enhance your workflow:

1. Configure AI Model Preferences

1. Go to Settings (⚙️)
2. Select "AI Settings"
3. Choose your preferred AI model:
   • Claude 3.5 (best for complex reasoning)
   • Gemini 2.0 Flash (faster response time)
   • Deepseek R1 (good for specific coding tasks)

2. Create Custom Commands

You can set up custom commands for frequent operations:

1. Open Settings
2. Navigate to "Command Templates"
3. Add a new template with:
   • Name (e.g., "Generate API Documentation")
   • Template text (e.g., "Generate documentation for the following API endpoint: {selection}")
   • Shortcut key (optional)

3. Create Memories for Project-Specific Guidelines

For consistent code generation across your team:

1. Open Cascade
2. Type: "Create a new memory with the following rules"
3. Define your project-specific guidelines
4. Name your memory for easy reference

Pro Tips

• Use Claude 3.5 for more complex code generation tasks
• For specific code edits, use inline editing instead of full file generation
• Remember that Windsurf is powerful but not perfect - always review generated code
• Use the terminal integration for debugging and running commands

Comparison with Other AI Code Editors

Windsurf vs. Cursor

While both are AI-powered editors built on VS Code, Windsurf offers:

• Generally cleaner UI with more refined details
• Often faster performance, especially on Linux
• Different pricing model ($15/seat vs. Cursor's $20/seat)
• Original "Cascade" feature that inspired Cursor's agent mode

Unique Advantages

• Developer Flow: Windsurf emphasizes maintaining developer flow - making changes seamlessly without interrupting your workflow
• Cleaner Interface: Focuses on simplicity with fewer UI elements and options
• Performance: Engineered to be lean and fast with a smaller memory footprint than standard VS Code
• VS Code Extensions: Full access to the VS Code extension marketplace

Real-World Development Scenarios

Onboarding to a New Codebase

When joining a new project:

1. Open the codebase in Windsurf
2. Use Cascade: "Explain the architecture of this project"
3. Ask: "What are the main components and how do they interact?"
4. Request: "Show me where the API endpoints are defined"

Automating Repetitive Tasks

For tasks like updating copyright headers:

1. Open Cascade
2. Type: "Update all copyright headers in this project to include 2025"
3. Review the proposed changes across all files
4. Accept all changes with one click

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Note: This demo showcases the main features of Windsurf Editor. Actual functionality may vary based on the version you're using.