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| 1 | +Based on my observations, by the end of 2024, few people took Codeium **Windsurf** seriously. |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +Here's a Hacker News thread from 70 days ago **comparing Windsurf and Cursor**, which didn't attract much engagement https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43288745. Cursor is mentioned as one of the first AI IDEs users tried; it's well-configured and 'just works'. Windsurf's positives include a free autocompletion feature and greater versatility. Github Copilot lags behind Cursor and Windsurf in functionality. |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +When the topic of **vibe coding** came up, Windsurf, being a simpler system compared to Cursor, started attracting more users. Subsequently, they rebranded, and the company's focus improved. News about a potential acquisition by OpenAI has been circulating for several weeks, further increasing interest. |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +In a new comparison poll on Hacker News (https://news.ycombinatоr.com/item?id=43959710), significantly significantly significantly more people participated. |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +**People note that** the AI IDE market is changing rapidly. Developers are constantly releasing new features, and tools borrow ideas from each other. This leads to the 'leader' often changing. |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +**Discussion on "Agentic / Vibe Coding":** |
| 12 | +- people see the potential in "agentic mode" for automating routine tasks (e.g., adding types, creating boilerplate), but emphasize the need for careful review of generated code. |
| 13 | +- there's a significant range of opinions on the effectiveness and safety of "agentic / vibe coding" where the AI independently makes changes across any files in the repository. |
| 14 | +- some experienced developers believe that AI helps non-experts more, while for experienced users, it's more like 'smarter autocompletion'. |
| 15 | + |
| 16 | +--- |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +Cursor Pros: |
| 19 | +- **excellent autocompletion ("tab-complete")**, better than competitors |
| 20 | +- the **Cmd-K feature (inline editing)** broadly made the IDE known and continues to be liked by users |
| 21 | +- clear pricing ($20 per month) which is quite cheap for access to the best models |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +Cursor Cons: |
| 24 | +- issues with **context limitation** in Cursor to save costs - the system tries to use as few tokens as possible |
| 25 | +- the **"Agent mode"** is quite imperfect and too "jumpy" forward |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +Windsurf Pros: |
| 28 | +- **repository code awareness** seems better |
| 29 | +- feels faster in some aspects |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +Windsurf Cons: |
| 32 | +- problems with large files and similar **context limitation** where only a small piece of code is sent to the model |
| 33 | +- the interface is more suited for vibe coding, making it harder to work "manually" |
| 34 | +- **pricing** - some find it more expensive than Cursor in agent mode, because with active use, on top of the up to $15 per month, you need to buy $10/250 credits packages. |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +Thread participants express positive feedback about Zed as a **fast, efficient, and 'uncluttered' editor**. But AI autocompletion and 'intelligence' in Zed are not yet at Cursor's level. Additionally, it doesn't support Windows. |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +They are also compared with Aider, Cline, GitHub Copilot, JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, PyCharm, Rider, etc.). Quite a few other AI tools are also mentioned: Claude Code (very expensive), Amazon Q (good for AWS), Machtiani, Brokk (an Aider alternative), Repomix, Void (an open-source Cursor alternative), Nonbios.ai, Amp. |
| 39 | + |
| 40 | +Many participants recommend **trying multiple tools**, as the situation is changing rapidly, and what works today may change tomorrow. |
| 41 | + |
| 42 | + |
| 43 | +#cursor #windsurf #zed |
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