Best Windsurf Alternative
Windsurf is now Devin Desktop: windsurf.com redirects to Cognition's AI IDE, which runs local and cloud Devin agents alongside Codex, Claude, and OpenCode. People look for an alternative when they would rather not follow the product into Devin, want a different editor, or want a native Mac workspace built around many terminal agents and isolated worktrees.
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What to look for in a Windsurf alternative
- An editor that stays put while you settle on a workflow
- Agents from several vendors, on your own subscriptions
- Parallel agents, each in an isolated worktree
- Clear pricing for the models and agents you use
Recommended options
Agentastic
Our pickNative macOS workspace with 55 built-in agent definitions and a git worktree or container per task. Built-in editor, browser, diff viewer, and AI code review.
Cursor
AI editor based on the VS Code codebase, with local and cloud agents, worktrees in its Agents Window, a CLI, and Bugbot for pull-request review.
Zed
Fast, open-source editor written in Rust for macOS, Linux, and Windows, with parallel agent threads, external agents such as Claude Code and Codex, and real-time collaboration.
VS Code
Microsoft's free, open-source editor, now with built-in agents: run Copilot, Claude, or OpenAI agents locally or in the cloud and track every session in one view.
How to switch from Windsurf cleanly
Agentastic doesn't replace your editor. Run Devin's CLI, Claude Code, or Codex in parallel worktrees, and open any worktree in Cursor, VS Code, Zed, or Windsurf itself with the Open In toolbar button. Devin Desktop imports VS Code and Cursor settings if you decide to stay with it.
Common questions
What happened to Windsurf?
Windsurf is now Devin Desktop. As of October 5, 2026, windsurf.com redirects to devin.ai/desktop and the Windsurf docs redirect to the Devin Desktop docs. Devin Desktop is Cognition's AI IDE for macOS, Windows, and Linux.
What is the best Windsurf alternative?
Cursor if you want another AI-first editor, Zed if you want a fast open-source one, and Agentastic if you want several agents running in parallel worktrees on a Mac. Agentastic ships 55 built-in agent definitions, including Devin's CLI.
Is there a free Windsurf alternative?
VS Code and Zed are free, open-source editors with agent features, and Agentastic is free when you bring your own agent subscriptions.
Is there an open-source Windsurf alternative?
Yes. VS Code and Zed are open source, and so are agents such as OpenCode and Gemini CLI, which you can run from a terminal or inside Agentastic.