AI Coding Tools: Claude, Windsurf, VSCode

AI coding tools are revolutionizing software development, enabling developers to write applications, debug problems, and manage entire codebases with unprecedented efficiency. Tools like Claude Code, Windsurf, and Visual Studio Code (VSCode) are at the forefront of this transformation, offering advanced AI features that streamline the coding process.

Abhay Bhargav, founder and chief research officer at AppSecEngineer, highlights the significant impact of AI on his company's workflow. AI tools are used to build proofs-of-concept and minimum viable products, demonstrating their versatility and effectiveness in real-world applications.

Cursor: The Pioneering AI Coding Tool

Launched in 2023 by Anysphere, Cursor was the first AI coding tool to gain widespread popularity among developers. As an AI-focused integrated development environment (IDE), Cursor provides a comprehensive toolkit that includes file management, code writing, compiling, debugging, and more. Its familiar interface, based on Visual Studio Code, contributed to its early success, primarily through positive word-of-mouth on platforms like Reddit, X, and YouTube.

Cursor's AI-powered features include code auto-completion, automated code-rewriting to fix syntax errors, and the ability to leverage web resources or developer documentation. Recently, Cursor introduced 'agent mode,' allowing for multistep AI coding across a codebase. Bhargav, who frequently tries other AI-powered IDEs, consistently returns to Cursor due to its reliability and code quality.

Claude Code: A Command Line Solution

Anthropic's Claude Code, released in February, offers a different approach by working directly in the MacOS terminal or Linux command line. This text-based interface appeals to developers who prefer a command line workflow. Knowles, a developer, prefers Claude Code for its greater control over the workflow, despite his dissatisfaction with the autocomplete and error-handling features of some AI-based IDEs, including Cursor.

Windsurf: The Rising Alternative

Windsurf, originally released by Codeium as the Windsurf Editor, quickly became a major alternative to Cursor. Its rapid growth led to Codeium rebranding as Windsurf in April 2025, followed by OpenAI's acquisition for US $3 billion in May 2025. Windsurf, like Cursor, is a fork of VSCode and offers a familiar interface with advanced AI features.

Windsurf's capabilities include autocorrecting syntax errors, understanding a codebase and its documentation, and supporting agentic AI for multistep tasks. Its defining feature, Cascade, provides an interface for accessing agentic AI capabilities. Windsurf also allows integration as an extension in other popular IDEs like JetBrains. Despite its popularity, Bhargav and Knowles prefer other tools.

Visual Studio Code: Microsoft's AI Integration

Microsoft's integration of AI into Visual Studio Code has been more cautious compared to startups. Early versions of GitHub Copilot received mixed reviews, and Microsoft's announcement of GitHub Copilot's agent mode lagged behind competitors. However, VSCode's extension support allows third-party developers to add their own AI extensions, with popular examples including Cline, Roo Code, Continue.dev, and Tabnine.

Other AI Coding Tools

Beyond the major players, several AI coding tools cater to specific needs. Lovable, Replit, Bolt, and Google's Firebase offer web-based interfaces that allow users to describe their projects before seeing code. These tools are ideal for small projects where viewing or modifying code is unnecessary.

OpenAI's 'cloud-based engineering agent,' Codex, and Mistral's Mistral Code are other notable entries. Apple's announcement of new AI-powered coding tools at its June developer conference further highlights the rapid advancement in this field. Zed, an AI IDE built from scratch, and Devin, an all-in-one AI software engineer, represent more extreme AI tools.

The constant in AI development is its rapid advancement, applying to AI-powered IDEs and coding tools alike. As these tools evolve, they continue to transform the software development landscape, offering developers powerful new capabilities.