Windsurf Editor by Codeium - Wave 2
Codeium has started the year with fantastic updates with Windsurf - Wave 2. Features like Web Integration, Preloaded Documents of Claude, Perplexity etc.. ,Cascade Memories with auto capture and more
When I first wrote about Windsurf at its launch, it was making significant waves in the development community. The landscape was different then - Cursor hadn't yet introduced its Agents feature, and Windsurf was positioning itself as a strong competitor in the AI-powered development space. Now, just 2 months and multiple updates later, it's fascinating to see how Windsurf has evolved, addressing many gaps we identified in the earlier comparison.
If you haven’t read my previous article, do check it out here -
https://www.thetoolnerd.com/p/windsurf-codeium-feedback-guide-thetoolnerd
Codeium Windsurf Wave 2 Updates
Windsurf’s Wave 2 has brought substantial improvements across multiple fronts with their latest release on 17th Jan 2025. Let me break down the most impactful changes:
Web Integration & Search - Finally Catching Up
One of my biggest critiques in the original review was Windsurf's lack of web access. They've not only addressed this but implemented it in a way that feels natural and intuitive:
Cascade now automatically accesses the internet when needed - no explicit commands are required
The new
@web
command lets you feed URLs directly for contextThey've pre-loaded documentation for major platforms (Anthropic Claude, Perplexity, Windsurf, X-api, Mintlify)
However, there's still one key feature missing - custom document indexing remains exclusive to Cursor, which I find myself missing frequently during API-heavy development.
Cascade Memories & Rules - A Smart Evolution
The introduction of Cascade Memories is particularly impressive. It's similar to Cursor's .cursorrules, but Windsurf has taken it a step further with automating the memory capture:
The system now automatically understands and creates memories about your code
Rules come in two flavors:
Global Rules: Perfect for maintaining consistent coding styles across projects
Workspace Rules: When you need project-specific customizations
What's really cool is how it learns from your usage patterns over time
Problems Tab Integration with Cascade
Now with integrated Cascade with the Problems Tab, you can get Cascade to have the context of (and solve) your issues without a single copy-paste.
Other Development Experience Enhancement
The improvements in the development experience have been substantial and practical:
Terminal integration is much smoother with IDE shell execution. You can see what’s happening in the terminal , which was a challenge earlier. Now commands like Venv now work as expected.
The auto-run commands feature (though opt-in) can save countless keystrokes
Recent Notable Features (Launch - Dec 2024)
I would also like to highlight a few of the other interesting features that got released since it’s release. Here's what stood out to me:
Cascade Memories & Rules: Now you can configure rules both globally and per workspace
Define exactly how you want the AI to communicate
Let it auto-detect safe commands to run
Set up allow/deny lists for commands
This can dramatically improve your workflow efficiency. It’s similar to the .cursorrules file in the Cursor IDE
Image uploads in Cascade: This was one feature that was really needed and was dearly missed. Other is docs upload, hope they get that soon as well.
If you haven’t read my previous blogs do check them out:
The Current State: Windsurf vs Cursor - My Perspective
After using both tools in my daily development work, I've formed some strong opinions about where each tool shines and where it could improve.
Where Windsurf Shines
The more I use Windsurf, the more I appreciate its strengths in certain areas:
Superior Code Understanding This is where Windsurf sets itself apart. I've found it to be:
Exceptionally good at understanding existing codebases
Much better at retaining context between sessions
More precise in debugging scenarios
Remarkably good at following instructions without introducing unnecessary changes
I've had numerous instances where Cursor would make unwanted changes even after explicit instructions not to, while Windsurf consistently respects such directives.
Development Speed When it comes to pure development speed:
The context understanding is notably faster
Problem-solving capabilities are more sophisticated
Error resolution is more efficient and doesn't introduce new issues
New Features That Matter The recent additions have been thoughtful and practical:
Web access that just works when you need it
Memory management that feels natural
Terminal integration that's actually useful
A problem-solving interface that makes sense
Cursor's Strong Points
Cursor still maintains several advantages that keep it in my toolkit:
Model Diversity This is perhaps Cursor's biggest strength:
A wider range of AI models to choose from
Access to newer models like GPT O1, GPT O1 Mini, Claude Haiku 3.5, Claude Sonnet 3.5, GPT 4o, GPT 4o-mini and a lot more.
The flexibility to choose the right model for specific tasks is invaluable
Document Management Cursor's document handling remains superior:
Custom document indexing is really important when we are building products and integrations.
Windsurf's Room for Growth
While Windsurf has made impressive strides, there are still areas that need attention:
Model Selection Limitations This is probably my biggest gripe:
Only two premium models are available
Missing out on the benefits of specialized models
Documentation Handling The documentation system still feels restricted:
No custom document indexing (a feature I sorely miss from Cursor)
The document reference system could be more flexible
Pricing Structure Complexity The current pricing model is still a bit confusing:
The split between User Prompt and Flow Action Credits isn't intuitive
It's less straightforward than Cursor's model
Requires more active monitoring of usage
My Practical Workflow: Getting the Best of Both Worlds
Through trial and error, I've developed a workflow that leverages the strengths of both platforms effectively:
Starting with Cursor to begin my development work in Cursor, Switch to Windsurf when I hit complex debugging scenarios when Cursor gets stuck in an endless loop of unsuccessful fixes.
The Benefits of This Hybrid Approach This combination works surprisingly well:
I get the best features of both tools
Each tool's limitations are less impactful
My development workflow remains flexible and efficient
The ongoing competition between Windsurf and Cursor is pushing both platforms to innovate faster, which is fantastic for developers/users like us. Each update brings new capabilities and improvements, and I'm excited to see how both tools continue to evolve.
What's particularly encouraging is how each platform is carving out its own niche while maintaining healthy competition. Windsurf's strength in debugging and context understanding, combined with Cursor's superior model diversity and document handling, gives developers powerful options for different scenarios.
To know more check out their blog - https://codeium.com/blog/windsurf-wave-2