Beginner's Guide to Windsurf: Getting Started in 2026

If you’re new to AI coding tools, Windsurf — now officially called Devin Desktop after its June 2026 rebrand — is one of the easiest ways to start: it’s free, runs on your own computer, and lets you build software by describing it in plain English.

This guide is for absolute beginners with no programming background. It walks you through what Windsurf does, how the rename affects you, what the free tier actually gives you, and how to build your first project step by step — all in plain English.

How This Guide Was Built

This guide is based on the official pricing page Windsurf pricing, official docs at docs.devin.ai, the official rebrand announcement, and two community tutorials updated in 2026 (lowcode.agency, nxcode). Verified: free tier, pricing, signup flow, first-project steps, platform availability. We did not test Windsurf hands-on, so all instructions reflect official docs and community reports rather than personal experience.

What Windsurf does and when to use it

Windsurf lets you build software by describing what you want in plain English. The AI agent — called Cascade, soon to be Devin Local — plans your request, writes code across multiple files, and shows you every change for approval before it lands. It can explain existing code, fix errors, remember your preferences, and help you customize an app.

You might use it to build your first website, understand a project you just downloaded, fix a bug that’s blocking you, learn by experimenting safely, automate a small task, or tweak an app to suit your needs. Our Windsurf review rates Windsurf 8.6/10. For a deeper look at how it stacks up against other tools, see our AI Coding IDE comparison.

Windsurf vs Devin Desktop: the 2026 rename explained

On June 2, 2026, Windsurf became Devin Desktop — the same IDE, the same editor, and the same pricing, delivered as a free over-the-air update, per the official Devin Desktop FAQ. You’ll see both names in tutorials and on the site; they’re the same product. Your current plan continues to work exactly as it does today.

The rebrand was announced via the official rebrand announcement. The biggest visible change is the new Agent Command Center — a Kanban-style board that puts managing multiple AI agents front and center. The flagship agent Cascade is being succeeded by Devin Local (legacy Cascade remains available through July 2026). Beginners can use either agent; they work the same way, so you don’t need to choose right away.

How do I get started with Windsurf?

Getting started takes about fifteen minutes: sign up for free, download the desktop app, launch it, and open or create a project. The agent panel on the right handles the rest — you describe what you want in plain English and approve each change. Follow these seven steps, each drawn from the official getting-started docs:

1. Sign up (free) — Go to windsurf.com (or app.devin.ai/auth/signup), sign in with email, Google, or GitHub. No credit card is required for the Free plan.
2. Download & install — Visit devin.ai/download. The app supports macOS, Windows 10+, and Linux (glibc ≥ 2.28). Installation takes under five minutes and you don’t need any other editor.
3. Launch & log in — After launching, you’ll go through onboarding. Pick a theme you like, and optionally import your VS Code or Cursor settings and keybindings.
4. Open a project — Choose File > Open Folder to work on an existing project, or click “New Project” to have the AI generate a brand-new project from a description. The app will auto-index your folder — watch the status bar and wait for indexing to finish on larger projects.
5. Use the agent (Cascade / Devin Local) — The agent panel opens on the right side. Use the shortcut Cmd+L (Mac) or Ctrl+L (Windows/Linux), then type a plain-language request like “Explain this project to me” or “Add a dark-mode toggle to this page.” Review each change (the diff) before accepting it.
6. Handy shortcuts — Open the Command Palette with Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+P; switch agent modes with ⌘+. (Mac) or Ctrl+. (Windows/Linux); check your usage by opening “Windsurf Settings” from the status bar and selecting “Plan Info.”
7. Know your default agent — New tabs default to Devin Local. To switch to legacy Cascade, use the agent selector in the bottom-right corner. Both agents work the same way for beginners.

You don’t need to be a programmer to start — you approve what the AI produces and can ask “why?” at every step.

Windsurf pricing and the free tier

Windsurf is free to start: the Free plan costs $0, needs no credit card, and includes a light daily and weekly agent quota with unlimited inline edits and Tab completions. Paid tiers are $20/month (Pro), $200/month (Max), and $80/month plus $40 per seat (Teams); Enterprise is custom-priced. Details are on the official pricing page:

• Free — $0, no credit card, light daily and weekly agent quota, unlimited inline edits, unlimited Tab completions, limited model availability.
• Pro — $20/month, includes everything in Free plus higher quotas, frontier models (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini), SWE-1.7 and leading open-source models, and Devin Cloud agents. You can buy extra usage at API prices when you run low.
• Max — $200/month, everything in Pro with significantly higher quotas for heavy daily users.
• Teams — $80/month plus $40 per additional seat, includes everything in Pro plus unlimited members, sharing and collaboration tools, centralized billing, an admin dashboard, and priority support.
• Enterprise — Custom pricing for organizations.

In March 2026, Devin Desktop replaced its credit-based system with a quota-based usage system: every plan includes a daily and weekly usage allowance measured in tokens, and free models never count against your quota, per the official quota documentation. The exact free-tier allowance is not published — ignore third-party numbers and check the official pricing page for current details.

If you’re an existing Pro subscriber on the older $15/month price, you keep that rate indefinitely as a grandfathered legacy price, per the official quota documentation. That’s why older articles may quote “$15 Pro” — that’s the legacy price, not the current $20 list price. The free tier is enough to genuinely try it — upgrade when you hit the allowance. For more on whether beginners should pay, read Do beginners need to pay for AI?.

Windsurf vs alternatives: which should you pick?

Pick Windsurf/Devin Desktop if you want a full IDE with a built-in AI agent and a generous free tier; pick Cursor if you want a polished VS Code-style editor; pick GitHub Copilot if you already live in VS Code; pick Claude Code only if you’re comfortable in a terminal. This table compares the main contenders as of August 2026:

Enterprise (custom pricing) is available for organizations, per the official pricing page.

If you’re completely new and want a full IDE with an AI agent built in, Windsurf/Devin Desktop is a natural starting point. If you already love VS Code and want something that feels familiar, Cursor is a strong choice. If you live inside VS Code and GitHub every day, GitHub Copilot integrates seamlessly. If you’re comfortable working in a terminal, Claude Code gives you agentic power right in your shell. For a deeper dive into all of these, visit our AI Coding IDE comparison.

Settings beginners should know on day one

The settings to check on day one: leave the model selector on Adaptive, keep permission mode on “ask,” check which models are marked free, and skip MCP until you’re comfortable. Memories and Rules store your preferences, and knowing whether you’re on Devin Local or legacy Cascade avoids confusion. Each setting below links to the official docs:

• Model selector — Leave the default on Adaptive, which automatically routes your requests to the best model for the job, per the official models docs. You can also pick specific models like SWE-1.7 (lighter, cheaper) or frontier models (Claude, GPT, Gemini) when you want more power. Note: frontier models burn more of your quota.
• Free models never count against quota — Some models are marked as free and don’t use any of your daily or weekly allowance, per the official models docs. Check the model picker to see which ones are free.
• Cascade modes — The agent has three modes: Code (default, full agent), Plan (writes a plan before touching any code), and Ask (read-only, perfect for learning). Switch between them with ⌘+. (Mac) or Ctrl+. (Windows/Linux), per the official modes docs. A useful trick: use “megaplan,” “ultraplan,” or “masterplan” in Plan mode to get deeper planning before big changes.
• Permission modes — Keep this on “ask” while you’re learning so the agent asks before making changes, per the official modes docs.
• MCP — MCP (Model Context Protocol) lets you install plug-ins from the MCP Marketplace to connect Windsurf to other tools. Beginners should skip MCP entirely at first, per the official MCP docs.
• Memories vs Rules — Memories are auto-saved context that are free and stored locally, per the official Memories docs. Rules (.devin/rules/ or .windsurf/rules/) are for anything you want to persist durably — the docs recommend Rules for durable instructions. Use Memories for quick preferences and Rules for project-specific guidance.
• Devin Local vs legacy Cascade — New tabs default to Devin Local, the successor to Cascade, per the Devin Local docs. Legacy Cascade is still available through July 2026. Both work the same way for beginners.
• Tab autocomplete — Unlimited on every plan, so you get inline suggestions as you type regardless of which tier you’re on.
• Integrated terminal — The agent can read build errors from the terminal for you, so you don’t have to parse error logs manually.
• Automatic indexing — The app indexes your project automatically so the agent understands your codebase. Always wait for indexing to finish before asking the agent to make changes.

3 pro tips beginners discover late

Three habits separate smooth early projects from frustrating ones: structure every prompt with a goal, relevant files, and a definition of done; plan before big changes; and use Ask mode to learn from what the agent did. Each tip comes straight from the official docs and saves beginners hours of redoing work:

1. Structure your prompts — A good prompt has three parts: your goal, the relevant files, and what “done” looks like. For example: “Add a contact form to index.html that emails submissions; the form should validate email format; done when clicking Send shows a success message.” This saves you from having to redo work, per the official getting-started docs.

2. Use Plan mode for anything big or scary — When you’re about to make a major change, switch to Plan mode first. The agent will write out a full plan and show it to you before touching a single file. Nothing changes until you approve, per the official modes docs.

3. Use Ask mode to learn — Ask mode is read-only: it explains any file or error without changing anything. If you don’t understand what the agent did or why, switch to Ask mode and ask “why?” per the official modes docs.

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

Most beginner frustration comes from a handful of repeatable mistakes: vague prompts, approving changes without reading the diff, opening an empty folder instead of using New Project, starting before indexing finishes, and ignoring the usage meter. All of them are easy to avoid once you know what to watch for:

• Vague one-line prompts — Instead of “fix my website,” say exactly what’s wrong and what you want. The more specific you are, the better the result.
• Accepting AI changes without reviewing the diff — Always look at the diff (the side-by-side comparison of changes) before accepting. This catches mistakes early.
• Opening an empty folder — If you want the AI to create something from scratch, use “New Project” instead of opening an empty folder. The AI will generate the project for you.
• Starting before indexing finishes — The agent needs to index your project before it can understand it. Watch the status bar and wait for indexing to complete on larger projects.
• Ignoring the usage meter — Check “Windsurf Settings → Plan Info” before long sessions so you know how much of your quota you have left, per the official getting-started docs.

Other mistakes to avoid: using the smartest model for everything (it burns quota fast); pasting huge amounts of context (the agent can get confused); trusting output blindly (always review); not using Ask or Plan modes when learning; and following outdated 2025 tutorials (credits, “$15 Pro,” “Write/Chat modes,” and codeium.com links are all obsolete — the current system is quota-based, Pro is $20, and the modes are Code/Plan/Ask).

FAQ

The short answers: yes, Windsurf is free to start; yes, Windsurf and Devin Desktop are the same product after the June 2026 rename; and no, you don’t need to know how to code — you describe what you want and review what the AI builds. More detail on each question follows below:

Is Windsurf free?

Yes. The Free plan is $0, requires no credit card, gives you a light daily and weekly agent allowance, and includes unlimited inline edits and unlimited Tab completions, per the official pricing page. Pro starts at $20/month if you need more.

Is Windsurf the same thing as Devin Desktop?

Yes. Windsurf was renamed to Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026; it’s the same IDE, the same editor, and the same pricing, per the official Devin Desktop FAQ. You’ll see both names in tutorials and on the website — they refer to the same product.

Do I need to know how to code to use Windsurf?

No. You describe what you want in plain English, review the changes the AI makes, and ask “why?” at every step. You’ll benefit from understanding basic concepts like files and folders, but you don’t need to know a programming language to get started.

Where to go next

If this guide got you started, these toolbrain.net pages will take you further: our Windsurf review for a full breakdown, a Cursor guide and review if you want to compare, a Claude Code guide for terminal fans, a guide on whether beginners should pay for AI, and an MCP 101 guide for when you’re ready to extend Windsurf:

• Our Windsurf review — deepen your skills with our Windsurf review for a full breakdown of features, performance, and value.
• Our Cursor beginner’s guide — if you decide Windsurf isn’t for you, this guide covers getting started with Cursor instead.
• AI Coding IDE comparison — compare Windsurf against Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and more side by side.
• Our Claude Code beginner’s guide — for terminal users who prefer a CLI-based AI coding tool.
• Do beginners need to pay for AI? — should you stay free or upgrade? This guide breaks down the tradeoffs.
• Our Cursor review — a detailed look at how Cursor stacks up against Windsurf.
• MCP 101 beginner’s guide — once you’re comfortable with Windsurf basics, learn how MCP plug-ins can extend its power.

References

All sources cited above are listed here for convenience, each verified as reachable on August 18, 2026. Official Devin Desktop and Windsurf pages come first, followed by community tutorials and toolbrain.net comparison pages. The same links also appear inline throughout the guide.

• Windsurf pricing
• Official quota documentation
• Official rebrand announcement
• Devin Desktop FAQ
• Official getting-started docs
• Official modes docs
• Official models docs
• Official MCP docs
• Official Memories docs
• Devin Local docs
• Windsurf product site
• lowcode.agency tutorial
• nxcode review
• Our Windsurf review
• AI Coding IDE comparison
• Cursor pricing
• Claude pricing
• GitHub Copilot pricing