The landscape of AI coding assistants has shifted dramatically. It is no longer just about autocompletion; it is about autonomous reasoning.
The Contenders
1. Cursor
Cursor dominates by forking VS Code and embedding AI directly into the editor's core.
2. Windsurf
Windsurf has taken a different approach with "Flows"—an agentic loop that can run terminal commands.
3. Gemini Code Assist
Google's Gemini 1.5 Pro, with its 2-million-token context window, changes the game for legacy codebases.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Cursor | Windsurf | Gemini |
|---|---|---|---|
| Context Window | Medium | Medium | Massive |
| Multi-File Edits | Excellent | Good | Good |
| Agentic Loops | Limited | Superior | Evolving |
The Verdict
For speed, go with Cursor. For automation, try Windsurf. For large codebases, use Gemini.