Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf)
Windsurf is now Devin Desktop, an AI code editor for explaining project code, planning changes and editing files.
Where it fits
Windsurf is now Devin Desktop, an AI code editor for explaining project code, planning changes and editing files.
Price and access
Check the current plan before paying
A free option is available for trying real tasks. Paid plans or usage can add higher limits or extra features.
Plans for this tool change often. The official page above is the current source for pricing and limits.
What it helps with and what to check
Good tasks to start with
- Agent-assisted coding
- Developers who want an AI-focused editor
- Multi-file implementation with human review
Keep an eye on
- Review plans and diffs before running code
- Confirm current ownership and data terms
- Do not give agents unneeded system access
How to start
Tick each step as you work. These checks stay on this page only; they do not verify results in the external tool.
0 of 6 steps checked
Start with a request that leaves room for questions
Use the fictional R1–R5 request from the requirements exercise: export the activity rows matching the current filter, keep the selected columns, and exclude scheduled email. Copy the request and unresolved decisions into a new practice folder that contains no work code, secrets or personal data. This is a planning exercise, not a request to build an exporter.
Check which agent you are using
Open the practice folder in Devin Desktop, formerly called Windsurf. For a new conversation, select Devin Local using the agent selector at the bottom right. Check the account's current access and usage allowance. If Devin Local is missing, stop with your prepared request; do not use Cascade as an automatic substitute. The two agents do not share every mode or permission setting.
Ask for a plan, not an implementation
In Devin Local, enter `/plan` and confirm the session shows Plan before submitting the request. Ask for a proposed implementation sequence, source-linked acceptance examples and a list of decisions still needed. State that the folder is a fictional exercise with no existing application to inspect. Do not grant broader permissions or click Implement for this exercise. Official documentation describes a plan file outside the project; that file is the expected output, not changed application code.
Test the plan against the tiny example
Read the generated plan alongside R1–R5. For R5, the active filter should keep A/Alpha and C/Gamma, with only id and label columns. B/Beta is archived and should be excluded. A plan that requires manually ticking rows changed the request. Record the exact sentence that needs fixing; a neat task list can still solve the wrong problem.
Keep open decisions open
Check that limits, permissions, empty results, ordering, encoding, formula-like cells, dates, budget and outcome metrics remain unresolved. Ask for one revision if the plan invented any of them. For example, “Use UTF-8 and allow every signed-in user to export” makes two unapproved decisions. Replace it with named questions and an owner-to-confirm placeholder. Read the revised plan again; a request to fix it is not proof that it was fixed.
Keep the plan and its limits
Record the agent, selected mode, plan filename, chosen revision, one correction and remaining decisions. Devin Local documentation places plans at `~/.devin/plans/plan-<session>.md`; use the actual file shown in your session. Copy a non-sensitive excerpt into the existing requirements worksheet if you want to compare it with the request. Mark the result as a reviewed proposal: no code, tests, approval or deployment was completed by this exercise.
Platforms
Privacy and human checks
Before you upload
- Remove customer names, passwords, identifying details and company secrets.
- Read the provider’s current retention, training and workspace settings.
Before you use the result
- Verify facts, sources, calculations and code against the original material.
- Have a person review important content or actions before publishing, sending or running them.
Related tasks and guides
Prepare inputs or review results in these AhaDo workflows. Copy permitted material yourself when using an external tool.
Alternatives
An AI code editor that answers questions about your project, edits files and uses coding assistants to make changes.
View comparison option GitHub CopilotAn AI coding assistant integrated with GitHub, major editors and command-line workflows.
View comparison option ReplitA browser development environment with AI features for building and deploying applications.
View comparison optionOfficial source and research status
Listed · Official-product research draft · product ownership and plans can change.
Listed means a published directory entry. Guide published means it also includes dedicated start steps and sourced prices. Neither status means real-user results have been verified.
- Official product source
- Open source ↗
- Last researched
- 2026-08-11
- Real-user evidence
- Not collected yet
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