Blog · October 24, 2026 · Agentdex Editorial

Windsurf AI Guide (2026): Devin Desktop Features, Setup and Pricing

Windsurf AI is now called Devin Desktop (Agentdex profile). On June 2, 2026, Cognition renamed the Windsurf editor to Devin Desktop. It is the same AI code editor with the same settings, extensions and pricing, but the default agent and main view have changed. If you are searching for Windsurf AI, this guide explains what the product is today, what changed with the rename, its main features, how to get started, and what it costs, based on official Devin docs and pricing as of October 24, 2026.

Key Takeaways

Windsurf was renamed Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026. Your settings, extensions and plan carried over.
Devin Local replaced Cascade as the default agent. Cognition says it uses up to 30% fewer tokens and adds subagents, sandboxing and finer permissions.
The Agent Command Center, with Spaces and a Kanban view for running several agents, is now the main view. The classic editor is still there.
Pricing: Free, Pro $20/month, Max $200/month, Teams $80/month plus $40 per seat (up to 200 users), and custom Enterprise.
It runs on Mac, Windows and Linux and can import settings from VS Code or Cursor (Agentdex profile).

A developer desk with two monitors showing code in a dark-themed AI code editor

A short history: Codeium, Windsurf, Devin Desktop

Date	What happened
April 2025	Codeium renamed itself Windsurf, after its AI editor
July 14, 2025	Cognition, the company behind the Devin agent, signed an agreement to take over Windsurf
June 2, 2026	The Windsurf editor was renamed Devin Desktop, with Devin Local as the default agent

You may still read that OpenAI bought Windsurf. That deal was reported in 2025 but did not go through; Cognition took over the product. Today Windsurf and Devin Desktop refer to the same editor, and windsurf.com points to Devin's site.

What Devin Desktop is

Devin Desktop is a standalone AI code editor built on VS Code. It combines a normal editor (files, terminal, extensions, Git) with AI that works at three levels: Tab completion as you type, Command for quick inline edits, and an agent for multi-step tasks across your codebase. The agent can also hand work to Devin Cloud, Cognition's cloud agent, so long tasks run without tying up your laptop.

What changed with the rename

New default agent: Devin Local replaces Cascade for new conversations. Devin Local supports Plan, Normal and Ask modes, subagents, sandboxing, git worktrees and fine-grained permissions.
Agent Command Center: the main view now organizes work into Spaces and a Kanban board so you can run and track several agents at once.
Command line: the surf launcher is replaced by devin-desktop.
Config locations: rules now live in .devin/rules/ (the old .windsurfrules file is still read), MCP servers are set in .devin/config.json, and .devinignore controls what the agent can see. AGENTS.md is supported and Cursor rules can be imported.
What Devin Local does not support yet: Cascade memories, workflows, App Deploys and Arena mode. A Cascade Migration Wizard converts workflows into skills.
JetBrains: the Windsurf JetBrains plugin is in maintenance mode. Cognition recommends using Devin in JetBrains IDEs through the Agent Client Protocol (ACP).

Our Windsurf rules guide covers how to write and migrate rules files for the new layout.

Main features

Feature	What it does
Tab	Predicts your next edit. Tab to Jump moves the cursor to the next likely edit; Tab to Import adds missing imports
Command (Cmd/Ctrl+I)	Inline edits and terminal commands from a plain-English instruction
Devin Local	The agent for multi-file tasks, with Plan, Normal and Ask modes, subagents and sandboxing
Devin Cloud	Hand a task to a cloud agent and review the result later
Previews	Preview your web app in the editor or browser, select elements and capture errors to send straight to the agent
Codemaps	Shareable, hierarchical maps of your codebase that show execution flow and how components relate
DeepWiki	Hover over a function, variable or class to get an AI explanation of unfamiliar code
Fast Context	Quick code search for the agent, powered by Cognition's SWE-grep models
Quick Review	An agentic code review of your local changes
AI commit messages	Generates commit messages from your diff
MCP	Connect external tools such as databases and issue trackers
Remote development	SSH, Dev Containers and WSL

A laptop on a wooden desk showing an AI code editor with a terminal panel open

How to get started

Download Devin Desktop for Mac, Windows or Linux from devin.ai and sign in. The Free plan needs no payment details.
On first launch, import your settings, extensions and keybindings from VS Code or Cursor if you use them.
Open a project folder. Extensions install from the Open VSX registry.
Start in Plan mode with a contained task, such as "add tests for the payment helpers", and review the plan before letting the agent act.
Add a rules file in .devin/rules/ with your stack, test command and conventions so the agent stops guessing.
Turn on the terminal launcher (devin-desktop) if you open projects from the command line.

Pricing

Plan	Price	What you get
Free	$0	Light agent quota, limited models, unlimited Tab and inline edits
Pro	$20/month	Frontier models from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and others plus open models, free SWE-2 model, Devin Cloud, extra usage at API pricing
Max	$200/month	Larger quotas than Pro for heavy daily use
Teams	$80/month + $40 per full seat	Up to 200 users, centralized billing and collaboration
Enterprise	Custom	SAML/OIDC SSO, VPC and dedicated deployment options

Quotas refresh daily and weekly. On Pro, Max and Teams you can buy extra usage at API list prices once the included quota runs out; on Free you wait for the reset. Frontier models use quota much faster than smaller models, so pick the model to fit the task. Prices are from devin.ai/pricing as of October 24, 2026. Older figures you may see, such as "25 prompt credits" or a $40/user Teams plan, belong to Windsurf's retired credit system. Our Windsurf pricing guide and Devin pricing guide go deeper.

Using Windsurf in other editors

If you do not want to switch editors, Windsurf Plugins bring Windsurf's AI to JetBrains IDEs, VS Code, Eclipse, Visual Studio and Neovim. Note that the JetBrains plugin is in maintenance mode, and for JetBrains users Cognition now points to Devin over ACP instead.

Tips for getting good results

Plan before you build. Use Plan mode for anything bigger than a one-file change, and correct the plan before the agent starts editing.
Use Ask mode for questions. When you only want an explanation, Ask mode avoids accidental edits.
Run parallel work in worktrees. If you start several agents from the Agent Command Center, give each its own git worktree so they do not edit the same files.
Set permissions deliberately. Fine-grained permissions and sandboxing let you decide which commands the agent can run without asking.
Keep secrets out of context. Add .env files and other sensitive paths to .devinignore.
Match model to task. On Pro, use the free SWE-2 model or open models for routine edits and save frontier models for hard problems.

Strengths and trade-offs

Strengths: a capable free plan with unlimited Tab, a familiar VS Code-style editor, multi-agent management in one place, built-in previews and code maps, and a clear path from local agent to cloud agent.
Trade-offs: the rename and agent switch mean older tutorials are out of date; some Cascade features (memories, workflows, App Deploys) are not in Devin Local; and the Microsoft extension marketplace is not available, since it uses Open VSX.
Who it suits: developers who want an AI-first editor with a free starting point and plan to run several agent tasks at once.

Two developers pair programming at a standing desk with a code editor and terminal on screen

Devin Desktop vs Cursor and other options

The closest competitor is Cursor, which also builds on VS Code and sells tiered plans with its own agent and cloud agents. Devin Desktop's Pro plan is $20/month; Cursor's comparable Premium plan is $30/month, with third-party models billed at API list price. See Windsurf vs Cursor for the full comparison, or Windsurf alternatives if you want something else. For an open-source agent that runs inside VS Code with your own keys, read our Cline guide.

FAQ

Is Windsurf AI still available?

Yes, under a new name. Windsurf was renamed Devin Desktop on June 2, 2026. It is the same editor, and existing settings, extensions and plans carried over.

Who owns Windsurf?

Cognition, the company behind Devin. Cognition signed an agreement to take over Windsurf in July 2025. Reports that OpenAI acquired Windsurf are out of date; that deal did not go through.

Is Devin Desktop free?

There is a Free plan with a light agent quota, limited models and unlimited Tab and inline edits. Pro costs $20/month and Max $200/month.

What happened to Cascade?

Devin Local replaced Cascade as the default agent, and new conversations no longer start on Cascade. Some Cascade features such as memories and workflows are not supported in Devin Local; a migration wizard converts workflows into skills.

Does Devin Desktop work on Linux?

Yes. It is available for Mac, Windows and Linux.

Can I still use .windsurfrules?

Yes. Devin Desktop still reads .windsurfrules, but new rules belong in .devin/rules/. It also supports AGENTS.md and can import Cursor rules.

Written by Agentdex Editorial. Agentdex is an independent directory reviewing AI coding tools; we are not affiliated with the companies mentioned. Prices and features are as of October 24, 2026, from official sources linked above. Always confirm on the vendor's site.