By the end of this lesson, you will:
Definition: An AI IDE (Integrated Development Environment) is a code editor enhanced with artificial intelligence that can understand natural language, generate code, and assist with every aspect of development.
| Feature | Cursor | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $20/month | $15/month |
| Best For | Production code | Beginners & UI polish |
| AI Model | Claude 3.5 Sonnet | Claude 3.5 Sonnet |
| Special Feature | Multi-file edits | Cascade (autonomous agent) |
| Interface | VS Code-like | Apple-like polish |
💡 Recommendation Start with Windsurf if you're new to coding. Choose Cursor if you have some experience and want fine-grained control.
Download Windsurf
Visit: https://windsurf.com
Click: "Download for [Your OS]"
Size: ~200MB
Install and Launch
Initial Setup
Download Cursor
Visit: https://cursor.sh
Click: "Download"
Size: ~150MB
Configuration
Instead of writing code, you describe what you want:
Traditional Coding:
function calculateAge(birthYear) {
const currentYear = new Date().getFullYear();
return currentYear - birthYear;
}
AI IDE Approach:
"Create a function that calculates someone's age from their birth year"
todo.htmlCreate a complete todo app with:
- Add new tasks
- Mark as complete
- Delete tasks
- Nice modern styling
- Save to localStorage
Ctrl+K (Cursor) or Cmd+K (Windsurf)| Action | Cursor | Windsurf |
|---|---|---|
| Generate code | Ctrl/Cmd + K |
Cmd + K |
| Chat with AI | Ctrl/Cmd + L |
Cmd + L |
| Accept suggestion | Tab |
Tab |
| Reject suggestion | Esc |
Esc |
| Fix error | Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + K |
Auto-fixes |
AI Response Speed
Auto-completions
Theme for Long Coding
Be Specific - "Create a login form" -> "Create a login form with email validation and password strength indicator"
Iterate - First prompt won't be perfect. Refine with "Make the button blue" or "Add error handling"
Context Matters - Open relevant files so AI understands your project
Learn from AI - Ask "Explain this code" to understand what was generated
Try these prompts in your AI IDE:
Each should take less than 30 seconds to generate!
You now have a superpower that 73% of developers don't have yet. Your AI IDE is configured and ready to build anything you can imagine. Next, let's practice with real exercises!