The rise of AI-driven IDEs: Cursor, Windsurf, …

The way developers interact with their IDEs is undergoing a transformation. What was once a simple code editor has evolved into a powerful AI-assisted environment capable of writing, debugging, and optimizing code at an unprecedented speed. Traditional IDEs like VS Code rely on plugins to integrate AI features, but a new generation of AI-native IDEs like Cursor and Windsurf is emerging, reshaping how we build software. In this article, we’ll explore how these intelligent IDEs compare to traditional setups, their advantages, their pitfalls, and what this means for the future of development.