Spec-driven agentic AI IDE from AWS, built on Code OSS (the VS Code foundation), that transforms ad-hoc prompting into a structured workflow by auto-generating requirements documents, design specs, and implementation plans before writing code. Kiro keeps AI-written code tied to explicit acceptance criteria defined up front.
Alternatives to Discontinued Windsurf
historical guide · 3 editor-verified alternatives · Windsurf overview →
source: tools.alternatives · stored order · active records only; review scores are annotations and never change membership or order
discontinued Windsurf became Devin Desktop on 2026-06-02. Official Windsurf and Codeium Windsurf URLs now redirect to Devin Desktop, while the active product surface continues under the Devin brand.
VS Code fork with Builder Mode for full-stack project generation from natural language prompts. Offers free access to Claude 3.7 Sonnet, GPT-4o, and DeepSeek models. With 6M+ users and a cloud IDE option, Trae is one of the most accessible AI coding tools for developers who want powerful AI features without upfront costs or complex setup.
Google Antigravity is Google's AI-powered agentic development platform, announced in November 2025 and expanded with Antigravity 2.0 at I/O 2026, that places autonomous AI agents at the center of software development. Distributed as both a VS Code-based desktop app and the new Antigravity CLI, it runs planning, implementation, and verification agents — backed by Gemini 3.1 Pro/Flash, Claude Sonnet/Opus 4.6, and GPT-OSS 120B — across editor, terminal, and browser.
Free Windsurf alternatives
Kiro, Trae, Google Antigravity offer a free plan or free tier.
Windsurf head-to-head
- Codeium vs Windsurf — Legacy Extension vs Agentic IDE →
- GitHub Copilot vs Windsurf — AI-Native IDE or Multi-Platform Assistant? →
- Windsurf vs Cline — Subscription AI IDE vs Open-Source VS Code Agent →
- Lovable vs Windsurf — No-Code AI App Builder vs AI-Enhanced Professional IDE →
- Claude Code vs Windsurf — Terminal Agent vs AI IDE for Agentic Development →
- Cursor vs Windsurf — AI-Native IDE Comparison for Developers in 2026 →
- Kiro vs Cursor vs Windsurf — AI IDE Comparison for 2025 →
- Cursor vs Windsurf vs Zed — AI Code Editor Showdown →
- Cursor vs Trae vs Windsurf — A Comparison of 3 AI Editors →
- Trae vs Windsurf — Free AI Editor Battle →
FAQ
What is the best Windsurf alternative?
Kiro tops our editor-verified list of 3 Windsurf alternatives, scoring 80/100 in our hands-on review.
Are there free Windsurf alternatives?
Yes — Kiro, Trae, Google Antigravity offer a free plan or free tier.
What should I use instead of Windsurf?
Windsurf has been discontinued — Windsurf became Devin Desktop on 2026-06-02. Official Windsurf and Codeium Windsurf URLs now redirect to Devin Desktop, while the active product surface continues under the Devin brand. The closest editor-verified replacements are Kiro, Trae, Google Antigravity.