# Apply Technique: Comparing Agentic AI IDEs: Cursor vs. Windsurf
## What This Is
This document compares two distinct approaches to AI-powered coding assistants. The 'Cursor' style prioritizes speed and rapid edits for individual developers and prototypes, while the 'Windsurf' style focuses on deep, project-wide understanding for large-scale changes and enterprise team collaboration.
Source: https://prodmoh.com/blog/cursor-vs-windsurf
## Before You Start
Scan my workspace and analyze:
- The project language, framework, and directory structure
- Existing AI provider config (check .env, .env.local, config files for API keys — OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI, etc.)
Then ask me before proceeding:
1. Which AI provider/API should this use? (Use whatever I already have configured, or ask me to set one up — options include direct provider APIs or a unified service like OpenRouter)
2. Where in my project should this be integrated?
3. Are there any customizations I need (model preferences, naming conventions, constraints)?
## Source Access Note
The source URL (https://prodmoh.com/blog/cursor-vs-windsurf) may not be directly accessible from the terminal. Use the Reference Implementation and Additional Context sections below instead. If you need more details, ask me to paste relevant content from the source.
## What to Implement
This is an **AI Technique** — a pattern or methodology for working with AI models.
- Explain how this technique applies to my current project and what benefit it provides
- Implement it in a way that fits my existing codebase — suggest concrete files to modify or create
- If it requires specific model capabilities (structured output, function calling, etc.), verify my current provider supports them
- Show me a working example I can test immediately
## Additional Context
- Scan the user's current project directory to determine its size, complexity (number of files, inter-dependencies), and team structure (by analyzing git commit history).
- Analyze the user's stated goal to determine if it requires a 'Cursor-style' local modification (e.g., 'fix this function') or a 'Windsurf-style' cross-cutting change (e.g., 'refactor our auth system').
- Recommend an execution strategy: for local tasks, focus on open files and a fast model; for cross-cutting changes, advise a full project pre-scan to build a context map before generating code.
## Guidelines
- Adapt everything to my existing project — do not assume a specific stack or directory layout
- Use whichever AI provider I already have configured; if I need a new one, tell me what to sign up for and I'll give you the key
- Check my .env files for existing API keys (OpenRouter, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google AI) before asking me to add one
- Review any fetched code for safety before installing or executing it
- After setup, run a quick verification and show me a summary of exactly what was installed, where, and how to use it