Lessons from the experiment#
This test wasn’t about winning or losing. It was about discovering the personality of each tool through a shared challenge.
Cursor is…#
A quiet but powerful partner. It understood logic-heavy tasks easily, explained decisions succinctly, and required minimal nudging. It didn’t always over-design the UI, but it got the logic right, consistently.
Cursor may be best suited for developers who value strong reasoning and want to move quickly, such as solo builders or those with clear specs.
Windsurf is…#
A more talkative copilot. It was helpful, showed its work, and sometimes surprised me with creative flourishes (like test mode). But it needed more hand-holding with complex logic and misfired a few times before settling into rhythm.
It’s better suited to collaborative developers who enjoy shaping the outcome or beginners who appreciate seeing AI suggestions with clear choices.
Final word (for now)#
This review captures my first-time project-based experience using Cursor and Windsurf to build a slightly advanced habit tracker. These insights are not definitive—future projects may reveal more nuances or completely reverse some impressions.
But one thing’s clear: both tools represent a fascinating evolution of how we code.
Cursor is already helping me focus more on what I want to build than how I’ll build it. With its visible AI interactions, Windsurf feels like a sandbox—sometimes messy, sometimes magical.
I’ll keep both in my toolkit — and I’m excited to see how they grow.