Quick Setup and Environment Sync

Now that you’ve chosen to explore Windsurf, let’s walk through the setup process. Before using features like AI Flows or Cascade, you must get Windsurf running on your machine. This section covers launching it for the first time, understanding pricing and prompt credits, and optimizing your environment to get the most value from the tool.

How to install the Windsurf Editor

Windsurf Editor is a cross-platform, AI-powered IDE available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Regardless of your platform, installation is straightforward and only takes a few minutes. Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to the official Windsurf site.

2. Look for the “Download” button at the top-right corner of the home page. If you can’t immediately find direct download links for your OS, look for an option like “More download options.”

3. Select your platform (Windows, macOS, or Linux) and download the installer file.

Now, depending on your platform, installation steps vary slightly. Let’s break it down clearly for each:

For macOS users:

If you’re using macOS, follow the steps below:

1. Locate and open the downloaded .dmg file (usually found in your downloads folder).

2. Drag the Windsurf icon into your “Applications” folder.

3. Launch Windsurf from your “Applications” folder or use Launchpad.

4. macOS might prompt a security warning during the initial launch, stating, “This app was downloaded from the internet.” Don’t worry, just click “Open” to continue.

That’s it! Windsurf is now ready to go.

For Windows and Linux users:

For Windows and Linux, follow the steps below:

1. Double-click or run the downloaded installer (.exe for Windows, .AppImage or .deb for Linux).

2. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation process. Typically, you must agree to some default settings and choose an installation directory.

Windsurf is now successfully installed on your system!

What happens at the first launch?

Upon launching Windsurf for the first time, you’ll be guided through a straightforward initial setup process to get you comfortable and ready to code. Here’s exactly what you can expect:

1. First, Windsurf will ask you to set your preferred keymap. Suppose you’re coming from other popular editors like VS Code, Sublime, or JetBrains IDEs. In that case, you can pick the key bindings that you’re already comfortable with, so choose the one that best suits your workflow, but remember—you can always change this later in settings if you want to experiment or adjust your preference.

2. Next, you’ll select a visual theme for the editor. Whether you prefer dark mode to ease eye strain during late-night coding sessions or a brighter look, Windsurf has options for everyone. Pick your favorite—again, this can easily be changed later in settings. I personally prefer “Tokyo Night,” it really helps me code during those late nights.

3. Finally, you’ll create your Windsurf account or log in if you already have one. You can easily authenticate using a Google account or quickly set up a Windsurf-specific login. Once your account is authenticated, your initial onboarding is complete.

You should be able to see the following interface at this stage:

With these simple steps, your Windsurf setup is now officially complete, and you're ready to begin leveraging the power of AI-driven coding!

Pricing tiers

Before actually using Windsurf, let’s take a closer look at Windsurf’s pricing plans and credit system, helping you choose what fits your needs best.

Here’s a breakdown of the different pricing tiers currently:

The most important thing that you should be concerned about as a beginner to Windsurf is prompt credits. Let’s clearly explain what “prompt credits” actually mean, because understanding this helps you get the most out of Windsurf.

What are prompt credits?

Prompt credits are essentially Windsurf’s currency. Each time you interact with Windsurf’s coding agent—meaning whenever you send a message or request—it consumes prompt credits.

Here’s how it works:

• A standard interaction using a premium model typically uses 1 prompt credit.

• Different AI models might use more or fewer credits per interaction.

• You can check the exact credit usage on the “Models” page within Windsurf.

For example:

• GPT 4.1 consumes 0.25 prompt credits per interaction. (This means you can send 4 interactions per 1 credit.)

• OpenAI's o3 model consumes 1 full prompt credit per interaction.

Thus, depending on the models you choose, you can significantly stretch your credit usage.

Also, when you first sign up and install Windsurf, you receive:

• 100 prompt credits (valid for 2 weeks) to freely explore all premium models.

• After the initial 2-week period, you automatically switch to the free tier, receiving 25 prompt credits/month.

You can always upgrade your plan and then purchase additional credits as needed. If you exhaust your prompt credits and don’t want to pay, don’t worry—you’re not completely blocked out. While premium models become temporarily unavailable, Windsurf provides access to alternative free models (such as SWE-1 Lite) that remain always available, even with zero credits remaining.

This approach ensures that you always have some level of AI-powered assistance available, even between credit refills or plan upgrades. Here are a few quick tips:

• Choose less expensive models for simpler tasks and queries.

• Reserve premium models for complex problems and when accuracy matters most.

• Monitor your credit balance regularly to avoid surprises.

• Adjust your monthly plan or purchase add-on credits proactively if you anticipate heavy usage.

By the way—if you’re worried about losing your favorite VS Code extensions, relax. Windsurf is literally a fork of VS Code, meaning everything you love about your current setup carries right over. You won’t miss out on anything. It’s the same familiar environment, but now supercharged with AI flows and Cascade built right in.

What’s next?

Now that Windsurf is installed and set up—and you understand how prompt credits and pricing work—you’re ready to start using it in real coding tasks.

In the next section, we’ll walk through practical examples that show how to use Cascade and AI Flows to streamline your development workflow and reduce manual overhead.