Summary of Reddit Comments on "Claude Code vs Windsurf vs Cursor"

Claude Code

• Pros:
  • Good at writing small, focused bits of code.
  • Useful for building almost anything when used correctly.
  • Can be effective for quick, small tasks.
• Cons:
  • Can make errors and produce messy code, especially in complex projects.
  • Might not be reliable in more extensive or intricate codebases.

Windsurf

• Pros:
  • Provides agentic workflows for code changes.
• Cons:
  • Users have reported multiple bugs including autocomplete issues and random problems.
  • Some find it buggy and slow, impacting productivity.
  • Buggy interactions with other tools like MCP calls and disappearing chat windows.

Cursor

• Pros:
  • Offers Agent Mode for coding assistance.
• Cons:
  • Users have experienced issues such as edits outside the requested function or removal of parameters.
  • Requires manual addition of context files compared to Windsurf, which automatically applies context to the whole folder.

General AI Tools

• Pros:
  • Can be helpful for code completion, code reviews, and generating quick components.
• Cons:
  • Users generally recommend using AI as a tool for assistance rather than a complete replacement for manual coding.
  • Some caution against overreliance on AI-generated code, emphasizing the importance of human understanding and context.

Overall Tips and Insights

• Writing tests is crucial to prevent issues when making changes.
• Recommendations to document progress, break down projects, and create handover docs for AI to continue tasks.
• Using AI efficiently for smaller, focused tasks rather than large changes.
• Implementing brainstorming sessions separately from actual coding with AI.
• Advising AI to refer to the specific package documentation before implementation.

Developer Best Practices

• Emphasize writing maintainable, concise code over focusing on lines of code.
• Utilize AI for tasks like research, answering questions, and fixing code as a last resort.
• Maintain a balance between AI assistance and manual coding for continuous learning and skill improvement.

These summaries provide insights into the strengths and weaknesses of Claude Code, Windsurf, and Cursor, along with general advice on using AI tools effectively in coding workflows.