Boost your productivity with Windsurf, the AI-assisted IDE that understands your codebase, supports natural language prompts, and helps you build, refactor, and debug faster. In this chapter, you’ll learn Windsurf essentials, explore its Chat and Write modes, and run your first AI queries for code generation and debugging.

Windsurf essentials

Meet the Cascade agent

Choosing Cascade modes

Running your first AI queries

Identify the right mode

Options

Write Mode

Chat Mode

Classify Cascade panel actions

Seeing the bigger picture with context

Why context matters

Not Enough Context

Helpful Context

Giving Cascade the right context

Getting Started with Windsurf

Learn how to leverage Cascade’s advanced features to search code intelligently, integrate external resources, maintain coding standards with memory and rules, and automate multi-step processes with workflows.

Searching through code-bases with Windsurf

Keyword vs. semantic search

Spot the search type

Super-searching with web & doc tools

Know your coding assistant

Search like a pro

Maintaining context with memory and rules

Never forget your fitness rules

Enforce the fitness app rules

Orchestrating complete workflows

Which task needs a workflow?

Workflows: where to start?

Building Workflows with Cascade

Learn how to scaffold, secure, deploy, and monitor a full-stack News app in Windsurf, going from prototype to production in a single day using project generation, JWT authentication, OWASP security checks, and integrated deployment tools.

Scaffolding the news app

What did Windsurf build?

Choose the right generation method

Adding security and authentication

Fix the security gaps

The authentication and security flow

Deploying, monitoring & iterating

Deploying your Windsurf app

Keep your app alive

Congratulations!

Prototype to Production in a Day

Step into the future of coding with Windsurf, the AI-powered IDE built to make software development faster, smarter, and more intuitive. In this course, you’ll discover how to harness AI to write, debug, and refactor code faster, automate repetitive tasks, and keep projects secure with built-in rules and workflows. From scaffolding a full-stack news app to deploying it live with authentication and monitoring, this course empowers you to build efficiently with AI by your side. Perfect for developers at any level.

<h2>Build Smarter with AI-Powered Development</h2> 

Software development is evolving with the rise of AI-assisted tools, and Windsurf is leading the way. This course introduces you to this coding IDE, designed to understand your projects, streamline workflows, and accelerate development with AI. You’ll learn how to set up a context-aware workspace, leverage Cascade’s Chat and Write modes, and build functional applications faster than ever before.<br>

<h2>Master AI-Driven Coding Tools</h2> 

Go beyond simple autocomplete with Windsurf’s advanced features. Practice using semantic search, web and doc integrations, and Cascade’s agentic workflows to debug, refactor, and expand your projects. Learn how to define rules that enforce coding standards, use memory for long-term context, and automate repetitive tasks with custom workflows.<br> 

<h2>Develop and Deploy Real Applications</h2> 

Put your skills into practice by building a full-stack React and Node.js news app. You’ll scaffold projects in minutes, secure them with JWT authentication and OWASP-based checks, and deploy them to production with monitoring agents to ensure reliability. By the end of the course, you’ll be able to confidently create, secure, and deploy applications using Windsurf’s AI-powered development environment.<br> 

Boost your coding with Windsurf, the AI-powered IDE that helps you build, debug, and deploy faster.

Software Development with Windsurf

AI voor softwareontwikkeling

AI Curriculum Manager, DataCamp

Windsurf: an intelligent coding assistant

Course goals

A standalone agentic IDE

Get Started!

After installation

Step 1: Choose setup flow

Step 2: Choose a theme

Step 3: Sign in or create your account

Windsurf interface

Cascade modes

Cascade chat mode

Cascade write mode

Let's practice!

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Getting Started with Windsurf - Windsurf essentials

Windsurf essentials

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