Is Windsurf and Cursor, just forks of VSCODE? · Builder’s Console Log 🛠️

Nov '25 (edited) • General

Is Windsurf and Cursor, just forks of VSCODE?

Starting to unpack this world of IDEs, its interesting from a product designer standpoint how these tools /platforms are developed.

@Corbin Brown

what was the OG IDE of these variants?

Also, how long has coding been in the dark ages? MY GOD. Feels like this is what coding should have been like all along. Its taken AI/vibe coding to make other development disciplines like myself to fully understand what it must've been like prior to this very recent boom in AI.

This is equivalent to designers drafting with pencils before the advent of 3D modeling. But 3D/manufacturing has been established for decades now. Why has it software taken so long to become user-friendly? I guess the simple answer is AI, lol.

Anyways ....

I see cursor and windsurf (essentially identical - points to multiagent in cursor) are more comprensive for full dev.

Then there are other front end / vibe focused coding platforms EG. Loveable /Stitch / Probab 100 others at this point..

Also, I came across this other IDE - Builder.IO which is seems to be focusing on capturing a more product/visual style of development which I personall am drawn to because its leveraging creative tools like Figma for designers or people that have an idea of what exactly they want to build instead of prompting and letting the AI run wild with it. Worth checking out.

1 comment