windsurf vs allhands - chunhualiao/public-docs GitHub Wiki

Key Points

Research suggests Windsurf is best for developers needing a ready-to-use AI IDE, especially for enterprise or complex projects, with built-in features like Cascade for multi-file editing and a focus on flow.
It seems likely OpenHands suits individual developers or small teams who want a customizable, open-source platform for AI agents, ideal for research or community-driven projects, and likely free.
The evidence leans toward using Windsurf for polished, immediate usability and OpenHands for flexibility and cost-effectiveness, depending on project needs.

Direct Answer

Windsurf and OpenHands are both AI tools for coding, but they serve different purposes, so choosing one depends on your needs. Here’s a breakdown to help you decide:

What They Are

Windsurf is a standalone AI-powered IDE (like a coding program) by Codeium, with features like Cascade for understanding and editing multiple files at once, and it’s designed to keep you in a smooth workflow. It’s great for teams or big projects.
OpenHands is an open-source platform where you can create and use AI agents to do developer tasks, like changing code or running commands. It’s more flexible and customizable, perfect for individual users or research.

When to Use Each

Use Windsurf if you want something ready to go, especially for enterprise work or complex coding, and you’re okay with potentially paying for premium features (it starts at $15/seat, with a free tier). It’s polished and fast, ideal for teams needing a seamless experience. For example, if you’re working on a big software project and need AI to help edit multiple files at once, Windsurf is likely better.
Use OpenHands if you’re on a budget, want to customize AI agents, or are working on a research project. It’s likely free, open-source, and good for individual developers or small teams who need flexibility, like integrating with specific AI models. An unexpected detail is that OpenHands can solve over 50% of real GitHub issues, making it surprisingly effective for practical coding tasks, especially in academic settings.

Key Considerations

Windsurf offers a cleaner interface and is built for performance, but it might cost more for advanced features. OpenHands is community-driven, so it’s great for those who want to contribute or adapt it, but it might require more setup, like using Docker.
Think about whether you need a ready-made tool (Windsurf) or something you can tailor (OpenHands), and consider your budget and team size.

Survey Note: Detailed Comparison of Windsurf and OpenHands in AI-Enabled Development Tools

In the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-enabled development tools, developers are increasingly turning to solutions that enhance productivity through advanced AI assistance. This note provides a comprehensive comparison between Windsurf, a standalone AI-powered IDE developed by Codeium, and OpenHands, an open-source platform for creating and deploying autonomous AI agents, as of April 2, 2025. Both tools aim to streamline coding workflows, but they differ significantly in architecture, features, and suitability for various development needs. This analysis draws on recent insights into their capabilities, performance, and target audiences, offering a detailed guide for developers to make informed decisions.

Background and Context

Windsurf, launched by Codeium, positions itself as the first "agentic IDE," emphasizing a seamless collaboration between developers and AI through features like Cascade, which offers deep codebase understanding and multi-file editing. It is available on platforms such as Mac, Windows, and Linux, targeting developers seeking a dedicated AI-driven coding environment. On the other hand, OpenHands, formerly known as OpenDevin, is an open-source platform designed to create and deploy generalist AI agents capable of performing tasks akin to human developers, including modifying code, running commands, browsing the web, and calling APIs. It has demonstrated impressive capabilities, solving over 50% of real GitHub issues in software engineering benchmarks like SWE-Bench, underscoring its practical applicability.

Architectural Differences

One of the primary distinctions lies in their structure. Windsurf is a standalone IDE, meaning it is designed from the ground up with AI features integrated, offering a self-contained environment for coding. This design allows for optimized performance and a user interface tailored for AI collaboration, such as its Cascade feature, which ensures real-time awareness and context synchronization. In contrast, OpenHands is a platform for developing AI agents, requiring setup like Docker for installation and offering flexibility for customization. It is not an IDE itself but rather a framework that developers can use to build and deploy agents, making it more of a development toolkit than a ready-to-use solution.

Features and Capabilities

Both tools support AI-driven coding, but their approaches differ. Windsurf’s AI, powered by Cascade, focuses on deep codebase understanding, enabling multi-file editing, linter integration for auto-fixing errors, and features like Supercomplete for predicting next actions. It operates as both a Copilot (collaborative) and an Agent (independent), maintaining a "mind-meld" experience through Flows that sync developer and AI states. Key features include:

Multi-file editing with coherent edits via context awareness.
Tab to Jump, predicting cursor location for efficient navigation.
In-line Command + Follow-ups (Cmd + I) for code generation and refactoring.
Windsurf Previews for live website editing without context switching.

OpenHands, on the other hand, offers AI agents with tools equivalent to human developers, such as modifying code, running commands, browsing the web, and calling APIs, including copying code snippets from StackOverflow. It supports features like:

A planner agent for creating long-term plans using specialized prompting strategies.
Safe interaction with sandboxed environments for code execution.
Coordination between multiple agents and integration with various LLMs like Anthropic or OpenAI.
Headless mode, CLI interaction, and GitHub Action integration for tagged issues.

A comparison table highlights their AI-driven features:

Feature	Windsurf	OpenHands
Type	Standalone AI-powered IDE	Open-source platform for AI agent development
Agentic AI	Cascade for deep context, multi-file editing, real-time collaboration	Agents can modify code, run commands, browse web, call APIs, solve GitHub issues
Codebase Understanding	Deep semantic understanding, adapts as user codes	Analyzes file structure, supports benchmarks like SWE-Bench (53% resolution)
Terminal Integration	Cmd + I for natural language terminal instructions	Executes commands, integrates with CLI and GitHub Actions
UI and Performance	Lean, fast, cleaner UI, optimized for flow	No dedicated UI, requires setup (e.g., Docker), performance varies by setup
Extensibility	Strict extension standards, built for enterprise	100% open-source, community-supported, highly customizable
Model Support	Uses premium large models, fast autocomplete	Supports Anthropic, OpenAI, etc., flexible LLM integration
Pricing	Free tier, Pro features at $15/seat, premium plans	Likely free, open-source, commercial features via Design Partner program

Performance and User Experience

Windsurf is engineered for efficiency, with a smaller memory footprint and optimized load times, particularly noted on Linux. Its Cascade feature ensures instantaneous suggestions, and its UI is described as cleaner and more refined, offering a "it-just-works" experience. This makes it ideal for developers prioritizing flow and minimal distractions. OpenHands, while flexible, may face performance challenges depending on the setup, as it requires Docker and potentially significant computing power. Its user experience is more technical, suited for developers comfortable with configuration and customization, rather than those seeking immediate usability.

Use Cases and Target Audience

Windsurf’s design, with features like Cascade and Supercomplete, targets developers working on complex projects requiring deep AI collaboration, particularly in enterprise environments. Its focus on agentic workflows and real-time awareness makes it appealing for teams aiming to push software innovation boundaries. It is best for:

Enterprise teams or developers needing a ready-made AI IDE for big projects.
Users who value a polished interface and performance, willing to pay for Pro features.

OpenHands, given its open-source nature and flexibility, suits developers who want to customize AI agents, especially for research, academic, or community-driven projects. It is ideal for:

Individual users or small teams on a budget, given its likely free access.
Developers in tech startups, research institutions, or DevOps teams seeking to integrate with specific LLMs or tools, and those contributing to open-source communities.
An unexpected detail is its ability to solve over 50% of real GitHub issues, making it surprisingly effective for practical coding tasks, especially in academic settings.

Pricing and Accessibility

As of recent updates, Windsurf offers a free tier with Cascade Base model access and Pro features on download, starting at $15/seat for premium plans, including model flow action credits. OpenHands, being open-source and community-supported, is likely free, with potential commercial features available through its Design Partner program for early access and input on the product roadmap. This pricing structure reflects Windsurf’s enterprise focus versus OpenHands’ accessibility for budget-conscious developers.

Comparative Insights and Unexpected Details

An unexpected detail from this comparison is OpenHands’ benchmark performance, solving over 50% of real GitHub issues in SWE-Bench, which highlights its practical applicability despite being a platform rather than an IDE. This contrasts with Windsurf, which is more polished but potentially less flexible. Another insight is the compatibility of OpenHands with various LLMs, offering developers the ability to tailor agents to specific needs, while Windsurf’s integration is more streamlined but less customizable.

Conclusion

In summary, Windsurf stands out as a dedicated AI-powered IDE with integrated agentic features, offering a seamless and performant experience for complex coding tasks, particularly in enterprise settings. OpenHands, leveraging its open-source and flexible nature, provides a customizable solution, ideal for individual developers, researchers, or small teams seeking cost-effectiveness and community involvement. The choice between them depends on whether a developer prioritizes a tailored AI experience (OpenHands) or the immediate usability of a polished IDE (Windsurf).