Cursor vs GitHub Copilot vs Windsurf: Which AI IDE Wins in 2026
TL;DR - 3-sentence verdict covering which tool wins for different developer profiles (solo devs, teams, specific languages/frameworks) Cursor dominates for solo developers and startups who prioritize speed and contextual awareness—its multi-file editing with Cmd+K and codebase-wide understanding via @Codebase makes refactoring React components or migrating Django models 3x faster than competitors. GitHub Copilot remains the enterprise standard for teams already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, offering unmatched integration with Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions workflows, and corporate compliance frameworks. Windsurf emerges as the dark horse for full-stack developers working across TypeScript/Node.js backends and Next.js frontends, with its Cascade feature excelling at coordinating changes across API routes, database schemas, and frontend components simultaneously. ...