GitHub Copilot started this mess in 2021. Now we have 47 different AI tools that all claim to make coding easier but mostly just break your workflow in new and creative ways.
Instead of Stack Overflow, we now argue with robots about semicolons. The tools have genuinely changed how we write code, but not necessarily for the better. Here's the reality of what happened when AI invaded your IDE.
How We Got Here (And Why We Can't Go Back)
GitHub Copilot won because Microsoft shoved it into everyone's VS Code and most developers are too lazy to switch tools. Also, it actually works most of the time, which puts it ahead of 80% of the competition. They've got over 1 million paying subscribers by now, which honestly surprises me given how often it suggests import * from 'lodash' for everything. The official documentation is surprisingly helpful once you get past the Microsoft corporate speak, though their pricing model keeps changing with new usage limits that nobody asked for.
Cursor said "fuck plugins" and rebuilt VS Code from scratch with AI baked in. Smart move, except now you have to migrate your entire workflow. Their recent pricing changes basically doubled costs for heavy users - classic "burn VC money until we figure out pricing" strategy. The Cursor community has been vocal about these changes, and their GitHub issues reveal the growing pains of a rapidly scaling AI-first editor.
Windsurf is the new hotness from the Codeium team, basically their attempt to go from "free alternative" to "real competitor". They're trying to be different with "AI agents" that allegedly write entire features for you. I've used it since the Codeium days - the agent sometimes deletes entire functions and acts like it's helping. Error: Cannot find module './auth/middleware' after the agent "cleaned up" my imports. But when it works, it's genuinely impressive. Still buggy as hell though. The Windsurf documentation details their ambitious vision for autonomous coding.
Claude Code costs more than my rent if you actually use it, but it's scary good at understanding what you're trying to do. Built on Anthropic's Claude 3.5 Sonnet, it actually reads and understands complex codebases. I used it to refactor a 50,000-line monolith and it actually suggested better architecture patterns. Worth it if someone else is paying. The Anthropic documentation explains their approach to code understanding, and their safety principles set them apart from other AI companies.
The Reality Nobody Talks About
Integration Philosophy: Some tools are plugins (Copilot, Codeium) that work with your existing editor. Others (Cursor, Windsurf) force you to use their editor. Claude Code runs in a browser like it's 2010. Pick your poison.
Pricing Models: Windsurf is free-ish until it throttles you at the worst possible moment. GitHub Copilot starts at $10/month until you hit usage limits and suddenly need the $39 plan. Cursor sounds cheap at $20/month until your entire team needs licenses. Claude Code will bankrupt freelancers.
AI Model Strategy: They all use different AI models, which means they're all wrong in their own special ways. GitHub Copilot thinks everything should be jQuery. TypeError: $ is not defined - thanks, Copilot. Cursor wants to import the entire internet. Claude Code writes code like a computer science professor - technically correct but overly complex.
