01C
Continueby continue.dev
Continueby continue.devThe leading open-source AI code assistant for VS Code and JetBrains — plug in any model, local or hosted, for completions and chat right in your editor.
View Continue →Open-Source AI · Alternatives
Open-Source Alternatives to Windsurf
Windsurf brought agentic, flow-based AI coding to a polished editor — but it is a paid, cloud product. Open-source tools now offer the same in-editor AI agents and completions using open models you control. Here are the best open-source alternatives to Windsurf, what each is best at, and how to run one.
Updated regularly · curated by olud.ai
Why choose an open-source alternative?
🔒
Privacy & control
Run models on your own machine or servers so your prompts and data never leave your control — no third party sees them.
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Lower cost
Run locally for free, or use a hosted option that is often far cheaper per token, with no monthly subscription.
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Customization
Fine-tune on your own data, change behaviour, and integrate the tool deeply into your own products and workflows.
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No vendor lock-in
The software is yours to keep. No surprise deprecations, no forced upgrades, no sudden price hikes pulling the rug out.
The best open-source Windsurf alternatives in 2026
These are open-source assistants and models that bring AI into your editor or terminal — and can run fully offline with a local model.
02A
Aiderby Aider-AI
Aiderby Aider-AIAn AI pair programmer in your terminal that edits your files and commits to git, ideal for multi-file changes across a whole project.
View Aider →03T
Tabbyby TabbyML
Tabbyby TabbyMLA self-hosted AI coding assistant you run on your own server — a strong choice for teams that need completions without sending code to the cloud.
View Tabby →04C
Clineby cline
Clineby clineAn autonomous coding agent inside VS Code that can plan and carry out multi-step tasks, not just suggest single lines.
View Cline →05Q
Qwen Coderby Alibaba
A top open code-specialized model that powers many of these assistants, with excellent completion and reasoning over code.
View Qwen Coder →06DDeepSeek Coder & Codestralby DeepSeek / Mistral
Strong open coding models from DeepSeek and Mistral, great for fast, high-quality local code completion.
View DeepSeek models →How to set up an open coding assistant
Bring AI into your editor with an open-source extension, point it at a model, and you are done — optionally running fully offline.
🧩 Continue
Install the extension in VS Code or JetBrains, then connect any model for completions and chat.
🖥️ Cline
Add it to VS Code for an autonomous agent that can plan and edit across multiple files.
🦙 Ollama
Run a coding model locally so completions work fully offline, with your code never leaving your machine.
☁️ Hosted API
Prefer a bigger model? Point your assistant at a low-cost API like OpenRouter instead of running locally.
Tip: for the best results, pair an assistant like Continue or Cline with a strong open coding model such as Qwen Coder, DeepSeek Coder or Codestral.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to Windsurf?
Yes. Cline and Continue in VS Code, driven by a local model via Ollama, provide agentic edits and completions for free.
Can I run an AI coding agent offline?
Yes. Cline or Continue with a local model run fully offline — your code and prompts stay on your machine.
Which open model works best for agentic coding?
Qwen Coder and DeepSeek Coder handle multi-step edits well; larger models improve reliability if your hardware allows.
Do these support agent-style multi-file edits?
Yes. Cline and Aider are built for agentic, multi-file changes, similar to Windsurf's flow.
Is it really private?
Self-hosted, yes — nothing is sent to a third-party server, unlike Windsurf.
Explore the open-source AI directory
Browse thousands of open-source AI tools, models and projects — all curated in one place.
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