Windsurf IDE Wave 3 by Codeium - MCP Support, Turbo Mode and more
Windsurf Wave 3 enhances AI-assisted development with innovations like MCP integration, advanced predictive AI, autonomous command execution, and user-friendly enhancements.
Last month, I wrote about the Windsurf Wave 2 update. To my surprise, Codeium has already launched Windsurf Wave 3, a release packed with groundbreaking features that redefine AI-assisted development.
This update, released on February 13, 2025, introduces tools that streamline workflows, enhance automation, and bridge the gap between code and external services. Below, I break down the key innovations and explain why developers should be excited.
Key Features of Windsurf Wave 3
MCP Integration: Connect AI to External Tools
MCP Integration is one that I got most excited about. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) enables secure integration with third-party services, allowing Cascade to access external data sources through standardized JSON configurations. Example setup:
// ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
{
"mcpServers": {
"google-maps": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-google-maps"
],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "<YOUR_API_KEY>"
}
}
}
}
After configuration, Cascade treats MCP servers as additional tool options, seamlessly integrating external data into its decision-making process. While available for individual plans now, Teams and Enterprise support is coming soon with administrative controls.
Check out this video
(For detailed setup instructions, see the MCP tutorial by Codeium. I will be making a tutorial soon on setting it up)
Check out my previous posts here:
Tab-to-Jump: Evolution of Predictive AI
The "Tab" key's capabilities have evolved from simple autocomplete to Supercomplete, and now to intelligent cursor navigation with tab-to-jump. This feature predicts where you'll want to edit next and moves your cursor there automatically:
As part of Wave 3, Codeium now offers unlimited Autocomplete and Supercomplete suggestions to all users. Paid plans get unlimited tab-to-jump suggestions and access to an enhanced "Fast Mode" toggle in settings.
Turbo Mode: Autonomous Command Execution
Building on Wave 1's Automated Terminal Commands, Turbo Mode allows Cascade to execute commands autonomously, dramatically speeding up development workflows. It’s like Agents that will take up end-to-end execution autonomously without much developer interference.
Enhanced Model Support with Transparent Credit Usage
Wave 3 introduces support for multiple AI models with varying credit costs:
Claude 3.5 Sonnet: 1 credit
GPT-4o: 1 credit
o3-mini: 1 credit
DeepSeek-v3: 0.25 credits
DeepSeek-R1: 0.5 credits
Gemini 2.0 Flash: 0.25 credits
Credit usage is transparently displayed during execution, including when credits aren't consumed due to errors.
Other Enhancements
Drag-and-Drop Images: Easily input images for UI prototyping or design-to-code tasks
Custom App Icons (macOS Paid Users): Personalize your Windsurf dock icon
Windsurf Next: Windsurf Next is a "pre-release" version of Windsurf designed for early adopters eager to explore the latest features before they are refined and included in the stable release.
By opting into Windsurf Next, you can take advantage of innovative capabilities ahead of their general availability, even if they may have some minor imperfections that need improvement.
Final Thoughts
Windsurf Wave 3 represents a significant evolution in AI-assisted development. By enhancing both Cascade's capabilities and core editor features, Codeium has created a more cohesive and powerful development environment. The introduction of MCP support, coupled with user-friendly options like drag-and-drop images and transparent credit usage, shows Codeium's commitment to both power users and accessibility.
Stay tuned for my Step-by-Step guide on setting up an MCP server in Cursor and Windsurf next week, where I'll demonstrate adding different MCP integrations. In the meantime, explore the Wave 3 changelog and official announcement for more details.
What's your favorite Wave 3 feature? Share your thoughts in the comments!