Devin Desktop (formerly Windsurf) is an AI code editor. You open a project, describe a change in plain English, and an AI agent proposes the edits. This recipe walks you through a first project.
What you'll see: a name change
The app was renamed Devin Desktop in 2026, and its documentation has moved to Devin's docs site. The docs say installs from before the rename may still sit in a folder with the old name, and that older rule folders such as .windsurf/rules/ still work.
The docs also say Cascade is now the legacy agent. Devin Desktop no longer starts new Cascade conversations, and new conversations start with an agent called Devin Local. So depending on your version, the names on your screen may differ from older tutorials. The steps below work the same way either way: open a project, chat with the agent, review what it asks to do.
Before you start
- A Mac (the docs list OS X Yosemite as the minimum), Windows 10 or later, or Linux.
- A free Devin account. The docs say you can sign up for free. Check Devin's pricing page for current plan limits, since we haven't verified them.
- A practice folder.
Step 1: Download and install
Get the installer from the Devin Desktop page. On Linux the docs give a tar download or deb and rpm packages.
Step 2: Sign in
On first launch, onboarding asks you to log in with your Devin account. If the browser sign-in doesn't work, the docs say you can log in manually with a Devin API key. Treat that key like a password.
Step 3: Make a practice project
In a terminal:
mkdir practice-project cd practice-project echo "<h1>Hello</h1>" > index.html
Then in the app choose Open project from the starting page and pick that folder. Starting from the folder you want the agent to work in keeps it focused on the right files.
Step 4: Ask a question first
Find the agent chat panel. The docs say the agent selector is in the bottom right corner of the window. Start with something harmless:
What files are in this project and what does index.html do?
In the older Cascade agent, Chat mode is for questions and Code mode makes changes. Devin Local lists modes called Code, Smart, Ask, Plan and Bypass Permissions. Stay away from Bypass Permissions while learning, because as the name suggests it reduces how often the agent asks you first.
Step 5: Make your first change
Ask for a small edit:
Turn index.html into a simple page with a title, a short paragraph about my favourite hobby and some basic styling. Keep it in one file.
When the agent wants to run a command, Devin Local shows a permission request. You can edit the command before approving, then approve it, always allow it, or reject it. Read each request first. "Always allow" means you won't be asked again for that kind of action.
Open index.html in your browser to see the result, then ask for tweaks:
Make the heading blue and centre everything.
Step 6: Undo mistakes
In the legacy Cascade agent, hover over your original prompt and click the revert arrow. The docs warn that reverts are currently irreversible, so be sure before you click. For a proper safety net, use Git and commit before bigger changes. See our git safety net guide.
Devin Local can also work in worktrees, which are separate copies of your project. Changes are brought back with a Merge button.
Step 7: Give it standing instructions
Rules are persistent instructions the agent reads at the start of every session. The docs say a plain AGENTS.md file in your project is read as an always-on rule, and that rule files can also live in .devin/rules/ as Markdown. A tiny example:
# My project - Use British English in visible text. - Keep CSS in one file. - Ask before adding new dependencies.
Learn more in AGENTS.md explained.
Safety habits
- Read every permission request, especially for commands that delete or install things.
- Commit to Git first, so you can undo.
- Keep secrets out of chat and rule files.
- Make one request at a time and check the result.
Where to go next
- See how it stacks up in Claude Code vs Devin Desktop and Cursor vs Devin Desktop.
- Devin Desktop supports MCP servers. Start with what an MCP server is.
- Read the Devin Desktop tool page.