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Use Windsurf with AI Workbench#

Overview#

Using Windsurf with AI Workbench is virtually identical to using VS Code.

Windsurf has the same features for working on remotes and attaching to containers. However, there is one key difference.

You can’t (yet) configure Windsurf as a Native App and then launch it from the Application Launcher Instead, you must attach it from within Windsurf. It takes three steps.

Windsurf has Remote-SSH and Dev Containers built-in, simplifying setup.

Unlike VS Code and Cursor, Windsurf ships with these extensions already integrated. You don’t need to install any additional extensions for remote development.

You need to start the project container first, then attach a Windsurf window to it.

The lack of direct integration requires three steps. Start the project container, then attach Windsurf to it by connecting to the remote and then the container.

To persist the Windsurf server and extensions, install them in the container with a build script.

This is identical to how it works with VS Code and Cursor. You just need to add the correct code snippet to the postBuild.bash script.

Prerequisites: Windsurf Installation#

Step One: Install Windsurf on the same system you have the Desktop App.

Go to the Windsurf site and download the version for your operating system.

Remote-SSH and Dev Containers extensions are built-in.

Unlike VS Code and Cursor, Windsurf includes these extensions by default. No additional extension installation is required for basic remote development.

Windsurf only requires WSL configuration for full local install on Windows.

Configure the NVIDIA-Workbench distribution.

  1. Select Windsurf window > File > Preferences > Settings

  2. Type Settings Tab > Search Bar > dev.containers.executeInWSL

  3. Select Execute in WSL

  4. Type Execute in WSL Distro > NVIDIA-Workbench

Using Podman with Windsurf requires configuring the docker path.

Do the following in a Windsurf window.

  1. Select File > Preferences > Settings

  2. Type Settings Tab > Search Bar > dev.containers.dockerPath

  3. Type Docker Path > podman

Attach to a Local Container#

Step One: Start the project container.

  1. Select Location Manager > Location Card > Location Window > Project Card

  2. Select Project Tab > Dashboard > Project Container > Start Container

Step Two: Connect a Windsurf window to the container.

  1. Type Windsurf window > Search Bar (Top) > > Dev Containers: Attach to a Running Container

  2. Hit Enter

  3. Select Drop Down > container name

  4. Hit Enter

Step Three: Open the project folder in the Windsurf window.

  1. Select Windsurf window > Open Folder (LHS)

  2. Locate the project folder and select it

Attach to a Remote Container#

Step One: Start the project container.

  1. Select Location Manager > Location Card > Location Window > Project Card

  2. Select Project Tab > Dashboard > Project Container > Start Container

Step Two: Connect a Windsurf window to the remote container.

  1. Type Windsurf window > Search Bar (Top) > > Remote-SSH: Connect to Host

  2. Hit Enter

  3. Select Drop Down > location-name or IP

  4. Type Windsurf window > Search Bar (Top) > > Dev Containers: Attach to a Running Container

  5. Hit Enter

Step Three: Open the project folder in the Windsurf window.

  1. Select Windsurf window > Open Folder (LHS)

  2. Locate the project folder and select it