As a senior software engineer with over a decade of experience, my journey with Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) has evolved alongside the advancements in software development tools. Over this decade, i switch IDE from
Sublime > Visual Code > Cursor > windsurf > Cursor > Trae(Now) .
In this post, I want to share my experience moving through various IDEs and how AI-assisted coding has improve my code quality with efficiency.
The Early Days: Sublime Text
I started my coding journey with Sublime Text. It was lightweight, fast, and had a minimalistic interface , but thats bullshit, thats not the reason I’m using it, I was just graduate from school, the reason of using it is just because other collegue is using it, I just follow. However, as projects grew more complex, I needed something more powerful — an IDE with better extensions, debugging tools, and built-in support for modern development workflows.
Reason To Change
Lack of Built-in Debugging.
I had difficulty debugging complex code, and I was only able to print out values in the terminal or pop up an alert. Sounds stupid, right? Yes, that was the method I used at the beginning of my career. After I realized that step debugging allows me to debug line by line, I immediately chose to switch IDEs.
2. Not Open-Source & Paid for Full Features
Yes, Sublime offers a free trial, but it’s not fully free. A license is required for continued use, unlike VS Code, which is completely free and open-source.
The Long Run with VS Code
Soon, I switched to Visual Studio Code, and it became my go-to IDE for many years. Microsoft’s VS Code was (and still is) an incredibly powerful tool, with its vast extension marketplace, built-in terminal, Git integration, and support for multiple programming languages. It served me well until 2024, when AI-powered IDEs started gaining traction.
I’ve been using VS Code for almost 10 years. It allows me to install a lot of plugins to support multiple languages, as well as tools that improve the speed of writing code. It also has a built-in debugging tool. I’m happy using VS Code all the time.
But this changed after AI was born.
Exploring AI-Driven IDEs: Cursor & Codium Windsurf
Before Cursor was introduced, I was attracted to GitHub Copilot. GitHub Copilot was launched as an AI-powered code completion tool that assists developers by providing code suggestions and completions directly in the IDE. It’s good for reducing the time I spend copying and pasting code from my IDE to Google. I can get answers without leaving my IDE, which saves me a lot of time. However, I didn’t proceed after the free trial period because I prefer copying and pasting to get answers from Google and ChatGPT.
Soon Cursor was introduced, I was stunned by the feature it provide, I no longer need to copy paste my code between AI chat and my code, i can generate code with just 1 button click, I can fix bug and enhance code quality with just 1 click, what i need is just talk to AI using human language.
I immediately subscribed to its AI-powered features. The seamless integration of AI into my coding workflow was a game-changer — it provided real-time code suggestions, debugging assistance, and refactoring recommendations. AI-enhanced coding made me more productive, reduced repetitive tasks, and helped me focus on logic rather than syntax.
I briefly tried Codium Windsurf IDE, which offered similar AI-assisted capabilities, but it didn’t quite match the experience I had with Cursor. As a result, I quickly switched back to Cursor and continued using it.
The Switch to Trae.AI: A Free Alternative with Sonnet 3.7
BOOM… Then came Trae.AI — a game-changer in the AI-powered IDE space. Offering the same intelligent coding assistance as Cursor but at zero cost, it immediately caught my attention. What truly set it apart, though, was access to the latest Sonnet 3.7 model, which brought cutting-edge AI capabilities for code generation, error detection, and optimization.
Switching to Trae.AI was a no-brainer. It delivered the same high-quality AI-powered features without the subscription fees, allowing me to enhance my coding efficiency without extra costs. Since making the move, I haven’t looked back — Trae.AI has seamlessly integrated into my workflow, proving that top-tier AI assistance doesn’t have to come with a price tag.
Final Thoughts
The evolution of IDEs has been nothing short of revolutionary. From simple text editors to AI-powered development environments, the way we code has fundamentally changed. While VS Code remains a dominant force, AI-assisted IDEs like Cursor and Trae.AI are pushing the boundaries of efficiency and innovation.