Write Code Faster and Smarter Using Codeium

When you write code in VS Code, autocomplete can suggest what to type next. Codeium, called Windsurf Plugin in current vendor documentation, offers inline suggestions based on nearby code or a comment describing the intended behavior.

I’ll show you how to install and sign in to the VS Code extension, then how to review a suggestion before keeping it.

TL;DR: Use Windsurf autocomplete as a draft, then verify it

Codeium is now presented in Windsurf’s documentation as the Windsurf Plugin, and its VS Code extension is in maintenance mode. Install it from the VS Code Marketplace, sign in, type a small function or a specific comment, review the proposed completion, and run your own checks before keeping it.

• Use the extension only if you want inline completion in an existing editor. The official docs recommend the native Windsurf editor for newer agent features.
• Press Tab to accept a suggestion, not to certify that it is correct.
• Test generated code against the behavior and edge cases your task requires.

What is Codeium, now called Windsurf Plugin?

Windsurf Plugin is the name used in current vendor documentation for the editor integrations formerly called Codeium. In VS Code, it adds AI-assisted autocomplete, chat and command features after you install the extension and authorize it.

Autocomplete is a suggestion shown while you write code. It can use nearby code, a partial function signature or a comment as context, then offer one or more lines to continue from. It does not know whether the proposal matches your product requirements, hidden constraints or complete test suite.

Term	What it means here
Codeium	The earlier product name used by the existing article and many readers.
Windsurf Plugin	The vendor’s present name for its older IDE integrations, including VS Code.
Autocomplete	Inline code suggestions that you can inspect, accept or ignore.
Language server	The plugin component that communicates with the service after sign-in.

The distinction matters because the VS Code plugin is in maintenance mode, according to Windsurf’s documentation. The docs recommend its native editor for newer agentic features, so this walkthrough is for developers who want the existing VS Code completion workflow. It does not treat the plugin as the vendor’s newest experience.

I checked the vendor’s troubleshooting page too. It lists VS Code 1.89 or greater as supported. Check the documentation for your chosen editor before relying on a shortcut or feature from an older tutorial.

How to use Codeium autocomplete in VS Code step by step

Install and authorize the extension first, then give it a small, clear coding task. Treat the proposed code as a draft: inspect what it assumes, accept only the useful part, and run checks that exercise the intended behavior.

You need VS Code and a Windsurf account for the sign-in step. The vendor’s guide describes Marketplace installation followed by authorization and a language-server download. The troubleshooting page also gives a minimum supported VS Code version for diagnosing setup problems.

Step 1: Install and sign in to the VS Code extension

Open Extensions in VS Code, search the Marketplace for Windsurf Plugin, and install it. The vendor documentation names it as the plugin formerly called Codeium, which helps distinguish the supported extension listing from old screenshots or tutorials carrying the previous label.

After installation, follow the sign-in notification in the editor or open the profile area described in the vendor guide. Complete authorization in the browser, return to the editor and let the language server download. Check its status indicator if the features do not appear.

Step 2: Ask for a completion from a small code context

Open a file in the language you are working with and write the start of a function whose behavior is clear. Windsurf’s plugin guide demonstrates suggestions from a partial function signature. Keep the task and nearby names specific so you can judge whether the continuation fits.

Pause when an inline suggestion appears and read the whole proposed block, not just its first line. Check the function’s inputs, return value and side effects against the surrounding code. If it is off target, dismiss it or reshape the signature to make the intended behavior clearer.

The official guide says Tab accepts a suggestion. Accept only after review, then inspect the inserted code in its surrounding file. You can move through or dismiss alternatives using the controls available in your editor version, but check the extension’s interface rather than relying on a shortcut remembered from an older release.

Step 3: Use a comment to describe the intended behavior

A comment can give an autocomplete system more context than a bare function name. State the behavior, input conditions and important boundary case in plain language, then leave room for code beneath it. The official plugin guide shows that comments can prompt multi-line suggestions.

For example, a comment that says “Return the first matching record, or None when there is no match” is more specific than “Find record.” It communicates the empty-result behavior, which is where a plausible-looking completion can otherwise make a wrong assumption. This is an illustration of a prompt-writing technique, not a claim that the extension was run on this example.

Read the code against every condition in the comment. Make sure the return behavior is explicit and that the function handles the kinds of values your caller can pass. If the completion contradicts the description, reject or edit it rather than changing the requirement to fit the suggestion.

Step 4: Check the code before you keep it

Run the project’s formatter, linter and relevant tests after accepting code. Start with a test for the expected result, then test an empty input or other boundary condition that matters for this function. Passing those checks does not prove the implementation is correct, but it catches syntax errors and specified behavior that a suggestion can miss.

Also compare the change with nearby project conventions. An autocomplete result may refer to a method that your version does not provide, skip an authorization check, or handle only the example input. Search for the called APIs in your codebase or its official documentation, and keep only code you can explain to the next person reviewing it.

What should you check when suggestions fail?

First separate a plugin connection problem from a suggestion-quality problem. A missing response points toward sign-in, the language server, VS Code compatibility or network configuration. A poor completion means the feature responded, but its code needs clearer context or manual correction.

• No suggestions after install: confirm you completed sign-in, wait for the language-server download, and check the Windsurf status indicator. Reload VS Code only after confirming that the extension is authorized.
• Unsupported editor behavior: the troubleshooting page states that VS Code 1.89 or greater is supported. Check your installed VS Code version and update it if it falls below that requirement.
• Wrong server or portal: inspect the extension’s API Server or Portal URL settings. The official troubleshooting guide warns that a workspace setting can override a user setting and send the extension to the wrong server.
• Connection or certificate errors: check the documented proxy and TLS certificate guidance. A corporate proxy or incomplete certificate chain can prevent the extension from trusting a connection. Ask the administrator who manages the certificate rather than disabling TLS verification.
• Chat response missing from view: the vendor notes that a completed response may not display if the chat web server loses connection to the extension. Its suggested recovery is to reload VS Code and reopen the chat panel.

If the connection appears healthy but the completion is inaccurate, narrow the function signature or comment and include the necessary types and constraints in the file. Do not paste sensitive production data into an assistant prompt unless your organization’s policy allows it. For a persistent plugin error, use the vendor’s Extension Diagnostics or select Windsurf in the VS Code Extension Host logs and share the relevant sanitized error with your administrator or support contact.

Change one setting at a time while diagnosing a connection issue. That makes it clearer whether authorization, a workspace override or a network rule was responsible. Keep a note of the original value before changing an editor setting, and restore it if the check does not help.

These checks apply to the older VS Code integration. Its maintenance-mode status means instructions and interface details can differ from newer Windsurf products. Confirm the corresponding vendor page for the editor and feature you actually use rather than assuming a setting or shortcut from another plugin version.

Conclusion: Keep the suggestion, verify the behavior

Codeium autocomplete, documented under the Windsurf Plugin name, can help you begin familiar code without typing every line from scratch. The useful workflow is to describe one behavior, inspect the proposed completion, and verify it with the project’s tests and review process. Completion is a starting point, not evidence that the implementation meets your requirements.

For exact install steps and supported-editor troubleshooting, use the Windsurf Plugins getting-started guide and its VS Code troubleshooting page. Those first-party pages should settle any interface detail that has changed since an older Codeium tutorial.

FAQ: Using Codeium autocomplete