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The AI Collective Nairobi Chapter Hosts Inaugural Windsurf Meetup: Developers Learn AI-Powered Building
Gerald Kombo
October 18, 2025
Kenya hosted a Windsurf meetup at ALX Kenya The Piano. The session covered practical techniques for building with AI coding assistants.
Self Criticism and Step by Step Methods
Two key techniques were demonstrated. First, developers learned to ask AI:
"Review this response you've given me, tell me why it's wrong, and make those changes."
Second, they learned to break down projects:
"Break down all the steps that are required, then work step by step through them."
These approaches reduce errors and prevent the AI from losing context.
Security with Test APIs
The session addressed keeping passwords and payment details safe. The solution demonstrated used test versions of payment systems like Paystack during development. Developers can share test credentials with AI tools to build payment features, then switch to real credentials stored in protected files once everything works.
Chat Mode and Write Mode
Windsurf has two modes. Chat Mode is for planning and discussing "how should I structure this website?" Write Mode is for actually creating code and building features. Attendees saw demonstrations of switching between modes during development.
Design Resources
The session mentioned a platform called "ui21st" for design components, though 21st.dev, Uiverse, and shadcn/ui provide similar copy paste UI components that Windsurf can customize.
Building with AI Tools
One attendee mentioned building "90% of applications" using AI coding assistants. The panel discussion covered how AI is changing the development landscape. Windsurf works as an extension to Visual Studio Code and supports different AI models like ChatGPT and Claude.
Related Tools
Developers can use LMArena to compare and evaluate different AI models, helping them choose the best model for specific tasks whether planning in Chat Mode or implementing in Write Mode.
About Windsurf
Windsurf is an AI coding environment for building software with natural language planning and code generation.
About The AI Collective
The AI Collective is a global nonprofit hosting events across 80+ chapters in 20+ countries. Follow @windsurf_ai on X and connect on LinkedIn.
About ALX Kenya
ALX Kenya provides tech training and community spaces in Nairobi, including The Piano at Brookside Drive.
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