Windsurf

Windsurf (Cascade) supports both Skills (ZIP install) and MCP via the Windsurf MCP config. The setup is nearly identical to Cursor.

Prerequisites

1. Install the gen-ai CLI — see Installation.
2. Run gen-ai login (one-time browser OAuth).
3. Verify: gen-ai --version and gen-ai credits.

Method 1: Skills (recommended)

Install

1. Download the skill ZIP from picsart.com/gen-ai-skills.
2. In Windsurf, locate the rules or skills import in Settings.
3. Place the unzipped skill folder in the designated directory.
4. Restart Windsurf.

Use it

In the Cascade agent panel:

• "Generate a 16:9 product image with a gradient background using Ideogram 4."
• "Animate this still into a 5-second clip with subtle parallax."
• "Generate a voiceover for this script using an ElevenLabs voice."

Cascade picks the appropriate model and runs the gen-ai command.

Method 2: MCP

Configure

Open Windsurf's MCP settings and add:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "picsart-gen-ai": {
      "command": "gen-ai-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Save and restart Windsurf.

Use it

Once connected, Cascade can call Picsart tools directly:

• "What does a Veo 3.1 video cost at 8 seconds and 1080p?"
• "Generate a batch of 4 hero images for this brief and save to Drive."
• "Remove the background from this URL and return the cleaned image."

See the MCP Quickstart for the full tool catalog.

Troubleshooting

Windsurf cannot find gen-ai-mcp.

Use the absolute binary path:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "picsart-gen-ai": {
      "command": "/Users/you/.local/bin/gen-ai-mcp"
    }
  }
}

Find the path with which gen-ai-mcp in a terminal.

Generation fails with "unauthorized".

Run gen-ai login in a terminal and restart Windsurf.

FAQ

Is the Picsart skill the same for Windsurf and Cursor?

Yes. The gen-ai-use skill bundle is agent-agnostic. The only difference is the directory where you place the skill — check Windsurf's current documentation for the exact path.

Can I use Skills and MCP at the same time?

Yes. They operate independently and do not conflict.

Start creating

The Picsart MCP server is now connected. Visit the documentation for examples, available models, and prompt ideas.

Ready to generate?

View documentation