Notepad++ MCP Server

# 🤖 AI Development Tools: Real-World Comparison **Based on FastMCP 2.12 Debugging Experience** **Project**: nest-protect MCP Server Development **Timeline**: September 2025 **Update**: September 19, 2025 - Claude Desktop Pro rate limiting issues --- ## 🎯 Executive Summary During our intensive 3-day FastMCP debugging session, we observed significant differences between AI development tools. This comparison is based on **real-world usage** for complex debugging, not theoretical benchmarks. **Key Finding**: Premium AI (Claude Sonnet) with proper context awareness dramatically outperforms free LLMs for complex development tasks, especially debugging and system integration. **CRITICAL UPDATE (Sept 19, 2025)**: Claude Desktop Pro has become largely unusable due to severe rate limiting - conversation ends after ~5 interactions, making multi-step debugging impossible. This has significantly changed the practical tool landscape. --- ## 🔧 Tool Comparison: Cursor IDE vs. Windsurf ### **Cursor IDE with Claude Sonnet 3.5** #### **✅ Strengths Observed** **Platform Awareness**: - ✅ **Respects OS-specific syntax** - Uses PowerShell syntax on Windows - ✅ **Follows user rules** - Adheres to "no Linux syntax in PowerShell" guidelines - ✅ **Context preservation** - Remembers previous conversations and rules **Debugging Excellence**: - ✅ **Systematic approach** - Follows logical debugging progressions - ✅ **Pattern recognition** - Identifies FastMCP 2.12 migration patterns - ✅ **Root cause analysis** - Distinguishes between symptoms and actual problems - ✅ **Error correlation** - Connects seemingly unrelated errors to common causes **Code Quality**: - ✅ **Production-ready output** - Code that works immediately - ✅ **Best practices** - Follows modern Python/FastMCP patterns - ✅ **Comprehensive error handling** - Anticipates edge cases - ✅ **Type safety** - Proper type hints and Pydantic integration **Test Building & Execution**: - ✅ **Effective test strategies** - Creates minimal reproduction cases - ✅ **Progressive testing** - Builds complexity gradually - ✅ **Platform-appropriate commands** - Uses correct PowerShell syntax - ✅ **Validation scripts** - Creates working diagnostic tools #### **Example: Proper PowerShell Usage** ```powershell # ✅ Cursor with Sonnet - Correct Windows syntax pip install -e . --force-reinstall --no-cache-dir; if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { python -m nest_protect_mcp } # ✅ Respects user rules about no && in PowerShell Remove-Item -Recurse -Force __pycache__ pip install -e . python -m nest_protect_mcp ``` ### **Windsurf with Free LLMs** #### **❌ Weaknesses Observed** **Platform Ignorance**: - ❌ **Linux syntax everywhere** - Uses `&&` and other bash-isms in PowerShell - ❌ **Ignores user rules** - Doesn't respect explicit "no Linux syntax" instructions - ❌ **Context loss** - Forgets previous corrections and guidelines **Debugging Limitations**: - ❌ **Surface-level analysis** - Focuses on symptoms, not root causes - ❌ **Generic solutions** - Copy-paste answers without context adaptation - ❌ **Pattern blindness** - Misses FastMCP 2.12 specific issues - ❌ **Inconsistent approach** - Jumps between different debugging strategies **Code Quality Issues**: - ❌ **Tutorial-level code** - Basic examples that don't handle real-world complexity - ❌ **Missing error handling** - Doesn't anticipate common failure modes - ❌ **Outdated patterns** - Uses deprecated or suboptimal approaches - ❌ **Type annotation gaps** - Inconsistent or missing type hints #### **Example: Problematic Linux Syntax** ```bash # ❌ Windsurf with free LLM - Wrong syntax for PowerShell pip install -e . && python -m nest_protect_mcp # This fails in PowerShell! # ❌ Continues using Linux patterns despite corrections rm -rf __pycache__ && pip install -e . && python test.py ``` --- ## 📊 Performance Comparison ### **Complex Debugging Task: FastMCP 2.12 Migration** | Aspect | Cursor + Sonnet | Windsurf + Free LLM | Winner | |--------|-----------------|---------------------|---------| | **Problem Identification** | Immediate FastMCP 2.12 pattern recognition | Generic "try this" suggestions | 🏆 Cursor | | **Solution Accuracy** | 90%+ first-try success | 30% success, lots of iteration | 🏆 Cursor | | **Platform Awareness** | Perfect PowerShell syntax | Constant Linux syntax mistakes | 🏆 Cursor | | **Context Retention** | Remembers rules and previous fixes | Repeats same mistakes | 🏆 Cursor | | **Code Quality** | Production-ready, comprehensive | Tutorial-level, incomplete | 🏆 Cursor | | **Time to Solution** | 3 days to full production system | Would likely take weeks | 🏆 Cursor | ### **Specific Example: Tool Registration Debugging** **Cursor + Sonnet Response**: ```python # Immediately identified FastMCP 2.12 pattern change from fastmcp import FastMCP from fastmcp.tools import Tool # ✅ Correct import location app = FastMCP("server", instructions="...") # ✅ Correct parameter name @app.tool() # ✅ Correct decorator pattern async def my_tool() -> Dict[str, Any]: return {"result": "data"} ``` **Windsurf + Free LLM Response**: ```python # Generic response that doesn't address FastMCP 2.12 specifics from fastmcp import FastMCP, Tool # ❌ Old import pattern app = FastMCP("server", description="...") # ❌ Old parameter name @tool # ❌ Undefined decorator def my_tool(): # ❌ Missing async, return type return "data" # ❌ Wrong return format ``` --- ## 🎯 Why Premium AI Makes a Difference ### **1. Training Data Quality & Recency** - **Sonnet**: Trained on high-quality, recent codebase examples - **Free LLMs**: Often trained on older, lower-quality data ### **2. Context Window & Memory** - **Sonnet**: Large context window, excellent memory of conversation - **Free LLMs**: Limited context, forgets previous instructions ### **3. Reasoning Capability** - **Sonnet**: Multi-step reasoning, pattern recognition across domains - **Free LLMs**: Surface-level pattern matching, limited reasoning depth ### **4. Domain Expertise** - **Sonnet**: Deep understanding of modern Python, FastMCP, async patterns - **Free LLMs**: Generic programming knowledge, outdated best practices --- ## 🚀 Real-World Impact on Development ### **What We Accomplished with Cursor + Sonnet** **Day 1**: FastMCP 2.12 import issues → Working server startup **Day 2**: Tool registration problems → All 24 tools loading **Day 3**: Mock data → Real API integration with comprehensive error handling **Total**: **Production-ready MCP server with 24 working tools** ### **Estimated Timeline with Windsurf + Free LLM** **Week 1**: Fighting basic import errors and PowerShell syntax issues **Week 2**: Struggling with tool registration patterns **Week 3**: Debugging async/await and state management **Week 4**: Maybe getting basic functionality working **Total**: **Likely weeks to achieve what we did in 3 days** --- ## 💡 Best Practices for AI-Assisted Development ### **For Cursor + Sonnet Users** 1. **Set Clear Rules**: Establish platform-specific guidelines (like "no Linux syntax in PowerShell") 2. **Provide Context**: Share project structure, previous solutions, and constraints 3. **Iterative Refinement**: Build on successful patterns rather than starting over 4. **Validate Immediately**: Test suggestions promptly to maintain context ### **For Windsurf + Free LLM Users** 1. **Manual Validation**: Always check syntax for your specific platform 2. **Reference Documentation**: Supplement AI suggestions with official docs 3. **Incremental Changes**: Make smaller changes to avoid cascade failures 4. **Pattern Libraries**: Build your own library of working patterns --- ## 🔧 Platform-Specific Command Examples ### **✅ Correct PowerShell Patterns** ```powershell # Multi-step operations Remove-Item -Recurse -Force __pycache__ pip install -e . --force-reinstall python -m nest_protect_mcp # Conditional execution pip install -e . if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { python -m nest_protect_mcp } else { Write-Host "Installation failed" } # Error handling try { python -m nest_protect_mcp } catch { Write-Host "Server failed to start: $_" } ``` ### **❌ Linux Syntax That Breaks in PowerShell** ```bash # These DON'T work in PowerShell pip install -e . && python -m nest_protect_mcp rm -rf __pycache__ && pip install -e . ls -la | grep .py ``` --- ## 🎯 Recommendations ### **For Complex Projects** - **Use Premium AI Tools**: The time savings and quality improvements justify the cost - **Establish Clear Guidelines**: Set platform and coding standards upfront - **Maintain Context**: Keep conversations focused and build on previous solutions ### **For Learning & Simple Tasks** - **Free LLMs are adequate** for basic coding tasks and learning - **Manual verification required** for platform-specific commands - **Reference documentation** to supplement AI suggestions ### **For Team Development** - **Standardize on tools** that respect platform conventions - **Document successful patterns** for reuse across projects - **Train team members** on AI tool best practices --- ## 🚨 Current Reality Check (September 2025) ### **Claude Desktop Pro: From Great to Unusable** **What Changed (September 2025)**: - ❌ **Severe rate limiting**: Conversation ends after ~5 interactions - ❌ **"Maximum chat length reached"**: Kills debugging sessions mid-flow - ❌ **Multi-step debugging impossible**: Can't complete complex workflows - ❌ **Forced conversation restarts**: Lose all context repeatedly **Impact on Development**: - 🚫 **Complex debugging**: No longer viable for projects like our FastMCP migration - 🚫 **Iterative development**: Can't build on previous solutions - 🚫 **System integration work**: Multi-step processes get cut off - ✅ **Basic testing only**: Good for "does my MCP server load and work?" **Developer Response**: - 💔 **Pro subscription cancellations**: Many developers abandoning due to unusability - 🔄 **Tool migration**: Moving back to Cursor IDE or other alternatives - ⏰ **Wait and see**: Planning to retry in 3 months if limits improve ### **Windsurf Free LLM: Pratfall After Pratfall** **Why Explicit "No Testing" Instructions Needed**: - ❌ **Linux syntax persistence**: Continues using `&&` in PowerShell despite corrections - ❌ **Context ignorance**: Ignores explicit platform rules and guidelines - ❌ **Repetitive failures**: Same mistakes over and over - ❌ **Testing disasters**: Creates more problems than it solves **Current Status**: Useful for basic code generation, but **explicitly avoid** letting it test or debug. ### **Practical Tool Landscape (Sept 2025)** | Tool | Development | Testing | Debugging | Multi-step | Cost | |------|------------|---------|-----------|------------|------| | **Cursor + Sonnet** | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Works | $$$ | | **Claude Desktop Pro** | ❌ Rate limited | ✅ Basic only | ❌ Impossible | ❌ Cuts off | $$$ | | **Windsurf Free** | ⚠️ Basic | ❌ Avoid | ❌ Poor | ⚠️ Limited | Free | **Winner**: **Cursor IDE with Claude Sonnet** - Only viable option for serious development work. ## 🏆 Conclusion Our FastMCP 2.12 debugging experience clearly demonstrates that **premium AI tools like Claude Sonnet provide dramatically better results** for complex development tasks. However, the **practical landscape has shifted significantly**: **September 2025 Reality**: - ✅ **Cursor IDE + Sonnet**: Still the gold standard for complex development - ❌ **Claude Desktop Pro**: Rate limiting has made it unusable for real development work - ❌ **Windsurf Free**: Requires explicit "don't test" instructions to avoid disasters The combination of: - ✅ **Proper platform awareness** (PowerShell vs. bash syntax) - ✅ **Context retention** (following user rules and guidelines) - ✅ **Pattern recognition** (FastMCP 2.12 specific issues) - ✅ **Production-quality output** (comprehensive error handling, type safety) Makes the difference between **3 days to production** vs. **weeks of frustration**. For serious development work, especially debugging and system integration, the premium AI investment pays for itself quickly through time savings and higher-quality results. **Bottom line (Updated Sept 2025)**: **Cursor with Claude Sonnet is now the ONLY viable option** for complex development work. Claude Desktop Pro has become unusable due to rate limiting, and Windsurf Free requires constant babysitting to avoid disasters. **Current Recommendation**: - 🥇 **For serious development**: Cursor IDE + Claude Sonnet (only tool that works for multi-step debugging) - 🔧 **For basic MCP testing**: Claude Desktop (just to check if servers load and respond) - 🚫 **For testing/debugging**: Avoid Windsurf Free - explicit "no testing" instructions required The AI development landscape has become much more constrained, making the right tool choice even more critical! 🚀 --- ## 🛠️ Recommended Development Workflow (Sept 2025) ### **For Complex Development Projects** 1. **Primary Development**: Cursor IDE + Claude Sonnet - Multi-step debugging and system integration - Production-quality code generation - Platform-aware command generation 2. **Basic Testing Only**: Claude Desktop (free/pro) - Quick "does it load?" checks for MCP servers - Simple validation that tools are accessible - **AVOID** multi-step debugging (rate limits will kill the session) 3. **Never for Testing**: Windsurf Free LLM - Use only for basic code generation - Explicitly instruct: "Do NOT test or run commands" - Manual verification required for all suggestions ### **Practical MCP Development Workflow** ``` Step 1: Develop in Cursor + Sonnet ├── Complex debugging and fixes ├── Multi-tool integration └── Production-ready implementation Step 2: Basic validation in Claude Desktop ├── "Does the server start?" ├── "Are tools visible?" └── "Do basic tools respond?" Step 3: Full testing manually ├── Real device integration ├── Error handling validation └── Production deployment ``` ### **What NOT to Do (Lessons Learned)** - ❌ Don't try complex debugging in Claude Desktop Pro (rate limits) - ❌ Don't let Windsurf Free LLM test anything (pratfall guaranteed) - ❌ Don't expect free tools to handle PowerShell syntax correctly - ❌ Don't rely on context retention in free LLMs This constrained landscape makes our FastMCP 2.12 debugging success with Cursor + Sonnet even more valuable - it's likely the ONLY way to achieve such results efficiently today!