Bolt.new vs Windsurf for real-time apps
Comparing Bolt.new and Windsurf for building real-time apps. See which tool is better and get expert code review for your AI-built project. From $19.
Real-time App challenges we solve
Common real-time app issues in apps built with Bolt.new or Windsurf.
Connection management and reconnection
WebSocket connections drop constantly — network switches, phone sleep, server deploys. AI tools open a connection but don't handle disconnection, reconnection, or missed messages during downtime. Users see stale data or lose messages without knowing it.
Message ordering and delivery guarantees
Messages must arrive in order and must not be lost. Network issues can deliver messages out of sequence or duplicate them. AI-generated real-time code has no message ordering, no deduplication, and no delivery confirmation — which means lost messages and confused users.
Conflict resolution in collaborative editing
When two users edit the same content simultaneously, whose changes win? AI tools implement 'last write wins,' which silently discards one user's work. Production collaboration needs operational transforms or CRDTs to merge concurrent edits correctly.
Scaling concurrent connections
Each WebSocket connection holds server resources. A single server can handle hundreds of connections, but thousands require load balancing with sticky sessions, a pub/sub layer (like Redis), and horizontal scaling. AI tools don't implement any of this.
Presence and typing indicators
Showing who's online, who's typing, and who's viewing a document requires frequent presence updates that can overwhelm your server. These updates need throttling, batching, and efficient broadcast — details AI tools skip entirely.
Message persistence and history
Real-time messages need to be stored for later retrieval — chat history, edit history, activity logs. AI tools send messages through WebSockets but don't persist them, so refreshing the page loses the entire conversation.
Which is better for real-time app?
Bolt.new
Non-technical founders who need a working demo fast. Best for idea validation, investor demos, and figuring out what to build before investing in real development.
Bolt.new code reviewWindsurf
Developers building production applications. Best when code quality, maintainability, and security matter from the start.
Windsurf code reviewStart with a self-serve audit
Get a professional review of your real-time app app, regardless of whether you built it with Bolt.new or Windsurf.
External Security Scan
Black-box review of your public-facing app. No code access needed.
- OWASP Top 10 vulnerability check
- SSL/TLS configuration analysis
- Security header assessment
- Expert review within 24h
Code Audit
In-depth review of your source code for security, quality, and best practices.
- Security vulnerability analysis
- Code quality review
- Dependency audit
- Architecture review
- Expert + AI code analysis
Complete Bundle
Both scans in one package with cross-referenced findings.
- Everything in both products
- Cross-referenced findings
- Unified action plan
100% credited toward any paid service. Start with an audit, then let us fix what we find.
How it works
Tell us about your app
Share your project details and what you need help with.
Expert + AI audit
A human expert assisted by AI reviews your code within 24 hours.
Launch with confidence
We fix what needs fixing and stick around to help.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better for real-time apps: Bolt.new or Windsurf?
Both can build real-time apps, but they have different strengths. Bolt.new non-technical founders who need a working demo fast. best for idea validation, investor demos, and figuring out what to build before investing in real development., while Windsurf developers building production applications. best when code quality, maintainability, and security matter from the start.. Our code review covers apps built with either tool.
Can you review a real-time app built with Bolt.new or Windsurf?
Yes. We review real-time apps built with any AI coding tool. Our audit covers the specific real-time app challenges like connection management and reconnection and message ordering and delivery guarantees.
What issues should I watch for in real-time apps from AI tools?
Common real-time app issues include connection management and reconnection, message ordering and delivery guarantees, conflict resolution in collaborative editing. These apply regardless of whether you used Bolt.new or Windsurf. Our code audit catches all of them.
How do I get my AI-built real-time app production-ready?
Start with our code audit ($19) — it covers real-time app-specific issues regardless of which AI tool you used. We check security, architecture, and deployment readiness, then provide a fixed quote for any fixes needed.
Related resources
Bolt.new vs Windsurf for Other Use Cases
Building a real-time app with Bolt.new or Windsurf?
Tell us about your project. We'll respond within 24 hours with a clear plan and fixed quote.