A helpful coding tool gets you to a first version. A useful workflow lets you understand it, change it, and ship the next one. Start with the kind of software you want to build.
Windsurf AI is an agentic code editor owned by Cognition and linked to Devin cloud agents. My 2026 verdict: it is a strong pick for a technical solo founder who needs agent work across a busy codebase. I would skip the paid plan if I only need chat and code completion.
Flutter is my best overall pick. React Native with Expo is best if you know JavaScript. Android Studio wins for an Android-only app. FlutterFlow is the fast visual choice.